NUMBNESS ... CAUSES

Numbness is when you can't feel anything in part of your hand or fingers, usually a patch of skin.

Pins and needles are a tingling or prickling sensation that is often felt in hands or feet. Most numbness or pins and needles is due to pressure on nerves or the blood vessels that supply nerves. This often happens after you've been in an awkward position, like sitting cross-legged or may be the sign of a trapped nerve.  Occasionally, it may be the sign of a more serious underlying problem such as diabetes.

Causes

Numbness in a hand is usually caused by damage, irritation or compression of one of the nerves or a branch of one of the nerves in your arm and wrist.

Diseases affecting the peripheral nerves, such as diabetes, also can cause numbness, although this is often preceded by similar symptoms in your feet.

Rarely, numbness can be caused by problems in your brain or spinal cord, although this is usually accompanied by weakness or loss of function in your arm or hand. Fortunately, numbness by itself is only rarely associated with potentially life-threatening disorders, such as strokes or tumors.

Your doctor will need detailed information about your symptoms to diagnose the cause of your numbness. A variety of tests may be needed to confirm the cause before appropriate treatment can begin.

 Effected by numbness/pins and needles

You can get numbness/pins and needles by putting pressure on a part of your body, like wearing tight shoes or sitting on your foot. People with back pain, diabetics or people who use vibrating tools are more prone to develop the problem.

Associated Diagnoses

·         Carpal tunnel syndrome

·         Entrapment syndromes

·         Repetitive motion injuries

·         Trauma

·         Systemic lupus erythematosus

·         Frostbite

·         Beriberi

·         Diabetic nerve damage

·         Multiple sclerosis

·         Snake bites

·         Neuralgias

·         Rabies

·         Radiculopathy

·         Peripheral neuropathy

·         Pernicious anemia

·         Toxin exposure or poisoning

·         Stroke

·         Lyme disease

·         Alcoholism

·         Malnutrition

Possible causes of numbness in one or both of your hands include:

§  Alcoholism or chronic alcohol use

§  Amyloidosis (when substances called amyloid proteins build up in your organs)

§  Brachial plexus injury (an injury to the network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm and hand)

§  Carpal tunnel syndrome

§  Cervical spondylosis (age-related wear and tear affecting the disks in your neck)

§  Ganglion cyst (noncancerous fluid-filled lumps that most commonly develop along the tendons or joints of your wrists or hands)

§  Guillain-Barre syndrome (an uncommon disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your nerves)

§  HIV/AIDS

§  Lyme disease (a tick-borne illness)

§  Multiple sclerosis

§  Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system (a group of rare disorders that develop in some people with cancer)

§  Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage that often causes numbness and pain in your hands and feet)

§  Raynaud's disease (a condition that causes some areas of your body to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress)

§  Side effects of chemotherapy drugs

§  Sjogren's syndrome (an autoimmune disease that causes dry eyes and dry mouth)

§  Spinal cord injury

§  Stroke

§  Syphilis

§  Syringomyelia (the development of a fluid-filled cyst, or syrinx, within your spinal cord)

§  Type 2 diabetes

§  Ulnar nerve compression

§  Vasculitis (an inflammation of your blood vessels)

§  Vitamin B-12 deficiency

Diagnosis and Treatments

If hand numbness is persistent and accompanied by other symptoms such as weakness and pain, it requires thorough evaluation by a physician. A complete history and physical, including family history, work history, laboratory tests may be indicated. Nerve conduction velocity tests, electromyography, imaging studies and nerve biopsy may be required. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause and relieving symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy as well as stretching exercises may help alleviate symptoms once the underlying cause is found and treated.

Go to a hospital or call your local emergency number (such as 911) if:

Begins suddenly, particularly if it's accompanied by weakness or paralysis, confusion, difficulty talking, dizziness, or a sudden, severe headache, Numbness or tingling occur just after a head, neck, or back injury

Blood tests may include:

Complete blood count (CBC)

ü  Electrolyte level (measurement of body chemicals and minerals) and liver function tests

ü  Thyroid function tests

ü  Measurement of vitamin levels

ü  Heavy metal or toxicology screening

ü  Sedimentation rate and measurements of c-reactive protein

Imaging tests may include:

ü  Angiogram (a test that uses x-rays and a special dye to see inside the blood vessels)

ü  CT angiogram

ü  CT scan of the head

ü  CT scan of the spine

ü  MRI of the head

ü  MRI of the spine

ü  Ultrasound of neck vessels to determine your risk for TIA or stroke

ü  Vascular ultrasound

ü  X-ray of the affected area