What Causes Numbness in Your Hand?

Ganglion Cyst

These noncancerous lumps often develop along the joints or tendons in your hands and wrists. They can be round or oval and tend to be quite small, often pea size or smaller. With more use of the joint or tendons, they will get larger. While they do often cause pain, they can also cause tingling, numbness or weakness in the hands or fingers.

Treatments:

Most doctors recommend the watch and wait treatment for painless ganglion cysts. If there is pain, your doctor may recommend you wear a brace or splint to immobilize the area. You may also need to have fluid removed from the cyst or a surgery to remove the cyst.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome usually progresses slowly. You may notice tingling in your fingers, specifically the thumb and index fingers and sometimes the middle finger. This tingling will come and go, but can travel from the fingers to the wrist and even up the arm. You may feel an electric shock at times especially when holding something like a cell phone or steering wheel. The sensation can be overwhelming enough to wake you from your sleep. Carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause a weakness in the hands and a weakening of the pinching muscles in the thumb.

Treatments:

When treat early, carpal tunnel can be treated with non-surgical treatments such as:

• wrist splinting

• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

• corticosteroids

Severe cases of carpal tunnel may require surgery.

• Endoscopic surgery is where the ligaments are cut to reduce pain.

• Open surgery is performed by cutting through the palm to free the nerves by cutting through the ligaments

Lyme disease

One of the first symptoms of Lyme disease is a rash, usually as the result of a tick bite that resembles a bull's eye pattern. Flu-like symptoms are also common. If untreated Lyme disease can cause erythema migrans, joint painless and neurological problems.

Treatments:

Lyme disease is typically treated with a combination of antibiotics, either oral or intravenous.

Tennis Elbow

Numbness in right hand can be caused by the pain of tennis elbow. The pain begins near the elbow and spreads down the arm to the wrist. You may notice your hands shake when you try to grip objects, turn the doorknob, or try to hold objects in your hands.

Treatments:

While tennis elbow can get better on its own and the pain managed with over the counter medication, physical therapy may also be necessary. Through physical therapy, you will learn the proper exercises that will help reduce pain and strengthen the muscles. For severe cases of tennis elbow, other treatments or surgery may be necessary.

• Injections of platelet-rich plasma, botox or a prolotherapy treatment may help.

• Ultrasonic tenotomy is done where a needle is injected under the skin and ultrasonic energy from the needle causes the tissues to liquify.

• Surgical procedures may be needed if symptoms have lasted for more than 12 months. These surgeries will remove the damaged tissue.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes usually causes individuals to feel more thirsty with an increase in urination as well. You will feel more hungry but will lose weight even though you are eating more. Diabetes will cause you to feel more fatigued and can affect your vision. Since type 2 diabetes makes it more difficult to fight off infection, you may notice you heal slower and have more infection. It also affects your skin where you may notice dark areas of your skin.

Treatments:

The best way to treat diabetes is through dietary changes and regular exercise. Additional medications such as Glucophage, Glumetza, sulfonylureas, and meglitinides may be prescribed to regulate glucose levels.

Vasculitis

Some types of vasculitis can cause numbness in right hand. Vasculitis causes changes in the blood vessels walls due to inflammation of the blood vessels. While there are different types of vasculitis, there are some common symptoms.

• headache

• fatigue

• fever

• loss of weight

• aches and pains

• night sweats

• rash

• numbness or weakness of the nerves

Treatments:

Once diagnosed, treatments are based on controlling inflammation and resolving any underlying health issues that can cause the vasculitis. This can include medication for inflammation and surgeries to remove any bulge in the blood vessels or to clear blocked arteries.

Stroke

There are clear signals that indicate a stroke which include:

• difficulty speaking

• numbness of the arms or legs

• paralysis of the face

• difficulty seeing

• headaches

• difficulty walking

Treatments:

Depending on the type of stroke you are having, the type of treatment you receive will vary.

• Ischemic stroke will require clot-busting drugs, aspirin, and intravenous injection of tissue plasminogen activator. Carotid endarterectomy may be necessary to remove plaque from the arteries.

• Hemorrhagic stroke requires treatments that will control bleeding and reduce pressure in the brain. Medications and anti-palate drugs may be given. Surgeries such as clipping, coiling, AVM removal, and intracranial bypass surgery may be necessary to repair damage and reduce the risk of hemorrhaging.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

With Guillain Barre syndrome, your immune system will begin to attach your nerves. Symptoms begin with a tingling or weakness in the feet and legs which spreads throughout the entire body. Additional symptoms include:

• pins and needle sensation in the fingers, wrists, toes, and ankles

• weakness in the legs

• inability to walk

• difficulty speaking, chewing or swallowing

• pain that feels cramp-like that gets worse at night

• bladder or bowel function difficulties

• increase in heart rate

• change in blood pressure (high or low)

• trouble breathing

Treatments:

Numbness in right hand that is caused by Guillain Barre syndrome may not have a cure. There are, however, some treatments that can reduce the severity of the syndrome.

• Plasma exchange can be done where part of your blood is removed to separate the blood cells. The blood cells are replaced in the body to promote the production of new plasma.

• Immunoglobulin therapy is treatment done where immunoglobulin is given to help block the antibodies that can cause Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Thyroid disorder

Common symptoms of hypothyroidism:

• fatigued

• inability to concentrate

• dry skin

• constipation

• fluid retention

• pain in the muscles or joints

• feeling cold

• depression

• common symptoms of hyperthyroidism

• tremors

• nervousness

• increase heart rate

• fatigue

• increase in bowel movements

• sweating

• inability to concentrate

• weight loss

Treatments:

Thyroid disorders can be treated with medication but some thyroid issues may require surgery.

Multiple sclerosis

Symptoms of this condition include:

• numbness in the limbs

• partial or complete loss of vision

• tingling through the body

• double vision

• electric shock sensation when moving the neck

• tremors

• difficulty speaking

• fatigue

• dizziness

• bowel and bladder issues

Treatments:

While there is no cure, corticosteroids can help reduce nerve inflammation. Plasma exchange may be done if there are no responds to the corticosteroids. Varies therapies may also be necessary as the disease progresses.

When to see a Doctor

If the numbness in your hand is persistent or the sensation begins to spread to other parts of the body, you want to consult your doctor. You want to be able to identify what is the underlying cause for the numbness as quickly as possible to prevent any permanent damage.