Hand Tingling

Paresthesia is characterized by pricking or tingling feeling in the skin. It commonly affects the feet and hands. It is also known as 'pins and needles.' Let us understand the various causes and treatments for this problem.

Pressure on the nerves is often the contributing factor for numbness in fingers or hands. If you end up sleeping in an awkward position, with your head over the arm, then you might experience numbness. The process of 'waking up' after being numb, results into a sensation of pins and needles.

Numbness could also be experienced by people affected by carpal tunnel syndrome. It results from the compression of the median nerve. This medical condition is also known as 'median neuropathy at the wrist'. It is a repetitive stress motion disorder of common occurrence. Nerve damage could also be the reason behind it.

Transient or acute paresthesia is a result of hyperventilation syndrome that might be accompanied by a panic attack. In the hyperventilation syndrome, a person breaths rapidly or deeply. This disorder can either have physiological or psychological origins. In this syndrome, the delivery of oxygen to vital organs does not take place properly.

Poor circulation in the limbs results could also result in chronic paresthesia. It generally occurs due to peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The buildup of plaque in the arteries, which is also known as atherosclerosis, causes this problem.

Arteries get constricted or narrow due to deposition of plaque in arteries, hampering the proper supply of blood and nutrients to various organs of the body. Therefore, lack of supply of vitamins and other nutrients could also result in a 'pins and needles' sensation. This is a symptom of disorders like hypothyroidism, diabetes, and hypoparathyroidism.

During daytime, there is enough hand movement so as to prevent numbness in hand. However, in the night, the ulnar or median nerves in the hand could get compressed due to a wrong sleeping posture. Ulnar nerve is most sensitive at the elbow, while the median nerve is sensitive at the wrists.

The ulnar nerve is not protected by any kind of muscles or fat tissues at the elbow. Therefore, if it remains compressed for a long time, a sensation of pins and needles is experienced.

Placing the elbows sideways while lying on the back could create pressure on ulnar nerve at the elbow. Even the median nerve could get compressed, if the wrists are bent in a forward position at night. Splints are recommended by doctors, to keep the wrists in a straight position. Elbow pads could also be used to reduce the pressure on the ulnar nerve.

A CT scan is performed by the doctor to check whether there is any problem in the central nervous system. There are medications available that should be taken as per your doctor's instruction.

Loosening the neck muscles or rocking the head from side to side also helps in relieving the discomfort caused by pins and needles effect. The exercise of clenching and unclenching the fist can also help in 'waking up' the arm. The increased blood circulation helps to get rid of the problem.

In mild cases, tingling in the hands can be relieved by sleeping in a proper posture at night. Drug therapy might be recommended to alleviate the symptoms in severe cases.

Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.