Causes of Numbness in Hands

Causes of Numbness in Hands

When the neck straightens, two of the four vessels (vertebral arteries) leading to the brain become stretched and not enough blood can flow to the brain, causing the person headache, dizziness, nausea, forgetfulness, and if left untreated, in later stages, imbalance, lack of concentration, extreme irritability, and reluctance. The neck tension is not very advanced, yet. In the initial phase, it can be prevented with muscle relaxants, heat application, and rest in noiseless and low-light places. However, if the neck tension has progressed and the pain spreads to the arms, physical therapy or complementary medicine should be added to the treatment. If there is an advanced cervical disc herniation added to the existing disease, surgical intervention may also be required. If neck tension is not treated, headaches become more frequent and do not respond to painkillers, and the person’s unhappiness turns into depression. Constant neck tension causes neck hernias, causing numbness and weakness in the arms. Problems such as imbalance, walking difficulties, and the inability to perform movements that require fine skills arise.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: (10%)

A nerve and muscle ligaments coming from the arm pass through a narrow channel or tunnel at the base of the palm, in the wrist area, and reach the hand. This narrow channel is called the Carpal Tunnel, and the nerve passing through the carpal tunnel is called the Median Nerve. Carpal tunnel only the median nerve and It is wide enough to accommodate muscle ligaments. Any formation or swelling that takes up space within the canal causes compression of the tissues inside. This compression in the median nerve is manifested by complaints of numbness and felting in the areas stimulated by the nerve. This condition, which occurs when the median nerve is compressed in the carpal tunnel, is called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There are different treatment alternatives in the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome. Bandage is the most commonly used method among these. Resting the fingers, hand and wrist in their natural positions by preventing their movement is a very effective method of reducing the pressure in the carpal tunnel. In cases where the pain does not decrease with a bandage, a small dose of cortisone or local anesthetic can be injected into the wrist. Various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and painkillers can be used to relieve pain and inflammation. These drugs should be used in pregnant women with the recommendation of the doctor who is monitoring the pregnancy. In persistent cases, a minor surgical intervention may be required. This procedure is an outpatient intervention that does not require hospitalization. With a small incision made in the palm of the hand close to the wrist, the connective tissue causing compression is relieved. After the procedure, the patient returns completely to normal within 4-6 weeks.

Ulnar Groove Syndrome: (5%)

It consists of the radius-ulna, the forearm bones, the wrist joint, and the small carpal bones, which consist of 8 bones in 2 rows that articulate with each other, 5 comb bones, and 14 finger bones. Median, radial nerve and ulnar nerve are the main nerves in the hand. Most of the hand movements occur through the muscles located in the forearm and whose tendons extend to the hand. If we feel numbness in our 4th and 5th fingers and there is pain starting from our elbow, ulnar nerve compression should be suspected. Diagnosis is made with EMG. If it is in an advanced stage, surgical intervention is required.

Neck Stiffness, Muscle Spasm: (5%)

It usually occurs due to excessive stretching of the muscles that support the neck. Lifting something heavy, excessive sports, work activity, improper desk work can cause muscle spasm. Additionally, falling asleep in the wrong position, high pillows and bad travel conditions can also cause neck stiffness. Most of the time it is resolved with simple treatments spasms and stiffness. In long-term muscle pain, also called “Myofascial Pain, Fibromyalgia, Fibrositis and Myositis”, there are points within the muscle that trigger pain and buttons that can be felt by hand.

Cervical Hernia: (5%)

It is the protrusion of the jelly-like cartilage disc tissue, which acts as a cushion between both cervical vertebrae, towards the spinal cord and nerves going to the arm. Depending on the size and effectiveness of the pressure, neck and arm pain, loss of strength in the arm muscles, loss of sensation in the hands, numbness and clumsiness may occur. If there is pressure on the spinal cord, difficulty in walking, weakness in the legs and urinary complaints may also occur. If the complaints do not go away despite conservative treatment and there is serious spinal cord and nerve compression; Then the treatment is surgery.

Hypothyroidism: (1%)

The condition of having too little thyroid hormones in the blood is called hypothyroidism or hypothyroidism. It is much more common in women than in men. Complaints and symptoms of hypothyroidism: Feeling of fatigue, drowsiness, drowsiness, impaired concentration, feeling of dizziness, depression, dry skin, hair loss, dry and broken hair, constipation, weight gain, obesity, difficulty in losing weight, swelling of the eyelids, waxy face, decreased sweating, hoarse voice, chills, decreased appetite, joint pain, numbness in the hands, decrease in movements,  slowness in speech, decrease in pulse rate, swelling in the legs, decrease in reflexes ,  easy breaking of nails, muscle cramps, goiter, high blood pressure,  Increase in cholesterol level, disruption of menstrual period, miscarriage, Inability to have children, decrease in sex drive,  short stature in children. The most common symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, weakness, excessive sleepiness, hair loss and feeling cold. Sometimes the patient may not be aware of memory loss and may be warned by his friends for this reason. Moderate weight gain occurs and weight loss may be difficult. It never causes excessive obesity.

Diabetes: (1%)

Constantly high levels of diabetes can also cause numbness in the hands.

Others: (3%)

Rheumatic diseases, muscle diseases, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, cerebral vascular occlusions, arm vascular occlusions, etc.
If there is numbness in the hands, the first thing to do is to consult a neurosurgeon.