What Causes Hand Numbness? These Reasons Are Crucial to Know

1. Cervical Spondylosis - Due to a series of pathological changes in cervical spondylosis, spinal nerve roots may be compressed, stretched, and stimulated, leading to numbness and swelling of the fingers. Symptoms include numbness and swelling on the radial or ulnar side, or all five fingers together, possibly accompanied by decreased grip strength.

2. Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) - TIA, also known as a "mini-stroke," often occurs in elderly individuals with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and other conditions.

3. Stroke - Stroke patients often experience headaches, dizziness, limb numbness, tongue swelling, and other symptoms. Finger numbness and swelling are among the symptoms, usually accompanied by numbness in the arms and other areas.

4. Diabetes - Diabetes can cause various complications. If peripheral neuropathy occurs, symptoms such as numbness and abnormal sensations in the limbs may appear.

5. Rheumatoid Arthritis - Finger numbness and swelling are early manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, especially if accompanied by joint swelling and pain. If accompanied by hardening of facial and finger skin, it may indicate scleroderma.

6. Peripheral Neuritis - Long-term poor digestion and absorption, as well as malnutrition, can lead to vitamin B1 deficiency, causing peripheral neuritis and hand numbness. Increasing nutrition and supplementing vitamin B1 can alleviate the symptoms.

1. Upper Limb Nerve Compression - First, numbness and pain in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, often waking the person up at night, with improvement after waking and moving. In severe cases, hand muscle atrophy may occur, affecting fine hand movements. This is due to compression of the median nerve at the wrist, known as "carpal tunnel syndrome." Second, numbness and pain in the ring and little fingers, which may also wake the person up at night. Severe cases may be accompanied by muscle atrophy, decreased finger flexion strength, affecting fine movements. This is due to nerve compression at the elbow, known as "cubital tunnel syndrome."

2. Cervical Spondylosis - Cervical spondylosis is a common cause of hand numbness, especially in middle-aged and elderly individuals. As people age, some organs undergo degenerative changes. Degenerative changes in cervical intervertebral discs often lead to disc herniation or hypertrophy of articular processes. When these herniated discs or hypertrophic articular processes compress adjacent cervical nerve roots, cervical spondylosis occurs. Besides finger numbness and abnormal sensations, cervical spondylosis is accompanied by other symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain, radiating pain in the upper limbs, or movement disorders. Diagnosing cervical spondylosis is not difficult, requiring only an X-ray. Another simple method to check for cervical spondylosis involves one person supporting the patient's head on one side, while another holds the patient's upper limb on the same side and abducts it to 90 degrees. Pulling and pushing in opposite directions simultaneously can help preliminarily diagnose cervical spondylosis if radiating pain or numbness is felt.