You know that feeling of pins and needles you get in your hands or feet when it’s “asleep”? Some people may experience a similar sensation more frequently when they feel a tingling or a numbness in their hands — but it lasts longer or comes and goes. Question is, when is that tingling in hands feeling a cause for concern?
Possible Causes
The Mayo Clinic says that tingling or a feeling of numbness can be something bothersome and not necessarily serious. But tingling in hands can be a symptom of various underlying medical conditions. Some common causes include:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This condition occurs when the median nerve, which runs through the wrist, becomes compressed or irritated. It can cause tingling, numbness, and weakness in the hand and fingers.
Peripheral Neuropathy
This refers to damage to the peripheral nerves, often caused by conditions like diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, or certain medications. Tingling or a “pins and needles” sensation in the hands and feet is a common symptom.
Raynaud’s Disease
Raynaud’s disease is a condition that affects the blood vessels in the fingers and toes, leading to episodes in which the fingers may become pale, cold, and tingle or feel numb.
Cervical Radiculopathy
This is a nerve problem in the neck that can cause tingling and weakness in the arms and hands. It occurs due to compression or irritation of the nerves as they exit the spinal cord.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 is essential for nerve health, and its deficiency can lead to peripheral neuropathy, causing tingling sensations in the hands and feet.
Diabetes
Often, the first sign of diabetes begins with tingling in the legs and feet and can eventually move through the arms and hands.
Medications
There are some prescription medications with a side effect that includes tingling in hands. Those medicines can include heart or blood pressure meds, chemotherapy drugs, anti-infection drugs, and anti-seizure drugs.
When Is It Bad Enough to Seek Treatment?
You should be worried about tingling in your hands when it is persistent, severe, or accompanied by other concerning symptoms. While tingling in the hands can often be caused by benign and temporary factors, when the pain worsens, seeking medical evaluation at a hospital or urgent care center is advisable. Here are some guidelines to help determine when to get medical attention:
Sudden Onset and Severity
If the tingling comes on suddenly and is severe, it may be a sign of a more acute issue, such as nerve compression or injury, that requires medical attention.
Persistent or Progressive Tingling
If the tingling in the hands persists for an extended period or is getting worse over time, it may indicate an underlying health problem that needs to be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Numbness or Weakness
If the tingling is accompanied by numbness, weakness, or difficulty moving the hands or fingers, it could be indicative of nerve damage or compression.
The Vitamin B
including B1, B6, and B12, play a role in nerve function and may help reduce nerve pain associated with shoulder injuries.
Unexplained Symptoms
If the tingling is not associated with any apparent cause, and you are experiencing other unexplained symptoms, such as dizziness, difficulty speaking, loss of balance, chest pain, shortness of breath, or confusion, it may be a sign of a more serious underlying condition, like stroke or heart attack, that requires immediate medical evaluation.
Age and Risk Factors
Older adults and individuals with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, should be cautious about tingling, as it can sometimes be a sign of reduced blood flow to the hands.
If you are worried about the tingling in your hands, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional for a proper evaluation. They can assess your symptoms, conduct necessary tests, and provide a diagnosis or refer you to a specialist if needed. Early detection and treatment of underlying conditions can lead to better outcomes and prevent potential complications. When in doubt, it is always best to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention for unexplained or concerning symptoms. A healthcare professional can conduct a thorough evaluation, diagnose the underlying cause, and recommend appropriate treatment or management. Typically, a healthcare provider may run a number of tests, including:
- Physical exam (including a neurological exam).
- Blood tests to check hormone and vitamin levels.
- Imaging tests, such as X-ray, (MRI), or (CT) scans.
- Nerve function tests.
- Obtain your medical history.
Although treatments will vary depending on the cause of the tingling sensation in your hand, if it’s a musculoskeletal issue, QC Kinetix can provide relief.
The QC Kinetix Treatment Difference
QC Kinetix uses restorative regenerative medicine therapies as an effective treatment for your hand discomfort or the tingling sensation you may be experiencing. Using your body’s own natural healing properties, we can customize a plan, based on your medical history and level of pain, designed to help you feel better, have restored functionality, and improve the quality of your life.
Our foot and hand pain treatments use natural biologics to harness your body’s natural growth factors for faster recovery and decreased overall pain. Our goal is to help you resume your daily activities as quickly as possible through restorative treatments that use the best healing ingredients your body provides.
Specifically, if you are dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome, we may be able to help. Schedule a free consultation, and we’ll take time with you to discuss the benefits of regenerative therapies.
