Hand pain and numbness can be caused by nerve compression, repetitive stress injury, growths, or diseases affecting nerve tissue. Carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar nerve entrapment, and peripheral neuropathy are common disorders causing pain and numbness. Tingling, numbness, and pain in the left hand and arm can also indicate a heart attack.
The most common cause of hand pain and numbness is compression of the nerve. The compression can be acute due to sitting or sleeping, or it can be chronic. Chronic pain and numbness can be caused by repetitive stress injury, a growth in the wrist or hand, or a disease affecting nerve tissue. Carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar nerve entrapment, and peripheral neuropathy are examples of disorders that cause numbness and pain in the hand.
Many people have experienced a pinched nerve and when this happens to the hand it is often described as the hand falling asleep. Nerve compression is often accompanied by vein compression, which restricts blood flow and can usually be corrected by changing position, causing a pins and needles sensation as sensation is restored to the hand. Unfortunately, not all nerve pinches are so easily fixed.
A very common cause of hand pain and numbness is carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is the space in the wrist where nerves, ligaments and tendons pass from the arm to the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when tissue in this space becomes inflamed and presses against the median nerve. Nerve tissue is very sensitive and when compressed it can cause pain and numbness.
The median nerve is what connects the thumb and first three fingers to the central nervous system. This allows the brain to control movement and feel sensations in the hand. The nerve injury occurs in the wrist, but the brain recognizes it in the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is most often caused by repetitive hand and wrist movements, such as typing, but it can also be caused by a wrist injury, such as a fracture. Diabetes, arthritis, and even pregnancy can also lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
A less common cause of hand pain and numbness is entrapment of the ulnar nerve, also located in the wrist. The ulnar nerve controls movement and sensation in the last three fingers of the hand. These symptoms are typically caused by a foreign growth, such as a cyst or aneurysm, compressing ulnar nerve tissue. The condition is most often caused by repetitive trauma, such as using a jackhammer. Arthritis, diabetes, and alcoholism are linked to an increased likelihood of developing nerve compression.
Peripheral neuropathy is another common cause of pain and numbness. This term describes disorders that affect the peripheral nervous system, which is the network of nerves that feed information to the spinal cord and brain, also called the central nervous system. It can be caused by diseased nerves or another disease. Alcoholism, arthritis, and nutritional deficiencies can cause peripheral neuropathy, but the most common cause is diabetes.
Hand pain and numbness can also be an indicator of a serious medical condition. Tingling, numbness, and pain in the left hand and arm are symptoms of a heart attack, although this condition is often accompanied by other symptoms as well. Individuals who are experiencing these symptoms should contact a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
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