Having fingers or even an entire arm that feels numb is something that one in ten people in the world have experienced. That prickly feeling might be temporary, the result of ordinary fatigue, or a sign of a more serious problem with a person’s health.
We at Smalljoys have put together some important information that will help you understand what your body is trying to tell you when you get that tingling feeling.
#1 Tiredness and fatigue
How it’s manifested: When we lift heavy items and place our wrists in uncomfortable poses, we raise the pressure on the nerves located close to the surface of the skin. This leads to a tingling sensation on the surface of all our fingers.
What to do: Be sure to get enough sleep and general rest; enjoy a massage.
#2 A lack of vitamins
How it’s manifested: A lack of certain vitamins (such as vitamins E, B1, B6, and B12) can often cause a tingling sensation in the fingers of the left hand or in the left leg.
What to do: Work to restore the balance of vitamins in your body. It’s worth consulting a specialist to determine the right dose that you need as an excess of certain vitamins also has negative side effects.
#3 Damage to the spine
How it’s manifested: Various problems with the spine make themselves known through the little finger of the left hand. This is the result of too much pressure on, and harm done to, the nerves.
What to do: Stretch your back as often as possible; try to do some yoga, gymnastics, or swimming. Avoid spending long periods in a sitting position.
#4 Carpal tunnel syndrome
How it’s manifested: Carpal tunnel syndrome is often expressed through the thumb, index, and middle finger. Due to certain actions that are repeated again and again as part of a person’s job or lifestyle, tendons can swell up, causing numbness in the hand.
What to do: Simple gymnastics and stretching the joints can help prevent the appearance of carpal tunnel syndrome.
#5 Problems with blood circulation
How it’s manifested: Numbing of the fingertips on the right hand can occur because of pressure on the surface nerves or trauma to the hand or shoulder joint. Tingling in the right hand can also be caused by certain cardiovascular diseases, which have an effect on the general flow of blood to the extremities.
What to do: Go for walks at a moderate pace, or do gymnastics to improve the health of the blood vessels in your extremities. More serious problems with blood circulation require the intervention of medical professionals.
#6 Buerger’s disease
How it’s manifested: This illness mostly affects smokers. The blood flow is disrupted by the constant intake of nicotine, which in turn leads to a lack of minerals in the body. This causes numbness first in the fingers, then the whole arm.
What to do: There is no way to cure this disease completely. But giving up harmful habits is an obvious first step.
#7 Diabetes
How it’s manifested: One of the first signs of diabetes is a tingling sensation that works its way up from the feet to parts of the arms. This occurs because of a reduction in the flow of blood to certain areas and because of damage to nerve endings and fibers.
What to do: Type 1 diabetes is treated with the help of injections of insulin. Type 2 diabetes is most often connected with a poor diet, so a blood test and consultation with a doctor should be carried out first of all.