Tingling in the Hands (2024)

Tingling in the hands is a common symptom of several health conditions, especially those that are in the peripheral nervous system. The tingling feels like pins and needles and can come with numbness.

You will need to see a healthcare provider to figure out why your hands are tingling. The cause of the tingling could be something easy to fix, but it can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem.

You should get medical care right away if you also have severe symptoms like dizziness, confusion, paralysis, or numbness in other parts of the body.

This article talks about the symptoms and causes of tingling in hands. It also discusses how a healthcare provider can figure out what’s causing tingling in the hands and what the treatment options are.

Symptoms of Tingling in the Hands

Tingling in hands is a common symptom of several medical conditions. When and how the tingling comes about depends on what’s causing it.

Causes of Tingling in the Hands

Tingling in the hands can have common or more serious causes. Sometimes, the sensation is only temporary and not cause for concern.

For example, if blood flow is cut off—such as when you’re wearing something tight around your wrist—you may feel tingling in your hands that gets better once you take off whatever is affecting the blood flow.

If your fingers go numb from being in the cold, you may feel a tingling sensation as the numbness starts to go away.

However, if tingling in the hands is not going away and happening often, it can be a sign of a medical condition.

Some of the most common causes of tingling in hands are:

• Nerve compression. If a nerve gets compressed or “trapped” it can cause tingling feelings. For example, you might compress a nerve in your arm because of your position in bed at night. This can cause a tingling in your hand while you’re trying to fall asleep. The feeling of “pins and needles” or your hand “falling asleep” will usually get better when you change the position of your body so the nerve is not trapped. In some cases, nerve compression does not get better because it’s being caused by something else (like an injury, inflammation, or pressure from a tumor).
• Nerve damage. Nerves can be damaged from injury as well as metabolic problems.Peripheral neuropathyis damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nervous system). It is a common symptom of metabolic disorders likediabetes.Tingling in the feet is also common with diabetes.
• Poor circulation. Having problems with blood flow can cause tingling in different parts of your body, including your hands. Sometimes, a heart problem like plaque buildup in your arteries (atherosclerosis) affects blood circulation and can cause symptoms like tingling hands.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome.This condition is caused by compression of the median nerve in the wrist. The pinched nerve can lead to tingling and/or numbness up to the palm and fingers.
• Alcohol use disorder. Heavy alcohol use can lead to poor absorption of nutrients like thiamine (vitamin B1), which your body needs for a healthy nervous system. Over time, not having enough thiamine can lead to conditions likeberiberiandWernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, both of which cause tingling in the hands.
• Autoimmune diseases.In these conditions, the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy cells by mistake. This process can damage the peripheral nervous system, which can lead to tingling in the hands.Guillain-Barre syndromeandrheumatoid arthritisare autoimmune conditions that have hand tingling as a symptom.
  

What Medications Can Cause Tingling in the Hands?

Tingling in the hands can be a side effect of some medications.

Specifically, some drugs or a combination of drugs can lead to nerve damage (neuropathy). If the damaged nerve supplies the wrist or hand, it could cause tingling in the hand.

Examples of medications and substances that can cause neuropathy include:

• Heart or blood pressure drugs
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Anti-infection drugs
• Autoimmune disease drugs
• Anti-seizure drugs

How to Treat Tingling in Hands

The treatment for tingling in the hands depends on what’s causing it. Rather than treating the symptom, a provider will try to figure out what the cause is and treat that problem to see if the symptom of tingling goes away.

If you are having tingling in your hands and do not know why, the first thing to think about is whether it is a temporary problem. For example, a one-off bout of tingling that goes away quickly is probably not something to worry about.

On the other hand, if the tingling is not getting better or it’s happening often, you should talk to your healthcare provider.

Depending on the underlying cause of the tingling in your hands, treatment may include medication or specific treatments for the condition. For example, if the tingling is caused by nerve damage from an injury, you might need physical therapy to heal.

If alcohol misuse is a factor, correcting vitamin deficiencies and developing a long-term plan that includes mental health counseling can help.

Are There Tests to Diagnose Tingling in Hands?

Since tingling in the hands is a common symptom of several medical conditions, a provider might need to do different tests to figure out what the cause is and come up with the best way to treat it.

Some tests they might use include:

• Physical exam (including a neurological exam)
• Blood tests to check hormone and vitamin levels, among other things
• Imaging tests, such as X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scans
• Nerve function tests (e.g., electromyography, which records electrical activity in muscle tissue when the nerve is stimulated)
• Medical history (e.g., factors like medications, other health conditions, and lifestyle)

When to Call 911

There are times when tingling in your hands could be a sign of a more serious health problem like a heart attack or a stroke.

If you are having tingling in your hands along with these symptoms, get medical attention right away:

• Numbness in other parts of your body
• Paralysis
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Slurred speech

Summary

Tingling in the hands is a common symptom of medical conditions, especially those that affect the nerves.

When the tingling only happens once in a while and gets better fast, it’s probably not a reason to worry. For example, if you wear something tight around your wrist, you might have a brief bout of your hand “falling asleep.”

However, if the tingling in your hands happens frequently or is not getting better, contact your provider. They can talk to you about your symptoms and do tests to figure out what is causing the tingling in your hands and make sure you get treatment.