Current:Home > MarketsTingling in your fingers isn't uncommon – but here's when you should see a doctor -Wealth Evolution Experts
Tingling in your fingers isn't uncommon – but here's when you should see a doctor
View
Date:2025-04-16 05:11:58
Paresthesia refers to the tingling, – pricking, “pins and needles” sensation that occurs beneath the skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If you’ve ever “slept” on your hand, arm or leg, the resulting tingling sensation is often temporary, and resolves when you reposition your body.
Paresthesia is very common, and tingling of the fingers is usually not a cause for concern. However, paresthesia can be chronic. If tingling in the fingers persists, it’s important that you consult a doctor to determine if your symptoms are the result of an underlying medical condition. Once the cause of your symptoms is determined, treatment for paresthesia can be tailored accordingly.
Why are my fingers tingling?
Tingling in the fingers results from “a disruption or change in the nerve supply,” says Dr. Ernestine A. Wright, an internal medicine physician and a primary care physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
Paresthesia resulting from applied pressure is temporary and resolves by itself, per Healthline. When your body is configured in certain positions, if you “apply pressure to the nerves that supply your hands and fingers,” then it's not unusual to experience the pricking, tingling sensation that’s associated with pins and needles, Wright explains. “As the pressure releases from that nerve, the sensation disappears and goes away,” she says.
Though tingling in the fingers is often not anything to worry about, there are common health conditions and autoimmune disorders that have the ability to cause damage to the nerves, resulting in tingling in the fingers, hands and arms, per Healthline.
Noted:Arthritis is common, especially among seniors. Here's what causes it.
When should I worry about tingling in my fingers and carpal tunnel?
If you are experiencing a tingling sensation in your upper extremities throughout the day, or if the tingling is accompanied by shooting pains or burning sensations, it’s important that you consult your primary care physician to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms, Wright says.
According to Healthline, common causes linked to tingling in the fingers include:
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Nutritional deficiency of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin E or vitamin B9 (folate)
- Carpal tunnel
- Pinched nerve
- Kidney Failure
- Certain heart or blood pressure, anticonvulsant or anti-infection medications
Hypothyroidism and exposure to toxins may also cause tingling of the fingers, Wright says.
Good question:The ER or urgent care? How to know where to go when you get sick.
How do I get rid of tingling in my fingers?
To treat tingling in the fingers, “first and foremost, you have to come up with the correct diagnosis,” says Dr. Hisham Awan, an orthopedic surgeon and director of the Hand and Upper Extremity Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
If you are experiencing tingling in the fingers, see a doctor to determine the best course of treatment for you, says Awan. A physical exam, EMG test, nerve conduction study or a nerve ultrasound can be used to understand the root cause of your symptoms, he says. Whether your symptoms are the result of a nutritional deficiency or a side effect to a medication, treatment can be individualized accordingly.
If you are experiencing a “compressive neuropathy, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, (treatment) depends on the severity,” Awan says. Carpal tunnel release surgery is typically seen as a last resort, but is highly effective at relieving symptoms.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava cruises to reelection victory
- James Taylor addresses scrapped performance at DNC 2024: 'Sorry to disappoint'
- Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck after 2 years of marriage
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Georgia police officer arrested after investigators say he threatened people while pointing a gun
- Maine mass shooting report says Army, law enforcement missed chances to avert attacks
- Lawsuit accuses Oregon police department of illegally monitoring progressive activists
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- Little League World Series: Updates, highlights from Tuesday elimination games
Ranking
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Man charged with stealing equipment from FBI truck then trading it for meth: Court docs
- University of Kentucky to disband diversity office after GOP lawmakers pushed anti-DEI legislation
- ESPN tabs Mike Greenberg as Sam Ponder's replacement for 'NFL Sunday Countdown' show
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- The Daily Money: How to avoid Labor Day traffic
- A Victoria Beckham Docuseries Is Coming to Netflix: All the Posh Details
- How Ben Affleck Hinted at Being Incompatible With Jennifer Lopez Months Before Split
Recommendation
The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
Kill Bill Star Michael Madsen Arrested on Domestic Battery Charge
It's Al Roker's 70th birthday, and he got this advice from Oprah Winfrey
Several factors may be behind feelings of hypochondria. Here are the most common ones.
Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
Warner Bros. pledges massive Nevada expansion if lawmakers expand film tax credit
'It Ends With Us' star Brandon Sklenar defends Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover amid backlash
Fannie Lou Hamer rattled the Democratic convention with her ‘Is this America?’ speech 60 years ago