Have you been ever taken aback by a sudden unexplained numbness or needle-like tingling sensation in your hands and arms and wondered what triggered the condition, in the first place? Parasthesia or tingling is a queer physical condition, wherein the patient experiences abnormal nerve sensations, like pin-and-needle pricking, burning, tingling and more, on their arms, hands and fingers. Parsthesia possibly shows up as a symptom of diseases, often ranging from milder to serious and can be the upshot of trauma, malignancy, infection, inflammation and other rare disorders. The tingling sensation may be temporary in some cases and is usually harmless, but can pose as a serious concern, if chronic, leading to damaging of the nerves as well. Sudden numbness in hands and arms can often be triggered from conditions and disorders like stroke, pernicious anemia, brain tumor, certain orthopedic conditions, nerve entrapment and bone fractures. However, at times, it might just be the side effect of prolonged pressure on nerves caused due to sitting in one position for long, bicycling and more. To dig more on the possible causes of tingling in hands and arms, read on.
Causes Of Tingling In Hands And Arms
- One of the most common reasons behind numbness of hands and arms is a syndrome called thoracic outlet syndrome, also called subluxated first rib. This syndrome occurs due to densification of the thoracic outlet that affects the brachial plexus, a set of nerves running from arms to neck.
- Another known reason usually for the tingling sensation in hands and arms is basilar artery migraine or Bickerstaff Syndrome. It usually occurs due to malfunctioning of brain arteries and is accompanied by other symptoms like dizziness, headaches, dysarthria, bilateral parethesias, and so on.
- Numbness or stiffness in arms and legs is sometimes explained as the result of Acroparesthesia Syndrome, a syndrome that mostly afflicts middle-aged women. This syndrome leads to the loss of feeling or tingling sensation in lower arms and hands.
- Another possible explanation for this tingling disorder is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that actually causes numbness in the arms, more so in the finger. This syndrome inflames and aggravates the tendons and ligaments in the wrists, causing it to swell and go numb.
- Arachnoid cyst is another possible cause of tingling in arms and hands. This rare cerebrospinal fluid-filled cyst develops on the surface of brain and between the cranial bases and usually shows up on the spinal cord and brain.
- Tingling on arms and hands can also be the result of a shoulder blade fracture, a top flat bone that usually runs from arms to chest.
- Sometimes disorders like Polyarteritis nodosa can trigger tingling sensation in hands and arms. In this disorder, the arteries get inflamed or damaged and hence fail to supply adequate blood to the body, thereby causing numbness.
- Neuropathy, ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa is a nervous disorder that is often known to trigger tingling sensation in hands and arms. This rare disorder, which most often afflicts the energy producing parts of the cells, causes muscle and vision impairment too.