25 Causes of Tingling in Hands and Feet

What Causes Numbness in Hands?

Numbness in your hands is not always a cause for concern. It could be a sign of carpal tunnel or a medication side effect.

When a medical condition causes numbness in your hands, you’ll usually have other symptoms along with it. Here’s what to watch for and when to contact your doctor, as well as treatments for the underlying causes.

1. Stroke

Numbness in your hands usually is not a sign of an emergency.

Although unlikely, it’s possible that hand numbness could be a sign of a stroke. A stroke is brain damage caused by decreased blood supply to a region of your brain.

Hand numbness can be the only sign of a stroke, or it can occur with other symptoms. Prompt treatment may reduce your risk for long-term brain damage. It may even save your life.

• sudden weakness or numbness in your arm or leg, especially if it’s only on one side of your body
• trouble speaking or understanding others
• confusion
• drooping of your face
• sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• sudden dizziness or loss of balance
• sudden severe headache

2. Carpal tunnel

The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway that runs through the center of your wrist. In the center of this tunnel is the median nerve. This nerve supplies feeling to your fingers, including your thumb, index, middle, and part of your ring finger.

Students who make it into medical school pay a lot of money for the privilege of eventually becoming a doctor, with medical school students in the class of 2019 graduating with an average of $201,490 in student debt, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges as reported by Nerd Wallet. That’s an increase of 2.5% from 2018.

Repetitive activities like typing or working on an assembly line can cause the tissues around the median nerve to swell up and put pressure on this nerve. The pressure can cause numbness along with tingling, pain, and weakness in the affected hand.

If the condition persists, it can cause permanent nerve damage. Sometimes surgery is necessary to relieve the pressure.

3. Vitamin or mineral deficiency

You need vitamin B12 to keep your nerves healthy. Severe B12 deficiency can cause numbness in your hands and feet on both sides of your body.

Potassium and magnesium deficiency may also cause numbness.

The most common symptom of a vitamin B12 deficiency is fatigue. Other symptoms may include:

• weakness
• trouble walking and balancing
• difficulty thinking clearly
• seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)

4. Certain medications

Nerve damage (neuropathy) can be a side effect of several different medications, especially those that treat cancer. It can affect both your hands and feet.

Some of the medications that can cause numbness include:

• Antibiotics. These include metronidazole (Flagyl), nitrofurantoin (Macrobid), and fluoroquinolones (Cipro).
• Anticancer drugs. Cisplatin and vincristine are examples.
• Antiseizure drugs. An example is phenytoin (Dilantin).
• Heart or blood pressure drugs. These include amiodarone (Nexterone) and hydralazine (Apresoline).

Other symptoms of drug-induced nerve damage include:

• decreased sensation
• tingling
• atypical feelings in your hands
• weakness

5. Slipped cervical disc

Discs are the soft cushions that separate the bones (vertebrae) of your spine. A disruption in the structure of your spinal column may cause movement of the disk. This is called a herniated, or slipped, disc.

Swelling around the nerve, a damaged disc, or degeneration of the bones of your spine can put pressure on and irritate the nerves of your spine. In addition to numbness, a slipped disc can cause weakness or pain in your arm or leg.

6. Raynaud’s disease

Also called Raynaud’s phenomenon, this vascular condition affects some people who are predisposed to it.

The symptoms occur when your blood vessels narrow, reducing the amount of blood reaching your hands and feet. The decreased blood flow makes your fingers and toes become numb, cold, pale, and painful.

These symptoms typically appear from cold exposure or stress.

7. Cubital tunnel syndrome

The ulnar nerve runs from your neck to your hand on the pinky side. The nerve can become compressed or overstretched at the inner aspect of your elbow. This can happen after prolonged positions put pressure on your elbow or due to swelling from repetitive movement.

Doctors refer to this condition as cubital tunnel syndrome. This is the same nerve area you may affect when you hit your “funny bone.”

Cubital tunnel syndrome can cause symptoms such as hand numbness and tingling, especially in your ring and pinky fingers. A person may also experience forearm pain and weakness in their hand, especially when they bend their elbow.

8. Cervical spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is a type of arthritis that affects the discs in your neck. It’s caused by years of wear on your spinal bones. The damaged vertebrae can press on nearby nerves, causing numbness in your hands, arms, and fingers.

Most people with cervical spondylosis do not have any symptoms. Others may feel pain and stiffness in their neck.

This condition can progress and may also cause:

• weakness in your arms, hands, legs, or feet
• headaches
• a popping noise when you move your neck
• loss of balance and coordination
• muscle spasms in your neck or shoulders
• loss of control over your bowels or bladder

9. Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. This means your body attacks your own organs and tissues. It causes inflammation in many organs and tissues, including your:

Symptoms of lupus come and go. Which symptoms you have depends on which parts of your body are affected.

Pressure from inflammation can damage nerves and lead to numbness or tingling in your hands. Other common symptoms include:

• a butterfly-shaped rash on your face
• fatigue
• joint pain, stiffness, and swelling
• sun sensitivity
• fingers and toes that turn cold and blue (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
• shortness of breath
• headaches
• confusion
• trouble concentrating
• vision problems

10. Ganglion cyst

Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled growths. They form on tendons or joints in your wrists or hands. They can grow to an inch or more in diameter and they usually look like a lump on your hand.

If these cysts press on a nearby nerve, they can cause numbness, pain, or weakness in your hand.

11. Diabetes

If you are living with diabetes, your body will have trouble moving sugar from your bloodstream into your cells. Having high blood sugar for a long period of time can lead to nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy is the type of nerve damage that causes numbness in your arms, hands, legs, and feet.

Other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

• burning
• a pins-and-needles feeling
• weakness
• pain
• loss of balance

12. Thyroid disorder

The thyroid gland in your neck produces hormones that help regulate your body’s metabolism. An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, happens when your thyroid produces too little of its hormones.

Untreated hypothyroidism can also cause peripheral neuropathy. It can cause numbness, weakness, and tingling in your hands and feet.

13. Alcohol-related neuropathy

Alcohol is safe to drink in small amounts, but too much can damage some tissues, including your nerves. Drinking large amounts of alcohol or drinking while having conditions such as kidney or liver disease could lead to numbness and tingling in your hands and feet.

• a pins-and-needles feeling
• muscle weakness
• muscle cramps or spasms
• trouble controlling urination
• erectile dysfunction

14. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes fatigue and muscle pain. It’s sometimes confused with chronic fatigue syndrome because the symptoms are so similar. The fatigue with fibromyalgia can be intense. The pain is centered in various tender points around your body.

People with fibromyalgia may also have numbness and tingling in their hands, arms, feet, legs, and face.

Other symptoms include:

• depression
• trouble concentrating
• sleep problems
• headaches
• belly pain
• constipation
• diarrhea

15. Lyme disease

Deer ticks infected with bacteria can transmit Lyme disease to humans through a bite. People who contract the bacteria that cause Lyme disease first develop a rash shaped like a bull’s-eye and flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills.

Later symptoms of this disease include:

• numbness in your arms or legs
• joint pain and swelling
• temporary paralysis on one side of your face
• fever, stiff neck, and severe headache
• weakness
• trouble moving muscles

16. Epicondylitis

Lateral epicondylitis is called “tennis elbow” because it’s caused by a repetitive motion, like swinging a tennis racket. The repeated motion damages muscles and tendons in your forearm, causing pain and burning on the outside of your elbow. This is very unlikely to cause any numbness in your hands.

Medial epicondylitis is a similar condition nicknamed “golfer’s elbow.” It causes pain on the inside of your elbow as well as possible weakness, numbness, or tingling in your hands, especially in your pinky and ring fingers. It may lead to numbness if there’s significant swelling around this area that’s causing dysfunction in the ulnar nerve. But this is very rare.

17. Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks the protective coating around nerve fibers. Over time, the nerves become damaged.

Symptoms depend on which nerves are affected. Numbness and tingling are among the most common symptoms. Your arms, face, or legs may lose feeling. The numbness is usually only on one side of your body.

Other symptoms include:

• vision loss
• double vision
• tingling
• weakness
• electric-shock sensations
• trouble with coordination or walking
• slurred speech
• tiredness
• loss of control over your bladder or bowels

25 Causes of Tingling in Hands and Feet

We’ve all likely felt a temporary tingling sensation in our hands or feet. It can happen if we fall asleep on our arm or sit with our legs crossed for too long. You may also see this sensation referred to as paresthesia.

The feeling may also be described as a prickling, burning, or “pins and needles” sensation. In addition to tingling, you may also feel numbness, pain, or weakness in or around your hands and feet.

A variety of factors or conditions can cause tingling in your hands or feet. Generally speaking, pressure, trauma, or damage to nerves can cause the tingling to occur.

Below, we’ll explore 25 potential causes of a tingling sensation in your hands or feet.

Common causes

1. Diabetic neuropathy

Neuropathy occurs as a result of damage to nerves. While there are many types of neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy can affect the hands and feet.

Diabetic neuropathy happens when nerve damage is caused by diabetes. It can affect the legs and feet, and sometimes the arms and hands.

In diabetic neuropathy, nerve damage occurs due to high blood sugar in the bloodstream. In addition to damaging nerves, it can also damage the blood vessels that supply your nerves. When nerves don’t receive enough oxygen, they may not function well.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that up to half of people who have diabetes have peripheral neuropathy.

2. Vitamin deficiency

Vitamin deficiencies can be caused by not having enough of a specific vitamin in your diet, or by a condition in which the body doesn’t properly absorb the vitamin.

Some vitamins are important to the health of your nerves. Examples include:

Vitamin B12 is necessary for cells to produce energy. It is found in animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs. Vegans and vegetarians may need to supplement B12. A shortage of B12 in the diet can cause neurological damage, which may appear as tingling in your hands or feet.

You need to consume vitamin B6 every day because it cannot be stored in the body. Meat, fish, nuts, legumes, grains, noncitrus fruits, and potatoes are good sources of B6. People with a deficiency of B6 may experience a rash or cognitive changes.

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, plays a role in nerve impulses and neuron repair. Meat, legumes, whole grains, and nuts are good sources of B1. People with diets high in refined grains may be more likely to experience B1 deficiency. It can cause pain or tingling in the hands and feet.

Vitamin E deficiency is more likely to be caused by problems absorbing fat in the gut than a lack of vitamin E in your diet. Signs of a vitamin E deficiency include tingling in hands or feet and difficulty with coordination. Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and leafy greens are good sources of vitamin E.

Folate deficiency can cause pain or tingling in the hands and feet. A 2019 study found that this may have a greater effect on people under age 40. Sources of folate, also known as vitamin B9, include dark leafy greens, whole grains, beans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, liver, and seafood.

3. Pinched nerve

You can get a pinched nerve when there’s too much pressure on a nerve from the surrounding tissues. For example, things like injury, repetitive movements, and inflammatory conditions can cause a nerve to become pinched.

A pinched nerve can occur in many areas of the body and can affect the hands or feet, causing tingling, numbness, or pain.

A pinched nerve in your lower spine may cause these sensations to radiate down the back of your leg and into your foot.

4. Carpal tunnel

Carpal tunnel is a common condition that happens when your median nerve is compressed as it moves through your wrist. This can occur due to injury, repetitive motions, or inflammatory conditions.

People with carpal tunnel may feel numbness or tingling in the first four fingers of their hand.

5. Kidney failure

Kidney failure happens when your kidneys are no longer functioning properly. Conditions like high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes can lead to kidney failure.

When your kidneys aren’t functioning correctly, fluid and waste products may accumulate in your body, leading to nerve damage. Tingling due to kidney failure often occurs in the legs or feet.

6. Pregnancy

The swelling that occurs throughout the body during pregnancy can put pressure on some of your nerves.

Because of this, you may feel tingling in your hands and feet. The symptoms typically disappear after pregnancy.

7. Medication use

A variety of medications may cause nerve damage, which can cause you to feel a tingling sensation in your hands or feet. In fact, it can be a common side effect of medications used to treat cancer (chemotherapy) and HIV.

Other examples of medications that can cause tingling in the hands and feet include:

• heart or blood pressure drugs, such as amiodarone or hydralazine
• anti-infection drugs, such as metronidazole and dapsone
• anticonvulsants, such as phenytoin

Autoimmune disorders

Normally, your immune system protects your body from foreign invaders. An autoimmune disorder is when your immune system attacks the cells of your body by mistake.

8. Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes swelling and pain in the joints. It often occurs in the wrists and hands, but can also affect other parts of the body, including the ankles and feet.

The inflammation from the condition can place pressure on nerves, leading to tingling.

9. Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the protective covering of your nerves, called myelin. This can lead to nerve damage.

Feeling numbness or tingling in the arms, legs, and face is a common symptom of MS.

10. Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system attacks the tissues of the body. It can affect any part of the body, including the nervous system.

Tingling in the hands or feet can be caused by nearby nerves becoming compressed due to inflammation or swelling from lupus.

11. Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects the small intestine. When a person with celiac disease ingests gluten, an autoimmune reaction occurs.

Some people with celiac disease can have symptoms of neuropathy, including tingling in the hands and feet. These symptoms may also occur in people without any gastrointestinal symptoms.

Infections

An infection occurs when disease-causing organisms invade your body. Infections can be viral, bacterial, or fungal in origin.

12. Lyme disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that’s transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. If left untreated, the infection can begin to affect the nervous system and can cause tingling in the hands and feet.

13. Shingles

Shingles is a painful rash that’s caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which lies dormant in the nerves of people who have had chickenpox.

Typically, shingles only affects a small part of one side of your body, which can include the hands, arms, legs, and feet. You may feel a tingling or numbness in the affected area.

14. Hepatitis B and C

Hepatitis B and C are caused by viruses. They lead to inflammation of the liver, which can result in cirrhosis or liver cancer if left untreated.

Hepatitis C infection may also cause peripheral neuropathy, although how this happens is largely unknown .

In some cases, infection with hepatitis B or C can lead to a condition called cryoglobulinemia. In this condition, certain proteins in the blood clump together in cold temperatures, causing inflammation. One of the symptoms of this condition is numbness and tingling.

15. HIV or AIDS

HIV is a virus that attacks the cells of the immune system, increasing the risk of acquiring infections as well as some cancers. When untreated, the infection can progress to the last stage of HIV infection, called AIDS, in which the immune system is severely damaged.

HIV can affect the nervous system. In some cases, this can include the nerves of the hands and feet, where tingling, numbness, and pain may be felt.

16. Hansen’s disease (leprosy)

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a bacterial infection that can affect the skin, nerves, and respiratory tract.

When the nervous system is affected, you may feel a tingling or numbness in the affected body part, which can include the hands and feet.

Other possible causes

17. Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone.

Although uncommon, severe hypothyroidism that has gone untreated can sometimes cause damage to nerves, leading to tingling sensations or numbness. The mechanism for how exactly this happens is unknown.

18. Toxin exposure

Various toxins and chemicals are considered to be neurotoxins. This means they’re harmful to your nervous system. Exposure can cause a variety of symptoms, including tingling in your hands or feet.

Some examples of toxins include:

• heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, and arsenic
• acrylamide, a chemical used for many industrial purposes
• ethylene glycol, which is found in antifreeze
• hexacarbons, which can be found in some solvents and glues

19. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia includes a group of symptoms, such as:

• widespread muscle pain
• fatigue
• changes in mood

Some people with fibromyalgia may experience other symptoms, such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and tingling in the hands and feet. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown.

20. Ganglion cyst

A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled lump that most frequently occurs at joints, particularly the wrist. They can apply pressure to nearby nerves, leading to a tingling sensation in the hand or fingers, although the cyst itself is painless.

The cause of these cysts is unknown, although joint irritation may play a role.

21. Cervical spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis occurs due to age-related changes in the part of your spine that’s found in your neck, also called your cervical spine. These changes can include things like herniation, degeneration, and osteoarthritis.

Sometimes these changes can put pressure on the spinal cord, which can lead to worsening neck pain as well as symptoms like tingling or numbness in the arms and legs.

22. Raynaud’s phenomenon

Raynaud’s phenomenon affects blood flow to the arms and legs.

The blood vessels in these areas get smaller in an extreme reaction to cold temperatures or stress. This reduction in blood flow can cause numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes.

23. Alcohol-related neuropathy

Long-term alcohol misuse can lead to the development of peripheral neuropathy, which can lead to tingling in the hands and feet.

The condition progresses gradually. The mechanism that causes it is unknown, although vitamin or nutritional deficiency may play a role.

Rare causes

24. Vasculitis

Vasculitis occurs when your blood vessels become inflamed. There are many types of vasculitis. What causes it isn’t completely understood.

Because inflammation can lead to changes in blood vessels, blood flow to an affected area may become restricted. In some types of vasculitis, this may lead to nerve problems, such as tingling, numbness, and weakness.

25. Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare nervous system condition in which your immune system attacks part of your nervous system. What exactly causes the condition is currently unknown.

Guillain-Barré syndrome can sometimes follow after an illness. Unexplained tingling and possibly pain in the hands and feet can be one of the first symptoms of the syndrome.

If you visit a doctor or other healthcare professional for unexplained tingling in your hands or feet, there are a variety of things they may do to help them make a diagnosis.

• a physical exam, which may also include a neurological exam to observe your reflexes and motor or sensory function
• a review of your medical history, during which they’ll ask about things like your symptoms, preexisting conditions you may have, and any medications you’re taking
• blood testing, which can allow them to assess things like the levels of certain chemicals, vitamin levels, or hormones in your blood, your organ function, and your blood cell levels
• imaging tests, such as an X-ray, MRI, or ultrasound
• a test of your nerve function using methods such as nerve conduction velocity tests or electromyography
• a nerve or skin biopsy

The treatment for tingling in your hands and feet will be determined by what’s causing it. After you have a diagnosis, your healthcare professional will work with you to come up with an appropriate treatment plan.

Some examples of treatment options may include one or several of the following:

• adjusting the dosage of a current medication or switching to an alternative medication, if possible
• dietary supplementation for vitamin deficiencies
• adjusting diabetes management
• treating underlying conditions, such as an infection, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus
• surgery to correct nerve compression or to remove a cyst
• over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to help with any pain that may occur with the tingling
• prescription medications for pain and tingling if OTC medications don’t work
• lifestyle changes like being sure to take care of your feet, eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and limiting alcohol consumption

There are a variety of things that can cause tingling in your hands and feet. These things can include but aren’t limited to diabetes, an infection, or a pinched nerve.

If you’re experiencing unexplained tingling in your hands or feet, talk with a doctor. An early diagnosis of what may be causing your condition is important for both addressing your symptoms and preventing additional nerve damage from occurring.

Last medically reviewed on January 5, 2022