Home Treatment for Numbness in Fingers.

Numbness happens often that people complain of a tingling sensation or numbness in different parts of the body. Although any part of the body can be affected, numbness usually occurs in the hands, thumbs, arms, feet, fingers and toes. In fact, numbness in fingers and fingertips is quite common. This condition is also called sensory loss or paresthesias.
There is an association of this numbness in fingers or toes with other sensations that are abnormal, which are similar to burning, prickling and tingling. This feeling is described by some individuals as pins and needles. The nerve cells function is to carry the sensations from the different body parts to the brain. When these nerves are subjected to any kind of damage, like the supply of blood getting blocked, their functioning can be affected. This can result in a sensation of tingling and numbness in fingertips or fingers, hands, arms, toes or feet. A reason most common for the occurrence of finger numbness is nerve damage because of nerve entrapment, pressure, or disease. If treatment is not given, the damage to the nerve can lead to a loss of sensation that is permanent. If you experience numbness in the pinky or little finger or ring finger of your left hand, it is most probably because of an ulnar nerve entrapment or compression. The ulnar nerve goes from the spine, passes the shoulder blades, goes down the arm, and across the outer part of the elbow and finally comes to the ring and pinky fingers. Entrapment or compression normally at the elbow causes numbness in the little and ring fingers. Due to certain habits, right-handed people experience numbness in the left hand. One of the most common reasons is letting the left elbow rest on the desk with the chin placed in the hand while working on the computer. As the ulnar nerve passes the outer part of the elbow, there is a compression due to the hard surface of the desk. Another reason is the resting of the elbow on the door of the car while driving. Experiencing numbness in the left arm can be a sign of some health problems. While this is a usual symptom of a heart attack, you should remember that it is not always this way. While you should not ignore the numbness you experience, jumping to conclusion is just as bad. Whenever you experience a constant numbness in the left arm or you experience pain although you haven’t performed any physical activity, make sure to consult a doctor. One of the numbness in the fingertips causes is due to the cold when the clothing does not provide sufficient warmth during the winter time. However, the fingertips numbness causes can be due to other conditions if your fingertips become white and go numb with even the slightest exposure to the cold. Fingertips burning, swelling, numbness and tingling can be experienced with carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve gets compressed. The cause of this condition is usually due to repetitive movements of the wrists, mostly observed with cashiers, typists and sports persons who frequently use the wrists or hands, like tennis players. In diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome, the first thing a doctor will look for is a lack of numbness in the pinky finger.
         This is due to the fact that this appendage is not supplied by the median nerve. Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome will depend on the severity of the condition. Surgery may be required for cases that are severe to eliminate the pressure on the median nerve and get rid of the symptoms. Wrist splints are used as a treatment for the cases that are milder by reducing the mobility of the wrist. Fingertips cramps could be due to poor circulation of blood. Burning of the fingertips could also be due to anxiety. According to studies, mild to severe anxiety can make a person experience different physical symptoms. For individuals whose symptoms cannot be explained medically, treatment for a short time of an anti-anxiety drug like klonopin may be recommended. If the persons’ symptoms become lesser or completely go away with the treatment of klonopin, it is most likely that anxiety is the reason for the discomfort. Individuals who are diagnosed with anxiety may be advised to continue with the treatment to prevent the symptoms from coming back. Toes and fingertips pain can be caused due to a pinched nerve or sitting for too long in one position. It could also be due to other serious conditions. When there is the narrowing of the blood vessels in the toes or fingers or the appearance of gangrenous sores near the fingertips, a throbbing pain can result which could be due to Raynaud’s syndrome. Usually caused by emotional stress or cold weather, women between the ages of 20 and 40 are mostly affected by Raynaud’s syndrome. Some of the causes of weakness in fingertips are diabetes, peripheral artery disease, peripheral neuropathy, cold, bone fracture, claw hand, spinal cord injury, ulnar nerve palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, and impingement syndrome. If you experience numbness in the fingers at night or while sleeping it could be due to a nutritional deficiency, particularly vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is important in the maintenance of health and normal functioning of the nerve tissue and deficiency of it can lead to numbness. In a diet that is vegetarian, the only source of vitamin B12 is milk. However, when the milk gets pasteurized the vitamin content reduces by around 50 to 60 percent. Therefore, to make sure that you get sufficient quantities of vitamin B12 from milk, it is essential that you drink at least 750 ml of milk daily. In a non-vegetarian diet, eggs and meat are good sources of vitamin B12. During your treatment for numbness of the fingers, it is important that you avoid foods that cause inflammation like tomatoes, milk, potatoes, citrus fruits, and wheat, which can make the condition worse. You could also try performing some exercises to make your wrists stronger therefore, decreasing the pressure put on the median nerve. If the condition continues to remain for many days it is important that you get checked by a doctor. The numbness of your fingertips could be caused by variety of reasons and medical conditions. If the numbness is more pronounced in the mornings and is accompanied by some bluish discoloration, you may have a blood circulation problem. In a few cases, numbness in fingers may also point to deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. In extreme cases, your symptoms could also be caused by a form of peripheral nerve damage caused by Type II diabetes. If there is a history of diabetes in your family, please consult a physician at the earliest. You should also visit a doctor if the numbness persists for several days at a stretch, or if you begin to experience any pain. What Causes Numbness In Finger Tips However, your symptoms appear similar to those seen in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a form of repetitive strain injury (RSI) caused due to prolonged repetitive movements of the hands and wrist. Commonly, such an RSI is linked to the nature of your work. For example, extended typing on a keyboard can produce pressure on the carpal tunnel, which forms a tunnel through which the median nerve runs to your fingers. Any pressure on this tunnel can compress the nerve, leading to the type of numbness you have described. You could also experience similar numbness if you sleep in an awkward position with your hands under your body, putting pressure on the nerves of your fingers. If so, a simple change in sleeping positions will reduce the numbness. While there are no proven natural cures for carpal tunnel syndrome, you can always get some relief from the symptoms. A cold compress of ice wrapped in a towel can increase blood circulation to your fingers, reducing the numbness. You can also try soaking your fingers in cold water mixed with some sea salt. In your diet, try to avoid certain ‘inflammatory’ foods that can worsen your symptoms. These include wheat, citrus fruits, potatoes, milk, and tomatoes. There are several exercises that will help strengthen your wrists, reducing the pressure on the median nerve. Try rotating your wrist 4-6 times with your arms held straight out. Flex you fingers by stretching them out and holding for about 10 seconds at a time. You can carry a small rubber ball and squeeze it whenever possible. For a higher level of strength, try using light barbells or weights. If none of these measures provides relief, or if your symptoms interfere with your normal life, please do consult your doctor.
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