Many people experience numbness or tingling in their hands. These sensations arise from nerve compression, which is in turn caused by numerous health conditions. Two primary ones are carpel tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat these common symptoms and the conditions behind them.
Hand tingling & numbness is a form of paresthesia. Let’s look at exactly what that term means, the underlying issue of nerve compression, and two typical conditions that cause it to arise.
What is Paresthesia?
Paresthesia is the technical name for odd sensations that you might experience in your body, including loss of feeling, pins-and-needles, or burning. You may experience these sensations in your feet, toes, hands, or fingers. As described by Disabled World, you may feel paresthesia for a short time, as occurs when a leg “falls asleep” from maintaining one position too long while sitting or sleeping.
Underlying Issue: Nerve Compression
If your nerves become impinged (trapped) at the shoulder, neck, elbow, forearm, or wrist, you may experience the tingling sensation in your hands. It can be temporary, simply from leaning in an awkward way or carrying something heavy, explains Pennsylvania physical therapist Heather Moore. “[I]n more severe cases the nerves can be compressed due to overuse injuries caused by inflammation and swelling in the arm, wrist, and hand,” she says, “or by abnormalities in bone [or] muscle structure.”
Condition #1 – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome arises when the muscles at the front of the wrist are overused, resulting in inflammation. That swelling compresses the median nerve, which is the channel for sensation to the middle and index fingers, thumb, and half of the ring finger. Essentially, the nerve is trapped within a sheath that is around your wrist. Pressure within the carpal tunnel becomes very high, and you feel it in your fingers.
Condition #2 – Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Many of the nerves in your hand stem from the brachial plexus, a group of nerves branching out from the neck. These nerves run through a small corridor called the thoracic outlet, which is a grouping of bones and muscle adjacent to the neck. “When this space becomes smaller, which can be due to tight musculature of the neck, poor posture, and poor body alignment,” notes Moore, “nerves and blood vessels can become compressed.”
Chiropractic Care to Treat Hand Tingling & Numbness
Are you suffering from a pins-and-needles sensation or numbness in your hands or fingers? At Advanced Wellness & Rehab, our chiropractic program can heal your pain without surgery. Learn more.
