Common Causes of Hand Numbness

Do you have hand numbness and tingling? This typically occurs as a result of nerve damage somewhere "in the chain" (whether in the hand itself, or in a nerve within the wrist, arm, shoulder, neck, or even brain or spinal cord).

The following are a few of the most common causes:

• Carpal Tunnel syndrome (median nerve entrapment) - compression of the median nerve as it passes through your wrist; this typically causes numbness in the thumb, index, and middle finger
• Cubital Tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve entrapment) - compression of the ulnar nerve as it passes through your elbow; this typically causes numbness in the ring and little finger
• Cervical radiculopathy (spinal nerve entrapment) - the nerves exiting your spinal cord in the cervical area may become pinched by a variety of structures, such as misaligned joints, arthritis, muscle spasms, disc bulge, disc herniation, bony fractures or tumors, stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), or spondylosis (age-related wear and tear to the cervical discs and joints)
• Whiplash - rapid flexion and extension of the neck, often seen during a motor vehicle accident, can lead to acute damage to the nerves and other structures within your neck and shoulders
• Brachial Plexus Injury - stretching and compression of the network of nerves running through your shoulder area (often seen as a result of a car accident or sports accident)

Other causes of hand numbness include medication side effects, chronic alcohol abuse, spinal cord injury, diabetes, stroke, Raynaud's disease, and autoimmune disorders including Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, and Guillian-Barre syndrome. If you're experiencing hand numbness (which often occurs along with hand pain and weakness), it's well worth your time to consult with a healthcare professional, such as a doctor of chiropractic. Understanding the cause of your symptoms will help you get appropriate treatment (and the earlier the better, to avoid chronic dysfunction).

Is Your Hand Numb & Tingly? Our Sacramento Chiropractor Can Help Relieve Your Symptoms

In his 21+ years as a Sacramento chiropractor, Dr. Gregg Anderson, D.C., has worked with hundreds of people suffering from numbness and tingling in one or both hands. He helps relieve symptoms and prevent chronic or permanent nerve damage through a variety of customized services, including:

• Chiropractic adjustments and spinal decompression, to relieve pressure on nerves
• Corrective exercises, to correct strength and flexibility imbalances which may be contributing to nerve impingement
• Nutritional counseling and lifestyle advice, to help you adopt healthier sleep, food, and movement habits which will promote tissue healing and overall wellness

Dr. Anderson is also proud to offer digital X-ray imaging to improve the accuracy of his diagnosis and help ensure your treatment is appropriately implemented based on your specific needs.

If you live in the Arden-Arcade area and are experiencing hand numbness or tingling, call Anderson Chiropractic now at 916-485-5433 to schedule an initial appointment. Our team looks forward to hearing from you!