Overview
Numbness describes a loss of sensation or feeling in a part of your body. It's often accompanied by or combined with other changes in sensation, such as a pins-and-needles feeling or burning. Numbness can occur along a single nerve on one side of the body, or it may occur symmetrically, on both sides of the body.
Causes
Numbness is often caused by damage, irritation or compression of nerves. A single nerve branch or several nerves may be affected, as with a slipped disk in the back or carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist. Certain diseases — such as diabetes, which can damage the longest, most sensitive nerve fibers (such as those going to your feet) — also can cause numbness.
Numbness commonly affects nerves located on the periphery of your body. Numbness alone isn't usually associated with potentially life-threatening disorders, such as strokes or tumors.
Your doctor will need detailed information about your symptoms to diagnose the cause of your numbness. A variety of tests may be needed to confirm the cause before appropriate treatment can begin.
Possible causes of numbness in one or both of your hands include:
Brain and nervous system conditions
- Acoustic neuroma
- Brain aneurysm
- Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation)
- Brain tumor
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Herniated disk
- Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system
- Peripheral nerve injuries
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal cord tumor
- Stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Transverse myelitis
Trauma or overuse injuries
- Brachial plexus injury
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Frostbite
Chronic conditions
- Alcohol use disorder
- Amyloidosis (buildup of abnormal proteins in your organs)
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
- Diabetes
- Fabry's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Porphyria
- Raynaud's disease
- Sjogren's syndrome
Infectious diseases
- Leprosy
- Lyme disease
- Shingles
- Syphilis
Treatment side effects
- Side effects of chemotherapy or anti-HIV drugs
Other causes
- Heavy metal exposure
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Vasculitis
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency
When to see a doctor
Numbness can have a variety of causes. Most are harmless, but some can be life-threatening.
Call 911 or seek emergency help if your numbness:
- Begins suddenly
- Follows a recent head injury
- Involves an entire arm or leg
Also seek emergency medical care if your numbness is accompanied by:
- Weakness or paralysis
- Confusion
- Difficulty talking
- Dizziness
- Sudden, severe headache
You are likely to have a CT scan or MRI if:
- You've had a head injury
- Your doctor suspects or needs to rule out a brain tumor or stroke
Schedule an office visit if your numbness:
- Begins or worsens gradually
- Affects both sides of the body
- Comes and goes
- Seems related to certain tasks or activities, particularly repetitive motions
- Affects only a part of a limb, such as your toes or fingers
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