Numbness anywhere in the body occurs when the nerves that are responsible for transmitting sensory information to and from the brain are compressed, damaged, or irritated. The median nerve, radial nerve, and ulnar nerve transmit information between the brain and your hands, and this enables your hands and fingers to move and feel things.
So, when the sensory nerves of your hand and arm become damaged or irritated, you are likely to feel numbness in your fingers. Let’s talk about some of the main reasons why your fingers may feel numb, and where you can go to help get back the sensation and mobility in your fingers again.
Reasons for Numbness in Fingers
You may feel that your fingers are numb if you have:
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
How Peripheral Neuropathy Causes Numbness in Fingers
Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common reasons for numbness in the fingers; it can also cause numbness in the feet. The peripheral nervous system comprises the nerves that are outside of the central nervous system, which comprises the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system therefore includes the nerves located in the legs, arms, and ancillary areas outside of the brain and spinal cord.
In peripheral neuropathy, the damaged nerves don’t work the way they should. You will feel numbness, weakness, and pain in your hands and feet (extremities).
In peripheral neuropathy, in addition to numbness, you may also experience:
- Tingling in your hands and feet, which can spread to your arms and legs
- Sharp, throbbing, or burning pain
- Muscle weakness
- Cramps
- Spasms
- Muscle twitching
- Heat intolerance
- Loss of balance
- Not being able to feel things like socks or gloves on the hands and feet
- Unintentional weight loss
- Sexual function problems
- Problems with the bowels (constipation and diarrhea), digestion (vomiting, nausea, bloating), and bladder (overactive bladder)
Treatment of Numbness in the Fingers
Numbness in the fingers can be treated in the following ways:
Nerve Stimulation Therapy
Nerve stimulation is a great option if you want to treat your numb fingers in a drug-free and noninvasive way. Nerve stimulation therapy is an FDA-approved treatment that offers consistently excellent outcomes among patients.
During this therapy, electric waves are sent through your tissues and nerves. Upon reaching the targeted nerve, these electric waves help to stimulate the repair of the damaged nerves and to optimize the energy levels between cells. This way, the electric waves treat the root cause of the numbness in your fingers.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a favored solution for diabetic neuropathy and neuropathies in which nerves are compressed or entrapped (entrapment neuropathies), which is also called a pinched nerve. This therapy uses your body’s own natural healing power, namely a sample of platelets and plasma from your blood, to repair the damaged nerve.
In PRP therapy, your doctor first collects a sample of your blood via your arm, processes the sample in a centrifuge in order to separate the platelets, and then injects the platelet-rich plasma directly into your damaged nerve. The platelet-rich plasma fosters the repair and regeneration of nerve tissue, and thus helps to relieve numbness in the fingers along with other neuropathy symptoms.
Neuropathy Treatment in Jacksonville, FL
If you frequently experience a partial or complete loss of sensation in your fingers, it’s time to visit NIVA Health for a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. Our highly skilled and experienced providers will help you achieve relief from various uncomfortable symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, including numbness in the fingers and feet.
To book an appointment with one of our providers, call us today at (866) 377-5872, or request an appointment via our online form now. You can visit us at any of our convenient locations. We look forward to serving you!
