Tingling in the arms or hands is usually caused by pressure on nerves, difficulties with blood circulation, inflammation or alcohol abuse. However, this type of tingling can also be a sign of more serious illnesses, such as diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis or heart attack.
The hands and arms are parts of the body that contain a large number of nerve endings, which allows you to have more delicate movements and feel objects and changes in temperature, for example. Therefore, any small change can affect these nerves and cause tingling.
Whenever the tingling is intense, takes many days to disappear or appears associated with other symptoms such as excessive tiredness, chest pain or difficulty speaking, it is important to consult a general practitioner to diagnose the cause and begin appropriate treatment.
What could be your tingling
To help identify the possible cause of tingling in your arms and hands, please answer these questions:
Causes of tingling in hands and arms
The most common causes of tingling in the hands or arms are:
1. Changes in circulation
Tingling in the hands and feet can be caused by circulatory diseases of the arteries and veins, which also generate other symptoms such as pain and the formation of ulcers. Additionally, feeling your hands and fingers tingling when you wake up can also indicate poor circulation.
What to do: treatment is carried out depending on the type of deficiency in blood circulation and whether veins or arteries have been compromised, and may include the use of elastic stockings, use of medicines, such as AAS, or even surgery, for example. To confirm and decide the best treatment, the recommended professional is the vascular surgeon.
2. Pressure on nerves
The nerves that innervate the arms leave the spinal cord, passing through the spine, and reach the most peripheral parts of the hands and fingers. Along the way, these nerves can be pressed, whether by tumors, infections or dilated blood vessels, such as spinal radiculopathy, which is when the nerves are compromised in the spinal column, by a herniated disc, osteoarthritis of the spine or stenosis. of the spinal canal, for example. Find out more about what radiculopathy is and its causes.
What to do: it is necessary to seek care from an orthopedist or neurologist, so that treatment can be carried out according to the cause of the nerve compression, whether with physiotherapy or surgery, for example.
3. Migraine with aura
In many people, a migraine may be preceded by sensory symptoms, called aura, which include tingling in the hands, arms, legs or mouth, for example, as well as visual changes, speech difficulties or even weakness in the limbs.
What to do: migraine treatment is guided by a neurologist, and includes the use of analgesic, anti-inflammatory or anti-migraine medications to relieve pain, in addition to the need for preventive treatment and measures to avoid attacks, such as avoiding certain foods, smells or lack of sleep, for example. Find out which remedies are recommended to treat migraines.
4. AVC
Although it is a rarer situation, one of the first symptoms of a stroke is a tingling sensation in an arm or hand. Furthermore, other common symptoms of this problem include crooked mouth, lack of strength on one side of the body and difficulty speaking.
What to do: if you suspect a stroke, you should immediately call an ambulance by calling 192, or go to the emergency room immediately. See more what to do and how to identify stroke.
5. Carpal tunnel syndrome
This syndrome is the main cause of tingling in the hands and occurs when the median nerve, which innervates the palm of the hand, becomes compressed in the wrist region, causing tingling or numbness that worsens at night, difficulty holding small objects and a sensation of having fingers swollen. This condition is very common during pregnancy, being the most common cause of tingling hands during pregnancy.
What to do: depending on the severity of the compression of the median nerve, there are exercises that can be done to improve the symptoms, however, the only way to guarantee a cure is to undergo nerve decompression surgery.
6. Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that causes the gradual degradation of nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Thus, some symptoms include loss of strength, excessive tiredness, memory failures and tingling in various parts of the body, which can also be accompanied by a burning sensation.
What to do: treatment needs to be done with the use of medicines that delay the development of the disease, such as Interferon or Mitoxantrone. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a general practitioner or neurologist to diagnose the disease and begin appropriate treatment. Find out more about what multiple sclerosis is and how to treat it.
7. Synovial cyst
The synovial cyst can appear in any of the joints of the hands, such as the wrist or fingers, and generally causes the appearance of a small lump on the skin, filled with joint fluid, which can end up compressing the nerves and causing tingling in the hand, as well as loss force.
What to do: applying cold compresses to the lump can help reduce swelling and alleviate symptoms, however, there may be cases in which it may be necessary to suction the liquid or use anti-inflammatories, and you should consult an orthopedist if there is no improvement after 1 week. See how to use cold compresses.
8. Vitamin deficiency
Deficiency of certain vitamins, especially vitamins B12, B6, B1 or E, can cause changes in the nerves that result in tingling in different parts of the body and changes in sensitivity, in addition to several others such as irritability, tiredness and psychiatric changes, for example .
What to do: these deficiencies can be combated through a special diet rich in these vitamins or through the replacement of vitamin supplements, either orally or intramuscularly, as may be necessary in the case of vitamin B12.
9. Heart attack
Tingling or numbness in the left arm, or more rarely, in the right arm, can be a symptom of a heart attack, especially when it worsens when exertion or is accompanied by other symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, malaise or cold sweat. Know how to identify the symptoms of a heart attack in women, men or the elderly.
What to do: in case of suspected heart attack, it is necessary to go immediately to the emergency room or call the mobile emergency service, on number 192, so that, if confirmed, treatment can be started as quickly as possible, in order to prevent irreversible damage to the heart.
10. Uncontrolled diabetes
Diabetes can sometimes be a difficult disease to diagnose, especially if it does not cause classic symptoms such as frequent urge to urinate or excessive thirst. In cases where treatment is not started, or is not followed correctly as recommended by the doctor, blood sugar levels become high in the bloodstream.
When sugar levels are very high for a long time, one of the consequences is the appearance of small injuries to the nerves in various parts of the body and, therefore, diabetes can be a cause of tingling in the hands, arms, legs or feet. , for example.
What to do: when diabetes is suspected, it is very important to go to the endocrinologist to start insulin treatment, as dietary changes alone may not be able to treat the tingling. Understand how diabetes is treated.
11. Hypothyroidism
When hypothyroidism is not treated correctly it can cause damage to the nerves that carry information between the brain and the rest of the body. Therefore, in addition to symptoms such as hair loss, weight gain or feeling constantly cold, hypothyroidism can also cause tingling in various parts of the body, including the hands and arms.
What to do: when it is known that you have a thyroid problem, or when it is suspected, you should go to the endocrinologist to start appropriate treatment with medicines that control the thyroid.
12. Epicondilite lateral
Epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow, is an inflammation of the elbow muscles and tendons that arises due to repetitive use of the joint, as happens in tennis players or people who work on assembly lines, for example.
In these cases, there may be intense pain in the elbow and loss of strength throughout the arm, and tingling usually arises due to compression of the ulnar nerve, located in the arm, due to inflammation.
What to do: applying cold compresses to the elbow can alleviate symptoms, however, it may be necessary to undergo physiotherapy sessions or take anti-inflammatories, such as Ibuprofen, in more serious cases. Therefore, it is always important to consult an orthopedist. Learn more about treating epicondylitis.
