Move with your feet, the hands will follow, they say. Umm, what if I say my hands and feet are numb?
From typing texts, washing dishes, and cycling your favorite bike, your hands and feet are needed for every little task that is performed on a daily basis. But these petty tasks can become one hell of a job when there is constant tingling felt in the hands and feet.
Numbing of hands and feet is a very familiar condition that can be very bothersome and aggravating at the same time. Have you ever observed pins and needles piercing in the feet when you sit in a particular position for long? Or when you sleep with your arm crooked under your head? But as soon as the pressure is lifted, phew! you are relieved. Yes, that can happen to anyone.
But for some people, this tingling and numbness can be a lot more than just needles piercing the skin. There can be intense episodes of severe and chronic tingling hands and feet.
Sometimes this can be felt as itching, pain, and loss in mass of muscles. This usually is observed as a result of nerve damage that is referred to as peripheral neuropathy.
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Tingling Hands and Feet; It’s Not All Fun and Games!
According to the top reviewed Orthopedic Surgeon in Lahore, Dr. Abubakar Atiq Durrani “Numbing of hands and feet if felt rarely is completely fine, but when this starts to happen more often than usually it means there is something seriously wrong with your body.”
If explained in easy words, it can be said that your limbs (hands and feet) are like a terminal station that comes between the routes of the circulatory and nervous systems. If there are any sensations and numbing with the hands and feet felt, it means that either there is some issue with the blood not reaching the exact spot or the nerve impulses have lacked the route.
What Can Be The Causes Behind the Unhappy Nerves?
There are a number of causes behind the sensations and numbness felt in the hands and feet. And these causes differ from the ones that cause burning feet. The sensations are mostly felt in the whole body, but the two major body parts that go numb more often than others are the hands and feet.
But what is the main cause? What is it that is making you have sleepy hands and feet every now and then? Let’s find out together the conditions that can cause numbing of hands and feet.
A Pinched Nerve
A swollen or a slipped disk in the spine can result in putting a lot of pressure on the nerves that go down the legs. This then causes numbing in the feet.
And just like that, a pinched nerve in the wrist can result in causing numbing in the hands and fingers making them lose the feeling of touch. Doctors often refer this to as Carpels Tunnel Syndrome. In this particular condition, a major nerve in the hand and arm is compressed or squeezed called the ‘median nerve’ which causes tingling hands and feet.
Bad Posture
Crossing legs for too long, sitting for too long during the menstrual cycle, sitting while putting all the weight on the toes and feet, and wearing clothes or socks that are too tight can add to hands and feet numbing.
One of the major causes of temporary tingling of the hands and feet is bad posture. Postural habits that put strain and pressure on the nerves or habits that hinder the blood flow to the limbs must be avoided in order to avoid numbness in the hands and feet.
A lack of Vitamins – Numbing of Hands and Feet
Sometimes it is not just the serious diseases or fatal conditions that cause tingling in the hands and feet. But the cause can be as simple as a deficiency of a vitamin.
The deficiency of a few vitamins like B-12, B-6, B-1, and E can cause the limbs to get numb more than often. This is because these vitamins play a major role in the proper management of nerve function.
These vitamins can be taken in the form of supplements or can be taken naturally by making wise choices in food.
Anxiety – A Hidden Culprit
It might be surprising for most of you reading that the tingling in the hands and feet can also be due to anxiety. I know it’s new, but the major reason behind it is hyperventilation caused by anxiety. Well, it occurs when your breathing starts to get heavy during an anxiety attack.
Hyperventilation in the body causes an imbalance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. This then makes the hands and feet tingle and go numb.
Pregnancy – Bringing an Undesirable Gift Along
Pregnancy no doubt is a big gift from God but there are some undesirable gifts that come along with it. One of them is numbing of hands and feet.
This usually occurs due to the uterus putting too much weight and pressure on the nerves present in the pregnant women’s legs and feet as the baby increases in size with time. This can easily be managed by staying hydrated, resting properly, and putting your feet up while sitting.
Contact with Toxins
There are high chances of increased tingling in the hands and feet if you swallow toxins or absorb them through the skin. The toxins that can increase the chance of tingling on hands and feet include:
- Mercury
- Antifreeze
- Arsenic
- Thallium
Wrapping it Up!
Numbing of hands and feet is a very common condition only when it happens temporarily. But in case of permanent tingling and numbness felt in the hands and feet, it is essential that you do your research and look for the causes and reasons behind it. From simple deficiencies to serious diseases, tingling in hands and feet can impact the limbs greatly.
In case of any queries, make sure that you visit your nearest general physician through Healthwire.pk or dial (042) 32500989.
