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Tingling and Numbness in the Fingertips of One Hand


Tingling and numbness has nothing to do with circulation if it is well localized to one hand. A mild stroke is possible but very very unlikely.

With the symptom of numbness as well as tingling, it is much more likely to be a nerve entrapment. That means that somewhere along the line of the nerves that supply this part of the hand, there is some pressure on a nerve. There are two likely places.

The neck is a possibility because the nerves that go to your hand exit the spine in the neck and travel down the arm into the fingers. A bit of wear and tear, or even a bit if a twist to the ligaments here, like when you carry heavy stuff or when you constantly carry your heavy child, could cause pressure on the nerves that would then be felt as tingling and numbness in the fingers.

The other likely possibility is pressure in the wrist. The nerves to the fingers go through a small tunnel at the wrist to get into the hand - called the carpal tunnel. Pressure here will produce similar symptoms. Usually it is the middle fingers that are most affected. It can be worse at night and cause pain or discomfort that may wake you, or the hand may feel particularly numb and heavy first thing in the morning. This condition is called carpal tunnel syndrome.

There are usually no serious reasons for these symptoms. Nevertheless, it would be sensible to see an orthopedic surgeon, so he or she can confirm the likely cause and advise you about treatment if that becomes necessary. This may be the case if the symptoms do not soon settle on their own.

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