Numbness in your hands or fingers is called parasthesia and may be caused by temporary constriction, a treatable condition or a disease. For your safety, see a doctor to determine the cause of your numbness and to receive medical treatment if necessary. If numbness occurs on your face or on one side of your body seek medical help immediately.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is numbness or tingling in the hands or feet caused by nerve damage. The Mayo Clinic states this nerve damage most commonly results from an injury, diabetes, metabolic problems, vitamin deficiencies and exposure to toxins. If the root cause for the numbness is treatable it's not uncommon for peripheral neuropathy to improve.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes causes your body to be resistant to insulin, which regulates the sugar in your body. Over time, when sugar remains high it can damage small blood vessels in your body that feed the nerves. This can cause tingling or numbness in your extremities, beginning in your toes or fingers and moving upward to the hands and feet. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 50 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes will develop nerve damage.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist is pinched, causing pain and numbness in the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers, as well as in the palm. It is often caused by repetitive movement of the hand and wrist as in writing, typing, tennis and painting. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated and often the tingling and numbness can be relieved.
Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks your own tissues within your body resulting in widespread or localized inflammation. Inflammation of blood vessels, called vasculitis, can reduce blood flow to nerves causing injury to that nerve and resulting in weakness, tingling or numbness to that part of the body or extremity, such as your hand.
Stroke
The National Institutes of Health defines a stroke as when the blood supply in your brain is interrupted by either a clot or a rupture. The symptoms of a stroke may be felt suddenly or come on slowly over a couple days. Muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in the arm and other areas is common, especially occurring on one side. There may be changes in your ability to feel things, or your sensations to touch may be altered or diminished. It is very important to get to a hospital immediately if any of the symptoms listed happen to you.
Exercise Associated Numbness
Exercise, whether it be lifting weights, using a treadmill or running on a sidewalk will not cause numbness in your hands. However, if you are wearing clothing that is tight on the arm, blood flow could be compromised -- causing altered sensations in your hand. Other possible causes might be posture or leaning in such a way to affect circulation to the extremities.
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