Potassium is a mineral that is essential for normal functioning of cells throughout the body. When levels of potassium in the body are too high, the result is a potentially serious condition called hyperkalemia One symptom of this condition is numbness or tingling in the hands.
Potassium and Nerve Cells
In addition to being classified as a mineral, potassium is also an electrolyte, meaning it carries an electrical charge when dissolved in solution. Individual potassium molecules in the body have a positive charge, and different cell types utilize this charge to communicate with each other. If the level of potassium in your body is too high, nerve cells will not function properly, and one result of this excess is numbness in the fingers or even the whole hand.
Numb Hands and Other Symptoms
In addition to tingling and numbness, high potassium levels may also cause other signs and symptoms as well. If you have hyperkalemia, you may experience excessive tiredness, abnormal heartbeat, trouble breathing, weak muscles and even paralysis and/or nausea and vomiting. University of Maryland Medical Center notes that hyperkalemia is a serious condition, and if you experience these symptoms, you should call 911 or go to an emergency room.
Causes of Hyperkalemia
Although excessive amounts of potassium are a direct cause of numb hands, it is important to determine what caused this increase in potassium. It is unlikely that eating potassium-rich foods causes hyperkalemia in people who are otherwise healthy, and the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institutes of Health has therefore not set an upper limit for this mineral. Hyperkalemia is often caused by the kidneys that do not excrete potassium in the urine, which in turn can be a result of kidney diseases or taking certain drugs. Another cause of hyperkalemia is diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition in which the blood becomes acidic.
Treatment
Your doctor can conduct tests to determine whether or not elevated levels of potassium are the underlying cause of numb hands. If you do indeed have hyperkalemia, possible treatments include diuretics, which increase urination so excess potassium is excreted. Additionally, your doctor may prescribe medications that help move potassium from the blood into cells to reduce the blood concentration of this electrolyte. These medications include beta agonists, sodium bicarbonate and insulin.
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