Our fingertips have a concentration of receptors that includes the sensory ones as well. Hence, our fingertips are really sensitive to heat and touch. Fingers are a vital part of our body as they help in gripping objects, writing, driving, eating, typing etc. So, they play an important role in the performance of our daily activities. Since, we use our hands and fingers the whole day, they are exposed to a lot of injuries. Numbness in fingers is one of the most common complaints in most people.
Sometimes, people complain of numbnessor a kind of tingling, burning, pricking sensation, or even pins and needles. This is known as paresthesia or sensory loss. This may be caused due to injury or due to a number of other reasons that may not be directly related to the fingers.
Numbness in fingers may be caused primarily due to nerve damage. Nerves carry sensations from all parts of the body to the brain. When there is blockage of blood supply or damage to the nerves, the functioning of the nerve can get affected and this may lead to numbness and tingling. Any kind of pressure, entrapment, or damage due to nerve disease may cause numbness. If this condition is left untreated, it may lead to loss of sensation that may be permanent in nature.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is another condition that may result in numbness in fingers. When there is damage to the nerves in the arms or damage to the upper region of the spinal cord, it can cause numbness in the hands, fingers, and wrists as well. This is a condition where the median nerve in the wrists gets compressed.
Peripheral neuropathy is yet another common cause of numbness in fingers. It is a neurological problem and is caused due to nerve damage. This causes numbness in the hands and feet as well. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy. The other reasons could be autoimmune diseases, excessive alcohol consumption, infections etc.
Cervical spondylosis may also cause numbness and tingling in the fingers. This is primarily caused due to compression of the nerves at the cervical spine.