At a glance
What it is
A loss of sensation or feeling in a part of the body, often accompanied by pins-and-needles or burning. It can affect a single nerve on one side or occur symmetrically on both sides.
Symptoms
Reduced or absent sensation, tingling, burning, or pins-and-needles. May follow a single nerve distribution or affect peripheral nerves in the hands and feet.
Approach
Detailed history and clinical examination to identify the cause. Targeted tests confirm the diagnosis before treatment begins.
What numbness is
Numbness describes a loss of sensation or feeling in a part of your body. It is often accompanied by or combined with other changes in sensation, such as a pins-and-needles feeling or burning. Numbness can occur along a single nerve on one side of the body, or it may occur symmetrically, on both sides of the body.
Causes
Numbness is often caused by damage, irritation or compression of nerves. A single nerve branch or several nerves may be affected, as with a slipped disk in the back or carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist. Certain diseases — such as diabetes, which can damage the longest, most sensitive nerve fibers (such as those going to your feet) — also can cause numbness.
Numbness commonly affects nerves located on the periphery of your body. Numbness alone isn't usually associated with potentially life-threatening disorders, such as strokes or tumors.
Possible causes of numbness in the hands
**Brain and nervous system conditions** - Acoustic neuroma - Brain aneurysm (a bulge in an artery in your brain) - Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation) — an abnormal formation of brain blood vessels - Brain tumor - Guillain-Barre syndrome - Herniated disk - Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system - Peripheral nerve injuries - Peripheral neuropathy - Spinal cord injury - Spinal cord tumor - Stroke - Transient ischemic attack (TIA) - Transverse myelitis
**Trauma or overuse injuries** - Brachial plexus injury - Carpal tunnel syndrome - Frostbite
**Chronic conditions** - Alcohol use disorder - Amyloidosis (buildup of abnormal proteins in your organs) - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (a group of hereditary disorders that affects the nerves in your arms and legs) - Diabetes - Fabry's disease - Multiple sclerosis - Porphyria - Raynaud's disease - Sjogren's syndrome
**Infectious diseases** - Leprosy - Lyme disease - Shingles (herpes zoster infection) - Syphilis
**Treatment side effects** - Side effects of chemotherapy or anti-HIV drugs
**Other causes** - Heavy metal exposure - Thoracic aortic aneurysm - Vasculitis - Vitamin B-12 deficiency
Diagnosis
Your doctor will need detailed information about your symptoms to diagnose the cause of your numbness. A variety of tests may be needed to confirm the cause before appropriate treatment can begin.
Related reading
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Compression of the median nerve at the wrist, causing numbness, tingling and weakness in the thumb and fingers. Treated with splints, injections or surgery.
Peripheral nerve disorders
Disorders of the nerves outside the brain and spine, causing weakness, numbness and pain. Diabetes is the commonest cause; treatment targets cause and symptoms.
Diabetic neuropathy
Nerve damage from long-term high blood sugar, affecting up to half of diabetics with numbness, burning and foot pain. Sugar control slows it.
Stroke
A medical emergency where blood flow to part of the brain stops, and every minute counts. We handle recovery and preventing another stroke.
Book a consultation
The secretary schedules first appointments during clinic hours; please have prior imaging, operative notes and a current medication list available at the time of the call.
This page provides general information about numbness and is not a substitute for individual medical assessment. If your symptoms are severe or worsening, contact a clinician promptly.