Hand numbness and tingling can have several causes, and the right diagnosis guides care. A wrong diagnosis can delay treatment, cause the wrong splint, or allow symptoms to progress. If a problem is missed or treated incorrectly it can lead to permanent nerve damage, muscle wasting (muscles shrinking because the nerve is not working well), loss of grip strength, or progression that may require surgery.
Carpal tunnel involves compression of the median nerve at the wrist. It affects the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of the ring finger. Typical signs include tingling, burning, or numbness in those fingers, worse symptoms at night, trouble with small tasks like buttoning, and dropping objects.
Cubital tunnel involves compression of the ulnar nerve at the inside of the elbow. It causes numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers, aching elbow pain, trouble spreading the fingers, and symptoms that worsen when the elbow is bent. People who keep their elbows bent often, lean on hard surfaces, have past elbow injuries or arthritis, or do repeated elbow work may be more likely to develop it. See a clinician if symptoms last weeks or cause weakness or clumsiness.
Difficult words
- compression — force that presses a body part tightly
- median nerve — main nerve running through the wrist and hand
- ulnar nerve — nerve that runs along the inside of elbow
- muscle wasting — shrinking of tissues that control body movement
- splint — device that keeps a body part still
- diagnosis — doctor's identification of the cause of a problem
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- If you had numbness and trouble buttoning, how would this affect your daily life?
- Which activities at work or home could increase the chance of developing cubital tunnel?
- Why is it important to get the correct diagnosis before starting treatment?
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