Numbness/Tingling in Hands or Feet

Many people experience numbness and tingling in their hands and feet at some point in their life. Numbness is a loss of sensation and often accompanied by tingling, a “Pins and needles sensation.” If the symptoms subside within a few minutes, the cause is usually benign. However, if the symptoms persist, for several hours or more this could indicate a serious medical problem that needs to be evaluated by a doctor.

Typically, numbness and tingling are caused by irritation of or damage to a particular nerve or several nerves. These nerves are the peripheral nerves, (nerves that exit the spinal column and connect to the rest of the body).