What causes numbness in hands and feet? Have you ever cared?

Numbness is caused by poor peripheral blood circulation. Numbness occurs due to insufficient blood supply to the hands and feet. So what are the common causes of numbness in hands and feet?

Why do my hands and feet feel numb?

1. Physiological numbness in hands and feet

Numbness is caused by poor peripheral blood circulation. Numbness occurs due to insufficient blood supply to the hands and feet. Numbness in the hands and feet is a symptom that people often experience in their daily lives. It can be caused by pregnancy, incorrect sleeping posture, and squatting on the toilet for a long time.

If this happens, you can cross your hands together or clench your fists and relax them and do it a few more times. If your feet are numb, tighten your feet and then relax them. Repeat several times. This will help relieve the numbness.

This type of numbness in the hands and feet generally has mild symptoms and usually resolves within a short period of time, so it is generally not a big problem. If numbness in the hands and feet persists for a long time and is accompanied by other symptoms, it may be a sign of other illness and you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

2. Pathological numbness of hands and feet

Apart from numbness in the hands and feet caused by physiological reasons, some people's numbness in the hands and feet cannot be relieved for a long time (more than a day), in which case they must see a doctor. Regardless of the cause of numbness in the hands and feet, you should first seek medical attention from a neurologist or orthopedic surgeon. The causes of numbness in the hands and feet are generally as follows:

1. Diabetes

Diabetic neuropathy is mainly caused by high blood sugar damaging blood vessels and nerves. Cold, numb, and tight hands and feet, as if they were tied up with a sleeve or sock, or like "ants crawling", are early symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. In severe cases, movement disorders such as foot pain when walking, lameness, and unsteady walking may also occur. The pain gets worse especially when I sleep at night, like a saw sawing my legs, it hurts so much that I can be awakened by the leg pain suddenly even when I am sleeping well, and then I can't sleep all night. Therefore, when numbness and swelling in the limbs occur, it is necessary for patients, especially the elderly, to check their blood sugar levels in time.

2. Transient ischemic attack

If numbness of the hands and feet occurs on one side while the other side is normal, it may be caused by transient ischemic attack (TIA), which can easily develop into cerebral infarction. Therefore, middle-aged and elderly people with three highs or carotid artery sclerosis and plaque formation should pay special attention to this kind of numbness of the hands and feet. Limb numbness caused by TIA or cerebral infarction is usually acute and may be accompanied by symptoms such as speech disorders and hemi-limb movement disorders. This type of numbness should be treated immediately.

3. Cervical spondylosis and lumbar spondylosis

A herniated cervical disc can compress the nerves and blood vessels in the neck, causing numbness in the arms and fingers. This numbness is usually chronic and recurrent, accompanied by soreness, stiffness and other discomforts in the neck and shoulders. This disease can easily be caused by working with the head down for a long time, cold neck, or using a pillow that is too high.

Most patients with lumbar disc herniation will experience numbness in the lower limbs, usually manifested as chronic, recurrent unilateral or bilateral numbness in the thighs, calves, and feet, accompanied by symptoms such as lower back pain and discomfort. Long-term heavy physical labor, strenuous exercise, history of trauma, smoking, cold, poor posture, etc. can easily cause lumbar disease. The patient can be diagnosed through X-rays, CT scans or MRI scans.