Although it can be worrying when any part of your body suddenly goes numb, numb fingertips are actually a common experience among many women. There are a number of possible reasons why this may be, some more serious than others, and several ways to manage this symptom and return feeling to your fingers.
Hormonal Causes
Sometimes, when a woman is going through menopause, the changing levels of hormones associated with this life state can have significant and unexpected effects on her body. Tingling fingertips and other extremities are some of the lesser known side effects of these hormonal changes. Low levels of estrogen are the main reason for this change, as estrogen is crucial in several different functions for the body and a lack of this hormone can cause a wide range of symptoms.
Other Causes
A slight loss of feeling in fingertips can be a symptom of a condition called vasculitis, which is another way to say an inflammation of blood vessels. When this occurs, the blood may have difficulty traveling to certain parts of the body, especially extremities because it takes more effort for the heart to pump blood to these areas already.
Another potential cause of numb fingertips in both hands is a problem with a nerve that reaches the fingers. This is called ulnar nerve entrapment. When this occurs, a nerve that controls feeling in the fingers is pinched or otherwise compressed, which makes it difficult for signals to travel to the brain and can result in a feeling of numbness.
How Can Numb Fingertips Be Treated?
In some cases, just a few minor healthy changes can help your body counteract the sensation of numbness and tingling in your fingertips. Proper hydration, exercise, and a healthy diet are all ways to improve your overall health that may help numb fingertips as well.
However, some more serious instances may require medications or other medical treatments to improve the symptom. Hormonal imbalances can be treated with both alternative medicines and prescribed medications, whereas other conditions causing this problem may have medications or specific instructions for you to follow.
When Should You Call a Doctor?
In some rare cases, numbness in the fingertips can be a sign of other, more serious health problems, including tumors or a stroke. If you have numbness after a head or neck injury, or if you experience other symptoms like paralysis, severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, or vision problems, visit a doctor immediately.
Numb fingertips can be both worrying and a nuisance to deal with, but luckily there are ways to manage the problem and to keep them from interfering with your life. To learn more about treatment, read about these 5 techniques to manage tingling in your fingertips.
Sources
- Introduction to Menopause. Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library. Retrieved June 7, 2017 from http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/gynecological_health/introduction_to_menopause_85,P01535/
- Mayo Clinic.. (2016).Numbness . Retrieved June 7, 2017 from http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/numbness/basics/definition/sym-20050938
- Medline Plus. (2015). Numbness and tingling. Retrieved June 7, 2017 from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003206.htm
- Mayo Clinic . (2014). Vasculitis. Retrieved June 7, 2017 from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vasculitis/basics/treatment/con-20026049