First Aid & Emergencies

Numbness or tingling in a finger, hand, or wrist

Numbness is an inability to feel anything when you touch your skin. Tingling is a pins-and-needles sensation, like when your foot "falls asleep." You may feel like the part you touch does not belong to you. It is normal to have temporary changes in feeling after an injury or when swelling is present. Home treatment may help relieve swelling that can cause numbness or tingling

Numbness or tingling may mean that nerves have been injured or pinched, swelling is putting pressure on nerves, or blood vessels have been injured. This can occur gradually from an overuse injury or from a sudden (acute) injury, such as a fracture, dislocation, or severe sprain.

Numbness and tingling are more serious when:

• You have a cut or puncture wound that may have cut a nerve.
• You have a complete loss of feeling.
• You have symptoms of decreased blood flow, such as pale, white, blue, or cold skin.
• You have muscle weakness not caused by pain.
• Symptoms don't go away.
• Symptoms go away, but keep coming back.