Hand numbness may be caused by damage, irritation, or compression of a nerve or a branch of a nerve in your arm and wrist.

Diseases that affect the peripheral nerves, such as diabetes, also can cause numbness. But diabetes usually causes numbness in the feet first.

It is not common for hand numbness to be caused by issues in the brain or spinal cord. When this happens, weakness or trouble using your arm or hand also happens. Numbness alone usually isn't linked to conditions that could be dangerous, such as strokes or tumors.

Your healthcare professional needs detailed information about your symptoms to diagnose the cause of numbness. You may need several different tests to confirm the cause of your numbness before treatment can begin.

Possible causes of numbness in one or both of your hands include:

Brain and nervous system conditions

1. Cervical spondylosis
2. Guillain-Barre syndrome — a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves
3. Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system
4. Peripheral neuropathy
5. Spinal cord injury
6. Stroke

Trauma or overuse injuries

1. Brachial plexus injury
2. Carpal tunnel syndrome
3. Cubital tunnel syndrome
4. Frostbite

Chronic conditions

1. Alcohol use disorder
2. Amyloidosis
3. Diabetes
4. Multiple sclerosis
5. Raynaud's disease
6. Sjogren's syndrome

Infectious diseases

1. Lyme disease
2. Syphilis

Treatment side effects

1. Chemotherapy or HIV drugs

Other causes

1. Ganglion cyst
2. Vasculitis
3. Vitamin B-12 deficiency