Tingling hands can be a sign of many things. It may simply be that the hands have been kept in the same position for too long. If a person sleeps with her hands in an abnormal position, when she wakes, her hands may be tingling. There is also a possibility that this strange feeling is a symptom of a more serious medical problem.
If a person has an injured nerve, she may experience tingling hands. The damaged nerve does not need to be in the hand or the arm. Since the nervous system is a network much like the circulatory system, it could possibly be the result of a neck injury.
Tingling hands can also be the result of abnormal pressure on the spinal nerves. This could occur, for example, if a person had a herniated disk. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also a significant possibility. This occurs when pressure is placed on a sensory nerve that crosses the wrist and goes into the hand. Carpal tunnel can result from prolonged performance of certain jobs, such as clerical work, heavy machinery operation, and cashiering.
There is also a possibility that a person may feel tingling sensations in the hands if she is experiencing a transient ischemic attack (TIA). This is a medical condition where a person has symptoms similar to those experienced during a stroke. These include numbing and tingling. TIA symptoms generally last for short periods, ranging from minutes to a day, but may be recurring.
Insufficient blood supply can also cause the abnormal sensations. If a person puts a rubber band around her wrist, for example, she will notice that eventually her hand will begin to tingle. This principal is the same when the blood flow is prevented by an interior medical condition such as cholesterol build up.
An inadequate supply of vitamin B12 may also be the culprit. This vitamin helps the formation of red blood cells and helps to maintain the nervous system. If a person experiences tingling hands and does not eat animal products, she may want to consider a vitamin B12 deficiency as a possibility. Reliable sources of the vitamin come mainly from animal products such as poultry, shellfish, and milk.
Tingling hands is not a very indicative symptom. It is often associated with lifestyle choices such as drinking alcohol. It may, therefore, be difficult for a person to know what course of action to take based on that single piece of information. A person who experiences the condition may want to be observant of other symptoms and potential lifestyle factors. Even if a person seeks medical treatment, the attending physician is likely to ask if the tingling hands have been accompanied by anything else.