The nerves in your body are responsible for transmitting messages to and from your brain. Numbness may occur if these nerves are compressed, damaged, or irritated.

The following conditions may cause finger numbness.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome typically causes symptoms like:

• numbness in the thumb, index, and middle fingers
• tingling
• burning
• pain

It happens when the median nerve in your arm becomes pinched or obstructed at the wrist or by repetitive motions like using hand tools or typing on a keyboard. Symptoms are often worse at night.

Cervical radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy, also known as a pinched nerve, is when a nerve at the top of your spine in your neck becomes compressed. This may cause numbness, tingling, and clumsiness that radiates down to your hands.

The two most common causes for a pinched nerve in your neck include bone degeneration as you age and a herniated disc.

Diabetes

A condition called diabetic neuropathy may lead to nerve damage in the feet and hands. Up to 50%Trusted Source of people with diabetes may develop this condition.

Numbness, pain, or weakness is usually noticed first in the feet and legs but can also affect the hands and arms.

Raynaud’s phenomenon

Raynaud’s phenomenon causes numbness when the small arteries in your fingers spasm or become narrower. This affects your circulation and decreases oxygen to the nerves in the hands.

This condition may be caused by cold temperatures and emotional distress. Fingers that are affected may look pale or bluish during an episode. This may last between a few minutesTrusted Source to several hours.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes swelling, tenderness, and pain in the joints. This condition can also lead to tingling, numbness, and burning in the hands. Usually, both sides of the body are affected.

Ulnar nerve entrapment

Ulnar nerve entrapment affects the ulnar nerve that runs down the little finger’s side of the arm. The nerve usually gets compressed at the elbow, causing numbness to radiate down to your pinky and ring fingers. This condition is known as cubital tunnel syndrome.

You might notice an aching pain on the inside of your elbow.

Infections

Some infections may cause finger numbness, such as:

• Lyme disease
• syphilis
• HIV
• leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease

Conditions that affect blood vessels or nerves

Some conditions that affect your blood vessels or nerves may cause finger numbness. These may include:

• amyloidosis
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)
• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Sjögren’s disease
• fibromyalgia
• thoracic outlet syndrome
• stroke

Other causes

Some other medical conditions may cause finger numbness by affecting blood circulation or your nerves. These may include:

• ganglion cyst
• vitamin B12 deficiency
• bone fractures
• side effects of medications, such as chemotherapy drugs

Sometimes tingling and numbness can be symptoms of a medical emergency. This is true when a person is experiencing a stroke, which is when a blood clot or bleeding affects the brain.

If you or someone around you know experiences any of the following symptoms, get medical help immediately.

• confusion
• difficulty breathing
• dizziness
• sudden numbness or weakness in your arm, face, or leg, especially on only one side of the body
• a severe headache with no known cause
• difficulty speaking
• sudden weakness (asthenia) or paralysis
• difficulty seeing in one or both eyes

It’s also important to speak with a doctor if your finger numbness occurs regularly, interferes with your daily activities, or is accompanied by visible changes to your hand or arm.