Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCarpal Tunnel SyndromeDiabetic NeuropathyPeripheral NeuropathyHand OsteoarthritisCervical RadiculopathyHerniated DiscSaturday Night PalsyUlnar NeuropathyCubital Tunnel SyndromeMultiple SclerosisLateral EpicondylitisStrokeWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Diabetic Neuropathy
Peripheral Neuropathy
Hand Osteoarthritis
Cervical Radiculopathy
Herniated Disc
Saturday Night Palsy
Ulnar Neuropathy
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Multiple Sclerosis
Lateral Epicondylitis
Stroke
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
This article looks at 12 possible causes of sudden or persistent hand weakness, including accompanying symptoms and how each is diagnosed and treated.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Symptoms
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
The pain and weakness can travel up the arm if the pressure on the nerve persists.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a treatable problem. Rest, ice, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications usually help.A wrist braceand adjustment of the wrist motion during work can prevent carpal tunnel syndrome from getting worse.
For the most severe cases, a simple surgical procedure called acarpal tunnel releasesevers a ligament in the wrist to relieve pressure permanently.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition in which the body is unable to properly regulate blood sugar. One of the complications of diabetes is nerve damage, referred to asdiabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy most often affects the hands and feet.
Degloving Injuries From Accidents
When itaffects the hands, diabetic neuropathy can cause:
Most people with diabetic neuropathy are aware they have diabetes. But, in some instances, diabetic neuropathy may be the first sign of diabetes.
Your healthcare provider can often diagnose diabetic neuropathy based on your symptoms, medical history, and a physical exam. Blood tests can identify whether you have diabetes.
The next step involves diabetes management which can help improve symptoms, especially if they have not been occurring for too long.
An Overview of Diabetic Neuropathy
While diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, there are a number of causes that can also cause hand weakness.Neuropathy that occurs in nerves outside the brain and spinal cord is referred to asperipheral neuropathy. The hands and feet are most commonly affected.
Irrespective of the cause, peripheral neuropathy causes the same symptoms:
Your healthcare provider may need to take blood tests to determine if the cause of neuropathy is related to an infection, autoimmune disease, metabolic disorder, nutritional deficiency, or a drug side effect.
Most neuropathies will improve once the underlying cause is treated.
What vitamin deficiency causes hand weakness?Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause hand weakness, although this is uncommon.A reduction in handgrip strength has also been associated with other nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin D deficiency.
What vitamin deficiency causes hand weakness?
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause hand weakness, although this is uncommon.A reduction in handgrip strength has also been associated with other nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin D deficiency.
Treatment of Neuropathy
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, also referred to as “wear-and-tear arthritis,” is a condition that causes progressive deterioration of joints.
When it affects the hands, osteoarthritis can cause:
If you have arthritis, you may be able to ignore the milder, early symptoms. But over time, as the breakdown of joint cartilage continues, the pain and weakness can worsen and become debilitating.
Your healthcare provider can diagnose arthritis based on your symptoms, a physical exam, X-rays, and possibly blood tests. Arthritis is a painful condition that is treatable with anti-inflammatory drugs, ice/cold application, and physical therapy. It can be debilitating but is rarely life-threatening.
How Arthritis Is Treated
Many people experienceradiculopathy(the pinching of a spinal nerve root) at some point in their life. This can occur when spinal bones degenerate and collapse, when there is a traumatic spinal injury, or when there is a displacement of tissues between the spinal bones.
A pinched nerve in the cervical spine of the neck (called cervical radiculopathy) can cause hand weakness because this is the part of the spinal cord that controls hand movements.
Sometimes, a pinched nerve in the neck can cause:
Your healthcare provider can often tell if you have a pinched nerve based on your symptoms and a physical exam. A nerve conduction study and/or imaging tests like acomputed tomography (CT)scan may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.
A herniated disc is a displacement of the cartilage that supports and anchors the spine. A herniated disc can press on the spinal nerves and affect how they work.
Because the spinal nerve roots control many different sensations and movements of the body, the building of a disc can trigger different symptoms based on where it occurs.
Herniated discs in the cervical spine can cause:
Your healthcare provider can diagnose a herniated disc based on your symptoms, a physical exam, and an imaging test such as a spinal X-ray, spinal CT scan, or spinalmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)scan.
A herniated disc can be treated with physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, or opioid medications.
Surgery may be used in certain situations. Even so, the pain and weakness may not always be resolved with surgery, so careful consideration is needed to weigh the possible benefits and risks.
If you have a herniated disc, it is usually recommended to take extra care when doing physical activities, especially when lifting heavy objects.
An Overview of Herniated Disc
Symptoms of Saturday night palsy include:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral corticosteroids, and steroid injections may be used to reduce inflammation and improve symptoms. In rare instances, surgical nerve repair may be needed.
Damage to the ulnar nerve from traumatic injury, arthritis, compression, or infection can cause:
The diagnosis and treatment of ulnar neuropathy are similar to other forms of neuropathy. If an infection is involved (typically bacterial), antibiotics may be prescribed. Traumatic injuries may require an elbow brace until the symptoms improve. Some cases require no treatment.
An Overview of Ulnar Neuropathy
Cubital tunnel syndrome is more likely to occur in people who use their elbows often for pulling, reaching, or lifting activities. It can also occur because of a previous injury to the elbow or because of arthritis.
Symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome can vary from person to person, but may include:
Cubital tunnel syndrome can be diagnosed with a nerve conduction test or electromyogram. These tests check how well your nerves are functioning. An X-ray can also help your healthcare provider determine if there is arthritis or bone spurs in your elbow.
Treatment for this condition usually starts with discontinuing the activity that led to your symptoms. Some other treatments may include:
If the condition is resistant to treatment, steroid injections and/or surgery may be necessary.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition of the central nervous system. People with MS have damage to the myelin, which is the protective sheath that forms around nerves. The cause of MS is unclear but many experts believe it is an autoimmune condition, where your immune system mistakenly attacks a part of your own body.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can make your hands weak. Your hands may also become easily fatigued.Other symptoms of MS that may affect the hands include:
If you have MS you will usually also have symptoms elsewhere in the body, which can include:
There are no tests to diagnose multiple sclerosis. Your healthcare provider will usually base a diagnosis on your symptoms after ruling out other conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
MS is usually diagnosed if:
The condition can’t be cured, but it can be managed with medications, rehabilitation, and equipment to help you walk such as braces or canes.
People who play tennis often get tennis elbow, but it can also happen in people who use other tools like a paint roller or a chainsaw or engage in the same repeated hand motions at work.
Symptoms of tennis elbow may start with pain and burning along your forearm and elbow. The condition can also cause symptoms in your hand, such as:
Your healthcare provider can usually diagnose tennis elbow based on your symptoms. In some cases, they may also order imaging tests such as an X-ray, MRI, or electromyography.
Treatment usually begins with discontinuing the activity that caused the condtiion. Other things that can help include:
Surgery may be used in some cases, though it’s an uncommon way to treat this condition.
Hand weakness can be a symptom of a stroke, but it usually occurs along with other symptoms. A stroke is an emergency; if you think you or someone else is having a stroke, seek immediate medical attention.
Strokes happen when there is a blockage or hemorrhage that prevents blood from reaching the brain.
Symptoms of a stroke can vary, but they usually begin suddenly and may include:
Stroke is usually diagnosed with imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI. These tests look for bleeding in the brain and check how well blood is flowing.
Treatment should begin right away and may include medications that help break up a blood clot and drugs to control swelling in the brain. In some cases, surgery is needed to remove a blood clot or stop bleeding.
If you have numbness or weakness in your hand that gradually worsens, comes and goes, or persists over time, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider. You should also see a healthcare provider if the numbness or weakness appears to be spreading or is related to certain activities.
Summary
There are many possible causes of sudden or persistent hand weakness. Most are treatable and rarely serious, although they can cause significant discomfort and disability if left untreated.
Some of the more common causes include carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, hand osteoarthritis, cervical radiculopathy, herniated discs, Saturday night palsy, and ulnar neuropathy.
Some of these can be treated with steroids or other anti-inflammatory drugs (particularly those associated with nerve inflammation or injury). Others may require physical therapy or surgery. It may also be necessary to treat the underlying cause, such as diabetes or an infection, before the hand weakness and pain fully resolve.
Nerve compression frequently leads to lost grip strength, and carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common cause of nerve compression affecting the hand.Carpal tunnel results from overuse of the hand or arm. Other possible causes include:Injuring your handCysts or other growthsArthritisObesityEdemaDiabetesHypothyroidismPregnancyLearn MorePreventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Nerve compression frequently leads to lost grip strength, and carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common cause of nerve compression affecting the hand.Carpal tunnel results from overuse of the hand or arm. Other possible causes include:Injuring your handCysts or other growthsArthritisObesityEdemaDiabetesHypothyroidismPregnancy
Nerve compression frequently leads to lost grip strength, and carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common cause of nerve compression affecting the hand.Carpal tunnel results from overuse of the hand or arm. Other possible causes include:
Learn MorePreventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
No. There’s no cure for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, but there are things you can do to reduce the pain and weakness these diseases cause in your hands.Use a grip strengthener tool and simple exercises that focus on hand and finger flexibility and strength. Physical or occupational therapists can show you the best ways to regain function.Learn MoreHow to Exercise Your Hand
No. There’s no cure for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, but there are things you can do to reduce the pain and weakness these diseases cause in your hands.Use a grip strengthener tool and simple exercises that focus on hand and finger flexibility and strength. Physical or occupational therapists can show you the best ways to regain function.
Learn MoreHow to Exercise Your Hand
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