Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPeripheral NeuropathyArthritisLupusFibromyalgiaFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Peripheral Neuropathy
Arthritis
Lupus
Fibromyalgia
Frequently Asked Questions
Pain in the hands and feet can result from problems with the joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves. The symptoms can range from deep aches and sharp pains, to joint stiffness or burning sensations.
There are a number of possible causes for these types of pain in the absence of trauma or sudden injury. Conditions includingneuropathy, arthritis,fibromyalgia, and lupus are among them.
This article explains what each of these conditions mean and why they can lead to pain in your extremities (feet and hands). It lists many specific causes and the treatments that may offer relief.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
The symptoms can vary based on the extent of damage to the nerves in the hands and feet. The most common symptom is nerve pain. Other symptoms include:
There are many specific causes of peripheral neuropathy that may result in nerve damage and pain in the hands and feet. They include:
Nerve injury:There are many possible causes of nerve injury. They include falls and bone fractures, sports-related injuries, and auto accidents. Surgeries and other medical procedures can cause nerve injury too.
Diabetes:About 60% to 70% of people with diabetes will havediabetic peripheral neuropathy. They have symptoms of numbness, tingling, burning, and pain, most often in the feet.
Chemotherapy:Chemotherapy is used to treat various forms of cancer. It leads to symptoms in the hands and feet of 30% to 40% of patients. The numbness, tingling, and pain can last for several months after chemotherapy stops.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is common in people who use their hands in repetitive motions over a long period of time. These are often job-related activities, like using a computer or doing construction or factory work.
Cubital tunnel syndrome:Cubital tunnel syndrome occurs when the ulnar nerve in your arm is compressed at the elbow. This causes pain, numbness, and tingling along the pinky finger, ring finger, and side of the hand. It is known asulnar neuropathy.
Ulnar tunnel syndrome:This condition also can lead to ulnar neuropathy. Theulnar nerveis compressed at the wrist in an area known asGuyon’scanal, where the ulnar nerve passes through. You’ll feel the same pattern of symptoms along the pinky finger, ring finger, and side of the hand. Repetitive motion is often the cause.
Guillain-Barre syndrome:Guillain-Barresyndrome is an autoimmune disorder. The body attacks its own nerves in an ascending pattern. This means it starts in the lower extremities and moves up to the rest of the body. For this reason, symptoms often begin in the feet.
Exposure to heavy metals, such as lead, thallium, and mercury, may contribute to nerve damage that leads to hand and foot pain. Excessive alcohol use also may lead to peripheral neuropathy.
Infections:Many viral infections can attack nerve cells and cause neuropathy pain in the hands and feet. These infections include:
Renal and liver failure:Chronic renal (kidney) failure also may lead to peripheral neuropathy.This type is known as uremic neuropathy and can occur no matter the cause of the kidney failure.
Research suggests thathyperkalemia(high potassium levels) may play a role in the development of this neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is also common in severe liver disease.
Vitamin deficiencies or toxins:Some toxins and nutritional deficiencies can damage the peripheral nervous system. Low levels of copper and vitamins B12, E, B6, and B1 have been linked to peripheral neuropathy.
Recap
Differences Between Peripheral Neuropathy and MS
How Peripheral Neuropathy Is Treated
Treatment for peripheral neuropathydepends on the underlying cause. In many cases, it is focused on relief for your symptoms. Options for managing peripheral neuropathy include:
Most Effective Treatments for Neuropathy
Osteoarthritis:This is a disorder that affects the cartilage of joints and wears them down over time. This cartilage is connective tissue, found on the end of each bone, that cushions and absorbs shock to the joints.
In osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down will cause pain and limited motion in the joints. In severe cases, the bone will eventually rub directly against bone. This causes increased pain, inflammation, and joint damage.
Rheumatoid arthritis: RA is an autoimmune disorder. It causes body-wide inflammation along with joint pain and swelling. The wrists, hands, and fingers are commonly affected. Unlike osteoarthritis, RA is usually symmetrical and affects the same joints on both sides of the body.
RecapArthritis is a common cause of joint pain and swelling in the hands and feet. Over time, osteoarthritis leads to cartilage breakdown in the joints that causes pain. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder affecting the whole body, also causes pain in the hands and feet. It can lead to permanent joint damage if left untreated.
Arthritis is a common cause of joint pain and swelling in the hands and feet. Over time, osteoarthritis leads to cartilage breakdown in the joints that causes pain. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder affecting the whole body, also causes pain in the hands and feet. It can lead to permanent joint damage if left untreated.
Different Types of Arthritis
How Arthritis Is Treated
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can be managed with a variety ofdifferent treatment options. They include:
Arthritis Treatment
Lupusis a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain and inflammation throughout the body. It most often affects skin, joints, and internal organs that include the heart and kidneys. The most common form of lupus is called systemic lupuserythematosus(SLE).
SLE can lead to a number of symptoms. The most common include:
Lupus is like RA, in that it has symmetric effects on joints on both sides of the body. This is especially true of the wrists and hands. Symptoms are usually less severe than those of RA but include similar joint swelling, morning stiffness, and pain in the fingers, hands, and wrists.
About 5% to 10% of patients with lupus and arthritis-like symptoms go on to develop significant deformities in the finger joints. The most common of these features are:
Raynaud’s disease has also been associated with lupus. It causes fingers and toes to become numb, pale, and painful from decreased blood circulation, often made worse in cold weather.
RecapLupus is another autoimmune disorder that affects the whole body. It also causes joint pain in the hands and feet, along with swelling and symptoms of fatigue, headache, and low-grade fever.
Lupus is another autoimmune disorder that affects the whole body. It also causes joint pain in the hands and feet, along with swelling and symptoms of fatigue, headache, and low-grade fever.
Signs and Symptoms of Lupus
How Lupus Is Treated
Lupus Treatment Options
Fibromyalgiais a chronic disease that causes pain in the hands, feet, and throughout the body. Other symptoms include:
The pain of fibromyalgia is usually felt in the muscles and soft tissues. It can cause tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, sometimes along with another form of arthritis such as RA.
Women are more likely to have fibromyalgia. So are those with other chronic inflammatory conditions like RA, lupus, andankylosing spondylitis, which affects the spine.
Still, fibromyalgia is considered a nervous system disorder and not an inflammatory disease. Stress, traumatic injuries, and genetic history may play a role in people who develop fibromyalgia.
RecapFibromyalgia is considered a nervous system disorder and not an inflammatory disease. It causes pain in the hands and feet, as well as throughout the body and its muscles. Some people with this condition may have foot pain because of plantar fasciitis in the tissue along the sole of the foot.
Fibromyalgia is considered a nervous system disorder and not an inflammatory disease. It causes pain in the hands and feet, as well as throughout the body and its muscles. Some people with this condition may have foot pain because of plantar fasciitis in the tissue along the sole of the foot.
Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Complications
How Fibromyalgia Is Treated
Medications such asnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs), antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and muscle relaxers can be used to treat fibromyalgia. Other options include:
Summary
There are many causes of hand and foot pain due to peripheral nerve damage. Damage can arise for reasons that are as diverse as repetitive motion injury, infection, or the chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer.
Some common conditions that lead to these types of hand and foot pain are related to arthritis or autoimmune disorders, such as lupus. Fibromyalgia, a nervous system disorder, can cause pain in the hands and feet. So can infections or other diseases, like diabetes or PVD.
Because there are so many possibilities, it’s important to see your healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis. Your treatment will depend on the reason for your pain and other symptoms.
Frequently Asked QuestionsPeripheral neuropathy is the main cause of tingling in the hands and feet. People with diabetes are at increased risk for peripheral neuropathy. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also cause tingling in the hands and feet. These include vitamins B5, B12, D, and E, calcium, and magnesium.Nerve compression, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can alsocause tingling in the handsand feet.Yes, fibromyalgia can cause pain in the hands and feet, and other parts of the body. Fibromyalgia pain is usually felt in the muscles and soft tissue. When it affects the feet, it can cause plantar fasciitis—an irritation of the connective tissue on the sole of the feet that can make walking painful.Joint tenderness in the hands and feet is a typical early sign of rheumatoid arthritis. In the hands, arthritis tends to affect fingers at the middle joint or at the base of the finger or thumb. In the feet, arthritis typically affects the joint at the base of the toes.Pain and tenderness from arthritis in your hands and feet can be felt when you move the joint or when you press on it at rest. You may feel discomfort when doing ordinary tasks with your hands or walking.
Peripheral neuropathy is the main cause of tingling in the hands and feet. People with diabetes are at increased risk for peripheral neuropathy. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also cause tingling in the hands and feet. These include vitamins B5, B12, D, and E, calcium, and magnesium.Nerve compression, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can alsocause tingling in the handsand feet.
Peripheral neuropathy is the main cause of tingling in the hands and feet. People with diabetes are at increased risk for peripheral neuropathy. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also cause tingling in the hands and feet. These include vitamins B5, B12, D, and E, calcium, and magnesium.
Nerve compression, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can alsocause tingling in the handsand feet.
Yes, fibromyalgia can cause pain in the hands and feet, and other parts of the body. Fibromyalgia pain is usually felt in the muscles and soft tissue. When it affects the feet, it can cause plantar fasciitis—an irritation of the connective tissue on the sole of the feet that can make walking painful.
Joint tenderness in the hands and feet is a typical early sign of rheumatoid arthritis. In the hands, arthritis tends to affect fingers at the middle joint or at the base of the finger or thumb. In the feet, arthritis typically affects the joint at the base of the toes.Pain and tenderness from arthritis in your hands and feet can be felt when you move the joint or when you press on it at rest. You may feel discomfort when doing ordinary tasks with your hands or walking.
Joint tenderness in the hands and feet is a typical early sign of rheumatoid arthritis. In the hands, arthritis tends to affect fingers at the middle joint or at the base of the finger or thumb. In the feet, arthritis typically affects the joint at the base of the toes.
Pain and tenderness from arthritis in your hands and feet can be felt when you move the joint or when you press on it at rest. You may feel discomfort when doing ordinary tasks with your hands or walking.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Castelli G, Desai KM, Cantone RE.Peripheral neuropathy: Evaluation and differential diagnosis.Am Fam Physician. 2020;102(12):732-739.
Staff NP, Windebank AJ.Peripheral neuropathy due to vitamin deficiency, toxins, and medications.Continuum. 2014;20(5 Peripheral Nervous System Disorders):1293-1306. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000455880.06675.5a
Jain J, Singh R, Banait S, Verma N, Waghmare S.Magnitude of peripheral neuropathy in cirrhosis of liver patients from central rural India.Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2014 Oct;17(4):409-15. doi: 10.4103/0972-2327.144012
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Peripheral neuropathy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Arthritis.
Lupus Foundation of America.What is lupus?
Hospital for Special Surgery.Joint Pain In Patients With lupus: Is It Really Arthritis?
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders.Fibromyalgia.
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