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Mostly my hands and feets become sensation less....and after some time..it will relieve..it's not for mostly people .and not affect normal life..

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intermittent numbness tingling hands feet causes paresthesia

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Here is a thorough answer based on medical textbooks and current sources:

Temporary Numbness (Paresthesia) in Hands and Feet

What you're describing - hands and feet going "sensation-less" temporarily and then recovering on their own - is called transient paresthesia. The medical term for this is paresthesia (or intermittent paresthesia when it comes and goes).

What is Paresthesia?

Paresthesia is an abnormal sensation - numbness, tingling, "pins and needles," or a feeling of the limb being "asleep" - that occurs without an outside cause. It happens when nerves or blood vessels supplying a limb are temporarily compressed or have reduced blood flow.
  • Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology describes how patients can experience "fluctuating patches of numbness or paresthesia" that resolve on their own.
  • Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice notes that symptoms are more common in the feet than the hands initially.

Most Common (Benign) Causes

These are harmless, everyday causes:
CauseHow it happens
Sustained pressure on a limbSitting cross-legged, sleeping on your arm, tight shoes
Staying in one position too longCompresses local nerves temporarily
Cold exposureReduces blood flow to extremities
HyperventilationChanges in blood CO2 can cause tingling in hands/feet
These resolve within minutes once you move around or change position - which matches your description.

Causes to Be Aware Of (If Recurring Without Obvious Trigger)

If the numbness happens repeatedly and you can't trace it to a position or pressure, the following are worth checking:
  1. Vitamin B12 or B9 (folate) deficiency - one of the most common reversible causes of hand/foot tingling. A simple blood test can check this.
  2. Vitamin D deficiency - common and often overlooked.
  3. Diabetes or pre-diabetes - high blood sugar can affect peripheral nerves over time (diabetic peripheral neuropathy). Early stages may cause mild intermittent symptoms.
  4. Hypothyroidism - low thyroid hormone can cause nerve dysfunction.
  5. Anemia - reduced oxygen delivery can cause tingling sensations.
  6. Raynaud's phenomenon - episodic reduction in blood flow to fingers and toes, especially triggered by cold or stress (Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine describes this as "episodic digital ischemia" in hands and feet).
  7. Carpal tunnel syndrome - nerve compression at the wrist causing intermittent hand numbness, especially at night.
  8. Cervical or lumbar spine issues - mild disc compression can cause transient symptoms in hands or feet respectively.

When Is It NOT a Concern?

Your symptoms sound benign if:
  • It resolves completely within a few minutes
  • It has a clear trigger (sitting still, awkward position, cold weather)
  • Only hands/feet are affected (not face, one side of body, or spreading)
  • No weakness, muscle wasting, or loss of coordination
  • No bladder or bowel changes

When Should You See a Doctor?

See a doctor if any of these apply:
  • Numbness that does not fully go away
  • Numbness on one side of the body only (could suggest a TIA/mini-stroke)
  • Numbness spreading to the face or up the arm/leg
  • Associated muscle weakness or clumsiness
  • Symptoms getting more frequent or lasting longer over time
  • You have diabetes, thyroid disease, or alcohol use

Simple Things to Check First

Before worrying, these basic tests are worth doing:
  • Blood sugar (fasting glucose or HbA1c)
  • Vitamin B12 and folate levels
  • Thyroid function (TSH)
  • Complete blood count (CBC)
These cover the most common and easily treatable causes. Given that your symptoms are mild, intermittent, and not affecting your daily life, this is most likely benign - but the blood tests above are a sensible precaution if it keeps happening.
Sources: Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology 12th Ed.; Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice; Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 22nd Ed. (2025); Symptom to Diagnosis: An Evidence Based Guide, 4th Ed.; Cleveland Clinic - Paresthesia; MedlinePlus - Numbness and Tingling
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