If you’re noticing numbness or tingling in your fingers on a consistent basis, your first thought might be carpal tunnel, a wrist issue, or a problem with your hands.
But in many cases, the source isn’t in the hand at all—it’s coming from the neck.
The nerves that control sensation and strength in your arms and fingers originate in your cervical spine (neck). These nerves exit between the vertebrae and travel all the way down the arm into the hand.
If a nerve becomes irritated or compressed in the neck, you may feel:
Sometimes, there may be little to no neck pain at all.
Bulging discs, joint stiffness, or inflammation in the neck can irritate nerve roots that supply the arm and hand.
Long hours at a desk, phone use, or working with arms in front of you can overload the neck and reduce nerve mobility.
Tight scalenes, upper traps, or pec muscles can increase tension on nerves traveling to the arm.
Restricted motion in the neck or upper back can alter how nerves move, leading to intermittent numbness.
While carpal tunnel affects the median nerve at the wrist, neck-related numbness often: