The symptoms can range from deep aches and sharp pains, to joint stiffness or burning sensations.
Conditions includingneuropathy, arthritis,fibromyalgia, and lupus are among them.
It lists many specific causes and the treatments that may offer relief.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathyis resulting from damage to the peripheral nervous system.
It is made up of the many nerves in the body, including those in the arms and legs.
They send signals to and from thebrainand spinal cord.
Peripheral nerves transmit sensory information, such as the feelings of pressure, pain, and temperature.
They also send motor function messages to control the muscles.
The hands and feet are most often affected by peripheral neuropathy.
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.
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.
Symptoms are most often found in the thumb and first three fingers of one or both hands.
These are often job-related activities, like using a computer or doing construction or factory work.
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 asGuyonscanal, where the ulnar nerve passes through.
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.
Vascular damage:Damage to blood vessels has several causes.
They include diabetes, smoking,high blood pressure, andatherosclerosiscaused by plaque buildup in the arteries.
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.
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.
Recap
There are many causes of peripheral neuropathy that lead to pain in the hands and feet.
Some, like carpal tunnel syndrome, are because of an injury due to repetitive use of the hands.
Others are linked to another health condition, such as diabetes.
Infections and lifestyle behaviors, like smoking and alcohol use, can contribute to nerve damage.
How Peripheral Neuropathy Is Treated
Treatment for peripheral neuropathydepends on the underlying cause.
In many cases, it is focused on relief for your symptoms.
Osteoarthritis:This is a disorder that affects the cartilage of joints and wears them down over time.
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.
In RA, thesynovium, or joint lining, is attacked by the immune system.
It causes it to become thick and eventually destroys the cartilage and bone within the joint.
If left untreated, RA can cause permanent and irreversible joint damage.
It’s found more often in women, with symptoms that include prolonged stiffness in the morning.
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.
How Arthritis Is Treated
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can be managed with a variety ofdifferent treatment options.
They include:
Lupus
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.
This is especially true of the wrists and hands.
The most common of these features are:
Raynauds disease has also been associated with lupus.
Lupus is another autoimmune disorder that affects the whole body.
This is often more easy to correct with finger braces or splints.
Lupus is commonly managed with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs.
Other symptoms include:
The pain of fibromyalgia is usually felt in the muscles and soft tissues.
Foot pain for people with fibromyalgia can be caused byplantar fasciitis.
It is the irritation of a band of soft connective tissue that spans the sole of the foot.
Women are more likely to have fibromyalgia.
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.
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.
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 Questions
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.
Joint tenderness in the hands and feet is a typical early sign of rheumatoid arthritis.
In the feet, arthritis typically affects the joint at the base of the toes.
You may feel discomfort when doing ordinary tasks with your hands or walking.
Feldman EL, Callaghan BC, Pop-Busui R, et al.Diabetic neuropathy.Nat Rev Dis Primers.
2020;102(12):732-739.
Staff NP, Windebank AJ.Peripheral neuropathy due to vitamin deficiency, toxins, and medications.Continuum.
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.
Arthritis Foundation.Arthritis by the Numbers: Book of Trusted Facts and Figures.
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.
