Diagnosis

The anamnesis is important for the diagnosis. The patient reports numbness in the finger. Then the doctor will ask about other accompanying symptoms and existing neurological or orthopedic accompanying diseases.

In this way, the cause of the numbness can be better localized. The medical history is followed by a physical examination. The physician examines the hand and checks whether injuries or a carpal tunnel syndrome are present. In addition, a short neurological examination should be performed to determine whether other neurological symptoms are present. This allows the physician to decide relatively well which causes come into question and which further diagnostic measures should be taken.

Therapy

Numbness in the finger has many different causes. However, the treatment of a numbness always depends on its cause. Therefore it is first of all essential to find the exact cause of the numbness.

Depending on the cause, a specific therapy must then be started. A possible cause of numbness in the finger is multiple sclerosis.This inflammatory autoimmune disease is initially always treated with cortisone preparations in acute phases. In order to stop the progression of the disease, there are now numerous modern drugs that influence the immune system.

Herniated discs of the cervical spine are treated by an orthopaedic surgeon with painkillers, acupuncture or injection therapy. In serious cases, surgery may also be necessary. This is then performed by a neurosurgeon.

If carpal tunnel syndrome is suspected, treatment can initially be conservative and gentle. If this does not help, an operation can be considered. If the numbness occurs in the context of an injury to the hand, the hand surgeon is the first point of contact.

Depending on the extent of the injury, the hand surgeon will treat the wound accordingly. The causes of numbness in the finger are very heterogeneous and diverse. This also applies to the treatment.

For this reason, it is recommended to consult your family doctor (general practitioner) first if you feel numbness in your finger. This is the quickest way to decide with which doctor the patient is best cared for. In general, the neurologist is the right contact person for sensitivity disorders. However, if these are caused by a herniated disc or carpal tunnel syndrome, it is the orthopedist.