Skin Feeling of the Hand

Areas affected by the nerves in the hand

Numbness is an inability to feel anything when you touch your skin. Tingling is a pins-and-needles sensation, like when your foot "falls asleep." Numbness or tingling may mean that nerves have been injured or pinched, swelling is putting pressure on nerves, or blood vessels have been injured.

These pictures show the main nerves of the hand and the areas of skin that get feeling from those nerves. Different nerves in your hand can cause numbness or tingling in different areas. For example, if you have pressure on your ulnar nerve, your little finger may "fall asleep."