Condition
Numb hands and pain in the hand
My fingers tingle, I wake up with a numb hand, my hand hurts, a finger clicks or cannot be straightened, there is a lump on the wrist.
Why do my hands go numb?
A nerve runs through the wrist, squeezed in a narrow passage — the carpal tunnel. When the tissue around it thickens or swells, the nerve is pressed and the fingers tingle, most often at night and in the morning, and over time the grip weakens. This is carpal tunnel syndrome, common in people who make repetitive movements with their hands, in pregnancy and with age. Numbness that comes with neck pain or affects the whole arm can have another cause — this is sorted out at the examination.
What else hurts or bothers me in the hand?
A finger that clicks or catches — the tendon of the finger has thickened and slides with difficulty through its pulley (trigger finger).
A finger that bends towards the palm and cannot be straightened — a thickening of tissue in the palm (Dupuytren's contracture).
A lump on the wrist — a sac filled with fluid (a ganglion), which comes and goes.
Pain by the thumb when gripping — inflammation of the thumb tendons (De Quervain's).
An injury — a fracture, a pus infection of the finger (felon, or panaritium), a puncture wound, an injury to the fingertip pad.
Until the examination — what helps and what does not
For tingling hands at night, a wrist splint that keeps the wrist straight during sleep helps; it is bought without a prescription in an orthopaedic shop and for some people is enough for months. During the day it helps to avoid holding the wrist bent for long (phone, steering wheel, bicycle) and to take short breaks during repetitive work.
Waiting does not help when the fingers are already weak, when objects drop out of your hand or when the muscle at the base of the thumb has visibly shrunk: then the nerve is suffering and every month of waiting lowers the chances that sensation will fully return. With a suddenly swollen, red and hot finger or hand, especially after a puncture or a small wound, do not wait for an appointment but come the same day.
What can be done?
| Problem | Procedure |
|---|---|
| The thumb, index and middle finger tingle, more at night; the grip is weakening | Carpal tunnel surgery |
| A finger bends towards the palm and cannot be straightened | Dupuytren's contracture surgery |
| A lump on the wrist that comes and goes | Ganglion puncture or removal |
| A finger clicks or catches when bending | Trigger finger surgery |
| Pain by the thumb when gripping | De Quervain's syndrome surgery |
| A fracture, a pus infection of the finger, a puncture wound, an injury to the fingertip pad | Hand injuries — felon, puncture wounds, fingertip pad, fractures |
When both hands are affected, they are operated on one at a time, so the other stays available for everyday tasks. What can be done in one visit is judged at the examination.
Specialist and team
Specialty: general surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
→ Doctors and team at Poliklinika Barbel
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether it is carpal tunnel? Tingling of the thumb, index and middle finger, stronger at night, which eases when you shake your hand. It is confirmed by examination, and if needed by measuring nerve conduction.
Do I need an EMNG (nerve conduction study) before the operation? Electromyoneurography measures how much the nerve is pressed and helps when the picture is unclear or when the tingling also occurs in the neck. With typical symptoms, the examination is often enough; if an EMNG is needed, we tell you where to have it done.
Trigger finger — can an injection replace surgery? Yes, a corticosteroid injection into the tendon sheath helps most people and can be repeated once. If the clicking returns after two injections, or the finger is locked, the solution is a small procedure.
A lump on the wrist — is it a ganglion? A ganglion is the most common lump on the wrist: smooth, soft, filled with fluid, it changes size and often disappears by itself. It should not be hit with a book, as was once advised. It is removed when it hurts, presses on a nerve or bothers you, together with its sheath, because otherwise it comes back.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.