For people with diabetes, numbness in fingers is potentially a very serious condition, due to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), which is brought on by high blood sugar levels. It is not exactly known how exposure to glucose causes nerve damage, and it may vary from person to person. It may be the direct result it has on the nerves, or that it affects circulation. If it’s not caught early, you may need to have the finger removed. Early warning signs include pain or numbness in fingers, and also tingling sensations. The numbness and tingling is similar to when you “fall asleep on your hand.” In addition, the fingers may feel cold, and you might develop a rash. In the case of diabetes, numbness in fingers may be accompanied by pain and possibly dizziness.

As an early indication and symptom of diabetes, numbness in fingers poses an additional health risk, in …