Numbness in the hands and feet is usually referred to neurology, because numbness in the hands and feet is often a problem with the peripheral sensory nerves or the central nerves. The most common cause of peripheral nerve problems is polypoidal peripheral neuropathy, which has many causes, including diabetes, alcoholism, gastrointestinal surgery or gastrointestinal disorders resulting in impaired absorption of nutrients. There may also be inflammatory demyelinating disease, also known as Guillain-Barré syndrome. There are also rheumatic diseases that can cause numbness in the hands and feet, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. There are some tumors that can also cause symptoms of numbness in the hands and feet. The central cause, if it is numbness in both hands and feet, is a problem in the cervical spinal cord. Acute myelitis of the spinal cord, trauma to the spinal cord, hemorrhage and infarction of the spinal cord, and compression of the spinal cord may all cause numbness in the hands and feet.