What is Numbness?
Numbness means a loss of sensation in a portion of the body. It can be a symptom of a malfunction of the nervous system. After too much time sitting cross-legged or resting your head on a crooked arm, you may experience temporary numbness and tingling.
Numbness or weakness can occur in various bodily parts. Most of us have encountered some numbness or weakness from sleeping the wrong way or sitting for an extended
period.
While the condition may be short-lived, underlying health problems may exacerbate it. In some cases, numbness can even indicate a medical emergency, such as a stroke.
Numbness (lost, reduced, or altered sensation) and tingling (a strange, itchy sensation) are types of temporary paresthesia. These sensations typically occur after sitting or standing in a specific position for an extended period of time or after wearing tight clothing. This increases pressure on the nerves and blood vessels, diminishing sensation.
Causes of Numbness
Many things, including some drugs, can cause numbness and tingling. Things we do every day, such as sitting or standing in one position for a long time, sitting cross-legged, or falling asleep on the arm, can sometimes cause numbness.
Many conditions can make you feel numb and tingly, such as:
- An insect or animal bite
- Toxins found in shellfish
- Abnormal level of vitamin B-12, potassium, calcium, or sodium
- Radiation therapy
- Medications, especially chemotherapy
- Sometimes a specific injury can cause numbness or tingling, such as an injured nerve in the neck or a herniated disc in the spine.
- Putting pressure on a nerve is a common cause. A nerve may be placed under strain by carpal tunnel syndrome, scar tissue, swollen blood vessels, infections, or a tumor. Also, inflammation or swelling of the spinal cord or brain can put pressure on one or more nerves.
- Damage to the skin through a rash, inflammation, or injury is another reason for numbness or tingling. Conditions that can cause this type of damage include frostbite and herpes (a painful rash caused by the chickenpox virus).
As a symptom, certain diseases generate numbness or tingling.
Examples of these diseases include:
-
Diabetes
- Neuropathy
-
Migraine
- Raynaud’s Phenomenon
-
Multiple Sclerosis
-
Stroke
or Transient Ischemic Attack (Mini Stroke)
- Seizures
- Hardening of the Arteries
- An Underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's thyroiditis)
Central nervous system disorders that may cause numbness and tingling include:
-
Stroke: Sudden numbness, especially on one side of the body, in the arm, leg, or face. It is an early symptom of a stroke.
-
Mini stroke: Transient ischemic attacks, or mini-strokes, can cause numbness and droop on one side of the face.
-
Encephalitis: Swelling in the brain and spinal cord can lead to loss of feeling in parts of the body or partial paralysis in the arms or legs in extreme cases.
-
Transverse myelitis: Inflammation in the spinal cord can cause a band sensation in the torso, and weakness in the legs and sometimes the arms.
-
Back and neck damage: Injuries to the back and neck can cause damage or compression to the nerves, resulting in numbness and tingling.
Some other conditions that affect specific parts of the body can cause numbness and tingling. Body parts include:
Feet and legs
People with diabetes can develop diabetic neuropathy, which is a type of nerve injury. Diabetes' metabolic impact on the bloodstream can cause nerve damage over time.
One-third to one-half of people with diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness and discomfort in the feet and legs and, less frequently, in the hands and arms.
Hands and feet
Due to low red blood cell levels and decreased oxygen circulation, vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia may cause nerve damage, which can cause peripheral neuropathy.
Alcoholic liver damage can cause peripheral neuropathy, which affects the hands and feet.
A variety of medications can also cause peripheral neuropathy, such as:
- Medications for blood pressure or heart
- Chemotherapy and anticancer drugs
- HIV and AIDS medications
- Anti-alcohol medications
- Anticonvulsants
- Skin medications
- Medicine to fight infections
Fingers
- Calcium is vital for proper nerve function and blood flow. Hypocalcemia or calcium deficiency can cause numbness in fingers.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome in the hands and fingers may also cause numbness, tingling, and pain.
- It occurs when the median nerve, one of the main nerves in the arm, is compressed in the space where it travels through the wrist.
Hands
Panic attacks, or sudden, overpowering bouts of fear and anxiety with no real risk, can result in a number of symptoms, including numbness or tingling in the hands.
Face
Toothaches and infections can compress the facial nerves and cause numbness in the face and mouth.
Diagnosis of Numbness:
A doctor will review the medical history of a person, conduct a physical exam, and ask questions about
symptoms
to diagnose the cause of numbness and tingling. Be sure to report all symptoms, even if they don't appear to be related, and any previously diagnosed conditions. Be aware of any recent injuries, infections, or vaccinations. Your doctor will also need to be aware of any prescription or over-the-counter drugs and vitamins you are using.
Depending on the findings of a physical exam, your doctor may request additional testing. These may include blood tests, electrolyte level tests, thyroid function tests, toxicology tests, vitamin level tests, and nerve conduction studies. Your doctor may also order a lumbar puncture (lumbar puncture).
More imaging and blood tests may be needed to make a diagnosis. These include MRIs or CT scans to visualize the brain better and detect a stroke or tumor. Blood tests that a doctor may order include:
Treatment of Numbness
Numbness treatment and tingling depends on the cause of the symptom and will focus on resolving any underlying medical conditions.
If numbness is in a person's feet and affects their ability to walk, it can help avoid more injury and harm to the feet by wearing well-fitting socks and shoes, particularly while at home.
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS)-related numbness is usually relatively harmless and painless. Niacin, a
B-complex vitamin,
can help reduce inflammation and related numbness.
In cases of severe or painful numbness, treatment may include a short round of corticosteroids, which also speeds recovery by reducing inflammation.
Various medications designed to treat different conditions can also help reduce the numbness and tingling associated with MS, such as:
- Gabapentin
- Pregabalin
- Carbamazepine
- Phenytoin
- Amitriptyline, Imipramine, and Nortriptyline
Other conditions
-
Meningitis: Antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and corticosteroids.
-
Diabetic neuropathy: Physical activity, healthy diet, following diabetes treatment plans, daily monitoring of foot changes, and regular foot exams.
-
Carpal tunnel: Wrist bands, over-the-counter pain relievers, nerve gliding exercises, or surgery. Avoid triggering activities.
-
Pernicious anemia: Vitamin B12 injections, pills, nasal gels, or sprays.
When to visit a Doctor?
Everyone experiences numbness, tingling, or a burning sensation at times. You probably felt it when you stood up after sitting in one position for a long time. It is usually resolved in minutes.
However,
see your doctor
if the numbness and tingling are persistent, occur without an apparent cause, or accompany any of the following symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Vision problems
- Muscle weakness and cramps
- Bladder and bowel problems
- Pain
- Intense anxiety
- Back or neck pain
- Reduced appetite
People who experience numbness and tingling, such signs may need emergency medical attention. These signs include:
- Signs may occur on one side of the body
- Confusion, slurred speech, or trouble speaking
- Chest Pain
-
Severe Headache
- Sudden Fever
- Seizures
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Stiff Neck
- Sensitivity to light
- Pale or Yellowish skin
-
Irregular Heartbeat
Home Remedies of Numbness:
Home remedies that can help relieve uncomfortable numbness include:
- Many of the conditions that cause numbness in the legs and feet, such as nerve pressure, improve with rest.
- Eat a low fat, high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables
- Limit salt (sodium) intake
- Maintain healthy body weight and body mass index (BMI)
- Perform 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week
- Limit alcohol intake and quit smoking
- Wash your hands daily with soap and water
- Avoid sharing food or other objects with people potentially exposed to infectious conditions
- Keep up with vaccinations
- Avoid exposure to radiation
- Limit repetitive hand or wrist movements
- Eat foods rich in vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium or take supplements
- Treat back pain early and limit activities that make the pain worse
- Receive psychotherapy
- Atress management
