Numbness
and Tingling
Numbness Tingling (Sensory loss; Paresthesias; Numbness and
Tingling; Loss of sensation):
You feel as though a part of your skin or body feels numb to
the touch or tingles. It may also feel like it has been frozen
with anesthesia. This numb patch may be small or encompass many
parts of the body such as an arm, hand, finger, face, mouth,
lips, tongue, leg, foot, or toe, or all of them.
While numbness and tingling can occur anywhere on the body,
it’s most common on the hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Numbness and tingling can also be accompanied by pins and needles
and burning skin sensations.
The affected area(s) may remain constant, or they may change
and randomly appear anywhere and anytime. Repeated visual inspections
show no skin abnormalities.
Numbness and tingling can be caused by a number of factors including:
- Remaining in the same position (seated or standing) for a
long time
- Injury or pressure on a nerve (for example, a back injury
can cause numbness in the legs or feet, and a neck injury can
cause numbness in the arms and hands).
- Pressure on the spinal nerves (for example, due to a herniated
disk)
- Lack of blood supply to an area (for example, restricted
blood flow–we often refer to it as “falling asleep,” or
for medical reason such as, plaque buildup from atherosclerosis–this
can cause pain, numbness, and tingling)
- Side effects from certain medications
- A lack of vitamin B12 or other vitamins
- From radiation therapy
- Toxic action on the nerves, such as from alcohol, tobacco,
or lead
- Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium, or sodium in the body
Numbness and tingling can also be caused by other medical conditions,
including:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Diabetes
- Migraines
- Multiple sclerosis
- Seizures
- Stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Underactive thyroid
Numbness and tingling are very common symptoms
of stress, anxiety, fear, and panic.
Since there are many medical conditions that can cause stress,
anxiety, and panic symptoms, it’s always wise to discuss
new or changing symptoms with your doctor. Doctors generally
test to rule out more serious health conditions and can easily
tell the difference between a more serious medical condition
and anxiety.
If your doctor has attributed your symptoms to stress, anxiety,
or panic, you can feel quite confident that your doctor’s
diagnosis is correct. If you aren’t convinced, get a second
or even third opinion. This will reassure you that there isn’t
anything more serious causing your symptoms.
There are many physiological and psychological reasons why anxiety
related numbness and tingling occurs. The members area of our
web site contains detailed information about numbness and tingling
including why they occur and what you can do to eliminate numbness
and tingling.
|
