Numbness
Numbness (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. 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 can occur anywhere on the body, it’s most
common on the hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Numbness can also be accompanied by tingling, 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 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 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 is a very common symptom 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 occurs. The members area of our web site contains
detailed information about numbness including why it occurs and
what you can do to eliminate numbness.
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