Everything about Numbness totally explained
|
ICD9 =, |
}}
Paresthesia or
paraesthesia (in
British English) is a
sensation of tingling, pricking, or numbness of a
person's
skin with no apparent long-term physical effect, more generally known as the feeling of pins and needles or of a
limb being "asleep" (but not directly related to the phenomenon of
sleep). Its manifestation may be transient or chronic.
Transient
Paresthesiae of the
mouth, hands, and feet are common, transient symptoms of the related conditions of
hyperventilation syndrome and
panic attacks.
Chronic condition
Chronic paresthesia indicates a problem with the functioning of
neurons.
In older individuals, paresthesia is often the result of poor
circulation in the limbs (such as in peripheral vascular disease), which may be caused by
atherosclerosis -- the build up of
plaque on
artery walls. Without a proper supply of
blood and
nutrients, nerve cells can no longer adequately send signals to the
brain. Because of this, paresthesia can also be a symptom of
vitamin deficiency and
malnutrition, as well as
metabolic disorders like
diabetes,
hypothyroidism, and
hypoparathyroidism.
Irritation to the nerve can also come from
inflammation to the surrounding tissue. Joint conditions such as
rheumatoid arthritis and
carpal tunnel syndrome are common sources of paresthesia. Nerves below the head may be compressed where chronic
neck and
spine problems exist and can be caused by, amongst other things, muscle cramps which may be a result of clinical
anxiety or excessive mental stress, bone disease, bad posture, unsafe heavy lifting practices or physical trauma such as
whiplash.
Another cause of paresthesia, however, may be direct damage to the nerves themselves, or
neuropathy, which can stem from
injury or
infection such as
Lyme disease, or which may be indicative of a current
neurological disorder. Chronic paresthesia can sometimes be symptomatic of serious conditions, such as a
transient ischemic attack,
motor neurone disease, or
autoimmune disorders like
multiple sclerosis or
lupus erythematosus. The
herpes zoster virus can attack nerves causing numbness instead of pain commonly associated with
shingles. A diagnostic evaluation by a
doctor is necessary to rule these out.
Other known causes
Treatment
Treatment should be decided by a
neurologist. A
CT scan is often used as a diagnostic tool.
Medications offered can include the
immunosuppressant prednisone, intravenous
gamma globulin (IVIG),
anticonvulsants such as
gabapentin or
gabitril and
antiviral medication, amongst others.
In some cases, rocking the head from side to side will painlessly remove the "pins and needles" sensation in less than a minute. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in the neck. Loosening the neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, and standing up and walking around will typically relieve the sensation. An arm that has "fallen asleep" may also be "awoken" more quickly by clenching and unclenching the fist several times; the muscle movement increases blood flow and helps the limb return to normal.
Manipulation of the neck won't apply to facial paresthesia, such as early stages of
Bell's palsy, as nerves of the face and scalp don't pass through the neck.
Paresthesia caused by
shingles is treated with appropriate
antiviral medication.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Numbness'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://paresthesia.totallyexplained.com">Paresthesia Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
