Numbness and tingling - Overview
Alternative Names
Sensory loss; Paresthesias; Tingling and numbness; Loss of sensation
Definition of Numbness and tingling:
Numbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs.
Common Causes:
There are many possible causes:
- Remaining in the same seated or standing position for a long time
- Injury to a nerve -- for example, a neck injury may cause you to feel numbness anywhere along your arm or hand, while a low back injury can cause numbness or tingling down the back of your leg
- Pressure on the spinal nerves, such as from a herniated disk
- Lack of blood supply to an area -- for example, plaque buildup from atherosclerosis in the legs can cause pain, numbness, and tingling while walking (this is called vascular claudication)
- Other medical conditions, including:
- Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium, or sodium in your body
- A lack of vitamin B12 or other vitamin
- Certain medications
- Toxic action on nerves, such as that from lead, alcohol, or tobacco
- Radiation therapy
- Reviewed last on: 7/16/2008
- A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (5/22/2007).
References
American Diabetes Association (ADA). Standards of medical care in diabetes. VI. Prevention and management of diabetes complications. Diabetes Care. 2007 Jan;30(Suppl 1):S15-24.
Creager MA, Libby P. Peripheral arterial disease. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. Saunders; 2007:chap 57.
D'Cruz DP, Khamashta MA, Hughes GR. Systemic lupus erythematosus. Lancet. 2007 Feb 17;369(9561):587-96.
Piazzini DB, Aprile I, Ferrara PE, et al. A systematic review of conservative treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Clin Rehabil. 2007;21(4):299-314.