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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 of numbness and tingling:

  • Sitting or standing in the same position for a long time
  • Injuring a nerve (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 nerves of the spine, such as from a herniated disk
  • Pressure on peripheral nerves from enlarged blood vessels, tumors, scar tissue, or infection
  • Shingles or herpes zoster infection
  • Lack of blood supply to an area (for example, from atherosclerosis or frostbite)
  • Other medical conditions, including:
  • Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium, or sodium in your body
  • A lack of vitamin B12 or other vitamin
  • Use of certain medications
  • Nerve damage due to lead, alcohol, or tobacco
  • Radiation therapy
  • Animal bites
  • Insect, tick, mite, and spider bites
  • Seafood toxins
  • Reviewed last on: 4/3/2011
  • Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

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.

Rowland LP. Diagnosis of pain and paresthesias. In: Rowland LP, ed. Merritt's Neurology. 11th ed. Baltimore, Md: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005:chap 5.

Mahoney BD. Spinal cord injuries. In: Wolfson AB, Hendey GW, Ling LJ, et al, eds. Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:chap 30.

Farmer BM, Dowsett RB, Nelson LS. Seafood Toxins. In: Wolfson AB, Hendey GW, Ling LJ, et al, eds. Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:chap 343.

Suchard JR. Scorpion envenomation. In: Wolfson AB, Hendey GW, Ling LJ, et al, eds. Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:chap 357.

Playe SJ. Mammalian bites and associated infections. In: Wolfson AB, Hendey GW, Ling LJ, et al, eds. Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:chap 361.

Burns MJ. Insect, tick, and mite bites and infestations. In: Wolfson AB, Hendey GW, Ling LJ, et al, eds. Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:chap 360.

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The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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