Numbness of limbs worries
With a state of numbness of the limbs, the so-called paresthesia, a person is faced quite often. In everyday life, it can be observed with a prolonged stay in a constrained uncomfortable position of the arms or legs. The main symptom of its manifestation is a temporary complete loss of control over the limb, while the motor signals of the brain are blocked in a certain area. The return of sensitivity is accompanied by a sharp, unpleasant tingling sensation. Minute panic helplessness is replaced by the full functioning of the numb limb. Such cases are completely harmless.
Numbness of the limbs during sleep does not pose a danger to human health. It is often experienced by people who like to sleep with their hands tucked under their heads or tilted up onto the pillow. The change of position restores the disturbed blood circulation, and the unpleasant sensation disappears.
The concern should be caused by numbness that occurs on the skin, reducing sensitivity and capturing the upper layers of muscle tissue, while not blocking the mobility of the joint itself. They have very characteristic symptoms in the form of constriction and burning, sometimes a feeling of unpleasant cold in hot weather, and are signs of serious illness. As a rule, loss of sensitivity occurs in the progressive stages of many of them. Treatment of limb numbness consists in accurate diagnosis of the underlying disease.
Causes of limb numbness
Pathological numbness, as a rule, accompanies diseases associated with disruption of the nervous system and blood circulation. Its peculiarity is that changing the position of the limb or massaging does not lead to the restoration of normal sensitivity.
The following diseases can cause numbness of the limbs:
- Osteochondrosis. Disease of articular cartilage, leading to their degeneration. Changing the shape of the joint puts pressure on the vessels, disrupting their function. Paresthesia in this case is accompanied by a feeling of pain in the joints themselves. The neglected form can lead to complete atrophy of the limb;
- Arthritis. This disease and other forms of its complications cause joint damage and deformity. These changes have a chilling effect on their mobility and disrupt normal blood circulation. Numbness covers areas of the skin with characteristic redness for arthritis and is manifested by a burning sensation;
- Raynaud's disease. It affects the smallest arteries of the hands, is often the result of frostbite. Hypersensitivity to cold causes pain when the ambient temperature drops, possibly darkening of the fingertips. Numbness of the limb is manifested by a sensation of cold in the phalanges, caused by vasospasm;
- Carpal tunnel syndrome. A neurological disorder caused by constant compression of the median nerve by the bones and tendons of the wrist. It occurs in people whose work is associated with monotonous flexion and extension of the joint of the hand. It is manifested by tingling and pain. The weakness of flexion of the hand caused by numbness of the limb leads to the loss of full working capacity;
- Diabetes. A complication of this disease is damage to small blood vessels, which leads to pathology of the nerve fiber. Sensitivity is lost more often on the lower limbs. It is manifested by a feeling of tightening and burning of the skin. It is very difficult to treat. To prevent gangrene, the dead tissue is amputated;
- Atherosclerosis and thrombophlebitis. Both diseases are associated with poor circulation. Oxygen starvation of blood vessels causes paresthesia of the lower extremities. With thrombophlebitis, it manifests itself as a burning sensation in the area of the affected area. Atherosclerosis is characterized by numbness and weakness of the limbs, a constant feeling of coldness in the legs;
- Herniated disc. Degeneration of the lumbar vertebrae leads to entrapment of the sciatic nerve, this provokes numbness of the leg along the nerve. It can be felt in the thigh and lower leg, often reaches the toes and covers them with a constant thin chill. The clinical manifestation of a hernia of the cervical vertebrae is frequent numbness of the extremities during sleep. Treatment of the underlying disease is not a guarantee of complete restoration of the sensitivity of the hands and feet;
- Neuritis. Inflammatory disease of the peripheral nerves - radial, ulnar or sciatic, caused by intoxication, infectious diseases or injuries. Violation of the conduction of the damaged nerve causes numbness. Long-term treatment of the cause involves special exercises and procedures aimed at eliminating symptoms.
Various injuries can cause numbness in the limbs. Bone fractures or deep injuries of soft tissues, which are often accompanied by damage to blood vessels, muscle and nerve fibers. After the wound has completely healed, it is necessary to carry out rehabilitation procedures to restore sensitivity. Success will depend on their regularity and degree of damage.
Diagnostics and treatment
The appearance of numbness, which is accompanied by impaired movement and a decrease in the threshold of pain and temperature sensitivity, must be urgently diagnosed. It can be a symptom of a serious illness that requires immediate localization and treatment. You cannot self-medicate, you need to urgently seek advice from a neurologist. Visual examination, patient complaints, extended laboratory tests and magnetic tomography can be the basis in determining the exact cause of numbness.
Treatment of limb numbness is always directed towards treating the cause. Each disease has its own method of treatment. To reduce the feeling of numbness, it is necessary to quit smoking, since nicotine provokes vasospasm. Carrying out manual procedures and therapeutic exercises will help restore sensitivity.
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