Why does body numbness occur?
Body numbness or paresthesia is a decrease or complete loss of skin sensitivity in some areas of the body. This condition is accompanied by unpleasant sensations of tingling and "creeping" on the skin, sometimes pain and impaired mobility in the joints.
Usually, numbness of body parts is a normal reaction of the body to compression of a nerve or a violation of blood supply to tissues. This happens, for example, when you are in one position for a long time. At the same time, in this way, diseases of the nervous system, including very serious ones, can manifest themselves. So, a very alarming symptom is unilateral paresthesia (numbness of the left side of the body or, conversely, only the right). To treat this condition, it is necessary to diagnose and find out what exactly caused it.
Symptoms of numbness in body parts
Most often, hands and feet become numb. Symptoms of this can be temporary and intermittent, or persistent and long-term. Sometimes, with this numbness of body parts, pain, dizziness and weakness, difficulty in movement and speech are observed, which indicates the development of any diseases.
If the arms and legs become numb as a result of nerve compression or impaired blood flow in tissues, treatment is not required. In this case, it is enough to change the position and lightly rub the numb area. Sometimes the hands or feet become numb at low temperatures, in order to regain their sensitivity, it is enough to get warm.
In other cases, body numbness does not go away on its own after a change of position or light massage. If this recurs regularly and is accompanied by other alarming symptoms, a doctor's consultation is necessary. You should also undergo an examination if such manifestations are the result of back, head or neck injuries.
Causes of body numbness
If the numbness of the body is not due to impaired blood circulation, freezing or compression of the nerve, this may indicate the development of the following diseases:
- Radicular syndromes (radiculitis, radiculopathy associated with inflammation, vascular disorders or mechanical compression of the nerve roots in the segments of the spine and spinal cord, intervertebral hernia) are the most common cause of paresthesias, and usually several fingers or part of the hand, and not the entire limb, become numb. In some cases, numbness of the body is accompanied by a burning sensation, the intensity of which increases at night;
- Polyneuropathy - manifests itself in patients with diabetes mellitus, when as a result of metabolic disorders due to prolonged elevated blood glucose levels, damage to peripheral vessels and nerves occurs. In this case, patients complain of a symmetrical impairment of sensitivity, most often on the periphery of the arms and legs;
- Stroke is the most dangerous cause of numbness in the body, when, due to an acute disturbance of cerebral circulation, parts of the brain that are responsible for the sensitivity of certain parts of the body are damaged. In a stroke, the nature of the disorder is always one-sided, that is, only numbness occurs on the right side of the body (or only on the left), while the damage can spread to the limbs or to the entire half of the body, including the face. Other symptoms of a stroke are impaired motor function, changes in vision, difficulty speaking;
- Brain tumor - due to the fact that the neoplasm compresses the surrounding areas of the brain tissue and causes disruption of their work, headache, difficulty in limb movements, blurred vision, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite and periodic paresthesias may appear. The nature of sensitivity disorders is usually one-sided, there is numbness on the left side of the body, face, or only the limbs (or, conversely, on the right side). Unpleasant sensations do not arise acutely, but grow over time;
- Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, which is characterized by the replacement of parts of the nervous tissue of the brain with connective tissue, which leads to numbness of body parts with loss of sensitivity and control over movements, visual impairment, etc.
The causes of numbness of the body can also be Raynaud's syndrome, circulatory disorders of the brain, atherosclerosis of the vessels, as well as recent surgeries in different parts of the body.
Diagnostics
If the numbness of the body often recurs and does not disappear for more than 5 minutes, you should determine why it appears. For diagnosis, usually prescribed:
- Blood test;
- X-ray examinations;
- Computed tomography;
- Ultrasound examinations;
- Consulting of specialists of different profiles.
Body numbness treatment
Therapy for body numbness is selected individually in each case. Both traditional and non-traditional methods of treatment are used. So, to alleviate the condition with radicular syndromes, exercise therapy, massage, reflexology, physiotherapy are practiced. Manual therapy and osteopathy can bring some effect.
If numbness occurs as a result of diabetes mellitus, an endocrinologist should prescribe a treatment regimen, usually it includes drug therapy, diet and adherence to the necessary lifestyle.
If the right side of the body (or the left) is numb and a stroke is suspected, the patient needs immediate hospitalization. It is important to start treatment no later than 4 hours after the onset of anxiety symptoms, until irreversible changes have occurred in the brain.
Prevention
In order to prevent numbness of the body, it is necessary to lead an active lifestyle, engage in feasible physical activity and monitor the diet. Nicotine, alcohol, salty and spicy foods have a negative effect on the condition of joints and blood vessels. It is recommended to always dress in accordance with the weather conditions in order to avoid hypothermia, as well as to treat diseases in a timely manner, preventing them from becoming chronic.
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