Fast Facts On Paresthesia
The symptoms of paresthesia or a pinched nerve include:
- tingling or a pins and needles sensation
- aching or burning pain
- numbness or poor feeling in the affected area
- feeling that the affected area has fallen asleep
- prickling or itching feeling
- hot or cold skin
The symptoms can be constant or intermittent. Usually, these sensations occur in the affected area but may spread or radiate outward.
Some factors increase the risk of having a pinched nerve:
- Gender: Women are more likely to get carpal tunnel syndrome, possibly due to a narrower nerve canal.
- Obesity: Extra weight can put pressure on nerves.
- Pregnancy: Weight and water gain associated with pregnancy can cause swelling and pressure on nerves.
- Thyroid disease: This puts a person at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Diabetes: Having diabetes can cause nerve and tissue damage.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: This causes inflammation, which can also compress nerves in the joints.
- Prolonged bed rest: Lying down for extended periods can cause nerve compression and increase the risk for paresthesia.
- Overuse: People who have jobs or hobbies that require repetitive motion of the hands, elbows or feet are at a higher risk for a pinched nerve, paresthesia or nerve damage.
Anyone can get a pinched nerve, and most people will have experienced paresthesia at some point or another.
Causes And Risk Factors
Chronic paresthesia can be caused by a wide range of underlying conditions:
Recognized risk factors include:
- Autoimmune diseases including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis
- Neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes
- Alcohol abuse, including alcoholism and binge drinking
- Poor diet that causes nutritional deficiencies
- Repetitive movements such as typing, playing a sport or instrument.
- Restless legs syndrome
What Are The Causes Of Paresthesia Of Skin
The exact cause of paresthesia of skin is not possible to determine. The reason for temporary and chronic paresthesia are quite different.
Temporary paresthesia results from poor blood circulation when sitting in a particular position for a longer period of time. While chronic paresthesia might result due to some nerve damage or some disease.
Paresthesia can be a result of any disease related to central nervous system or peripheral nervous system . Paresthesia of skin can be temporary or chronic.
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Causes Of Skin Numbness
The chronic skin numbness is a common sign of nerve damage, and in few cases, this damage is caused by radiculopathy. It is a skin condition where nerve roots become inflamed, irritated and compressed. Studies reveal that a common cause behind radiculopathy is a herniated task this condition applies some pressure to the nerve that further leads to the numbing sensation. Another possible cause of skin numbness is narrowing of the canal that is responsible for carrying signals from the spinal cord and deliver to different parts of the body.
Hyperglycemia is also known as a condition of high blood sugar in the body, and one common symptom of this disease is skin numbness. When this state stays active so long on the body, it can cause huge damage to peripheral nerves. If not treated on time, this nerve damage further leads to a state that is named as diabetic neuropathy, and it makes people feel like needles or pins on the skin. It sometimes leads to permanent numbness, a state of paralysis. Experts reveal that people that are suffering from diabetes may also have trouble due to nerve damage in some stage of life.
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
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Multiple Sclerosis:
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Hypothyroidism:
When a person is suffering from hypothyroidism his/her body is not able to produce enough amounts of thyroid hormones. In case if it is left untreated for a longer time, this medical health issue can further cause peripheral neuropathy.
Treatments For Orthopedic Causes Of Paresthesia
When paresthesia symptoms are due to an orthopedic condition or injury, treatments include:
- braces or splints to stabilize and temporarily immobilize a strain or sprain that is causing numbness
- long-term immobilization to allow for healing of neck or spinal fractures that may result in paresthesia
- medications such as cortisone injections to relieve pain and inflammation caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, nerve compression, or a herniated disc, which may also relieve numbness caused by those conditions
- physical therapy and exercise to strengthen muscles and relieve symptoms including paresthesia associated with a herniated disc, osteoporosis, or bone and muscle injuries
- surgery such as carpal tunnel release or spinal fusion to address severe pain and numbness caused by nerve compression and entrapment
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Okay So What Is Paresthesia
If youve ever had pins and needles, burning, numbness, or a lack of sensation in any part of your body, then youve experienced paresthesia! Essentially, paresthesia is a sensory symptom caused by something such as nerve damage or a disorder. Paresthesia typically causes numbness and tingling in hands, feet, arms, and legs, but can affect much more than that.
For some people, paresthesia may feel like cold or prickly raindrops, running water, or bugs crawling on your skin. Typically, these sensations result from an event or condition that caused damage, injury, or aggravation of your nerves.
Paresthesias like these can move around as a result of nerve or neurological damage or a disorder. For instance, you may feel tingling in your right hand in the morning, burning in your leg at lunch, nothing at dinner, and pins and needles in your feet at night. This may change from day to day.
Paresthesia may be more noticeable at night or at extreme temperatures, and there are treatments that can help if it is painful or wakes you, interfering with your daily life.
Having any of these symptoms is likely a form of paresthesia caused by something that has happened to you. However, not experiencing any of these does not discount the possibility of paresthesia. Many people only experience one or a few of these symptoms. Depending on the severity of the cause, the symptoms may be chronic or transient.
Natural Tips For Managing Paresthesia
1. Vitamin D
A vitamin D deficiency is linked to restless legs syndrome, certain autoimmune diseases, chronic pain and multiple sclerosis, all of which are known to cause paresthesia symptoms. Spending more time outdoors in the sun can help, but if you have a severe deficiency, you may need to add a supplement. Your doctor can order a test to determine your vitamin D levels and help you come up with a plan to boost your levels.
In addition to spending 20 minutes or so of time in the sun each day, adding vitamin D-rich foods like wild-caught halibut, mackerel, swordfish and sardines can help. Mushrooms exposed to UV light including maitake and portobellos, are also good sources.
2. TENS
A relatively new non-invasive treatment for pain, a TENS machine, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device, provides controlled electrical currents that stimulate nerves. It has been shown to relieve certain types of musculoskeletal pain and postoperative pain, and now it is being studied for chemotherapy-induced paresthesia.
Following up a pilot study, this small clinical trial is evaluating the therapeutic response of TENS on paresthesia and neuropathic pain in those with chemo-induced paresthesia to see if it improves the quality of life. It may be helpful in relieving paresthesia symptoms due to other causes as well as the device is designed to activate your bodys pain-fighting response.
3. Acupuncture
4. Vitamin B6- and B12-rich foods
5. Turmeric
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What Causes Cutaneous Dysaesthesia
Generalised cutaneous dysaesthesia is associated with neurological diseases, including:
- Autoimmune disorders, such as acuteinflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and multiple sclerosis
- Peripheral neuropathies, which may be hereditary, metabolic, or induced by infection or toxin
- Thalamic infarcts
- Alcohol or drug withdrawal
- Endocrine diseases, most commonly diabetes.
Localised dysaesthesia often follows nervetrauma, impingement, or irritation. This can be intracranial , spinal, or peripheral.
- Trauma might be iatrogenic or spontaneous .
- Infections can also cause nerve injury including herpes zoster, herpes simplex, and leprosy .
- Dysaesthesia associated with syringomyelia may be due to impairment of supra-spinal pathways, disinhibition of sympathetic neurons, and aberrant spreading of nociceptive afferent nerves .
Other reported causative associations with cutaneous dysaesthesia are described below.
- Notalgia paraesthetica has been linked with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A caused by RET genemutations .
- Brachioradial pruritus can be exacerbated by sun exposure .
- Meralgia paraesthetica has been associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity .
- Substance P, a neuropeptide, is postulated to play a key role in trichodynia by promoting mast celldegranulation and neurogenicinflammation in the hairfollicle .
- Psychological stress and generalised anxiety disorder can aggravate symptoms or result in somatisation . See Psychosocial factors in dermatology.
What Is The Treatment For Paresthesia
Treatment depends on the cause of your paresthesia. It may be possible to treat your condition by eliminating the cause in some cases. For example, if you have a repetitive movement injury, a few lifestyle adjustments or physical therapy may solve the problem.
If your paresthesia is due to an underlying disease, getting treatment for that disease can potentially ease the symptoms of paresthesia.
Your individual circumstances will determine whether your symptoms will improve. Some types of nerve damage are irreversible.
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How Can I Stop Pins And Needles In My Feet And Hands
Well, theres good news and bad news. The bad news is that if these are chronic or severe symptoms, they are likely caused by nerve damage. This could be as a result of a traumatic injury or a condition that affects your nerves. The good news is that paresthesia is treatable, and multiple things may help!
If youre experiencing the symptoms of paresthesia, you have a few different options to consider. Depending on the root cause, you may want to remedy your diet, exercise your nerves, and seek treatments that could regenerate your nerves directly.
To start with, drinking heavily and maintaining a poor diet with vitamin deficiencies is believed to contribute to paresthesia. Remedying this by maintaining a healthy diet low in alcohol and high in vitamins and nutrients could help your symptoms improve, though it will likely not remove them entirely.
Your doctor may be able to recommend techniques that could help your symptoms improve. Depending on your symptoms and the nerves affected, you may be recommended to try stretches like nerve glides, which work by repeatedly activating your nerves. Often these are done in sets of one hundred and twenty on each side, but your specific recommendation may differ.
Does Getting Anesthesia In Your Mouth Hurt
Your dentist will next inject anesthesia into the region that has to be numbed. You’ll almost never feel the needle. Most people simply feel the sting of the drug flowing into their tissues.
Getting injected with anesthesia is usually not painful for patients. However, you may feel some side effects from it too. These include:
Feeling dizzy or sleepy – This is called sedation effect and occurs because the anesthesia is putting you into a relaxed state. It’s very useful in cases where there is no other way to see inside your mouth. Your dentist can use this method to avoid any pain during exams or treatment.
Having heartburn-like symptoms- Some people report feeling short of breath, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat after receiving anesthesia. This is known as the “anesthesia effect” and requires medical attention since it may be a sign of a more serious problem.
Having soreness at the injection site- With most techniques used by dentists today, there is a small chance that you could feel a sharp prick from the needle. If this happens, take care not to touch the area until the skin has healed over.
Having trouble sleeping- With general anesthetics, some people report having trouble falling asleep after the procedure.
About Article Author
Lori Travis
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Who Is At Risk For Paresthesia
Anyone can experience temporary paresthesia. Your risk of radiculopathy increases with age. You also may be more prone to it if you:
- perform repetitive movements that repeatedly compress your nerves, such as typing, playing an instrument, or playing a sport such as tennis
- drink heavily and eat a poor diet that leads to vitamin deficiencies, specifically vitamin B-12 and folate
- have type 1 or 2 diabetes
- have an autoimmune condition
Possible Causes Of Paresthesia Include The Following:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- TIA or transport ischemic attack
- Underactive thyroid
- Reynauds phenomenon
There are certainly other causes, and the medical community is always expanding its knowledge of causes and effects. Even a cat bite can cause paresthesia, as in this case. Thankfully, if you experience paresthesia, there are options for treatment.
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How Is Paresthesia Treated
Treatment will depend on what is causing your paresthesia. You may need to increase the amount of vitamin B in your blood. Your healthcare provider may change or stop a medicine you are taking that is causing your symptoms. Permanent paresthesia may be helped with nerve medicine. If you have diabetes, your healthcare provider or diabetes specialist can help you control your blood sugar levels. Your provider may recommend a splint or surgery if you have paresthesia caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.
What Kind Of People Are At Risk Of Developing Paresthesia Of Skin
Temporary paresthesia can be experienced by anybody. In case of chronic paresthesia, people suffering from type 1 and 2 diabetes, having an autoimmune disease, compromised immunity and any neurological disorder.
People playing any instrument or any sport such as tennis are also at high risk of developing paresthesia of skin. Continued nerve damage can lead to paralysis.
Other diseases that might be a cause of chronic paresthesia are fibromyalgia, migraine, neuropathy, menopause, dehydration, nerve irritation, atherosclerosis, heavy metal poisoning, etc.
Obese people are prone to develop paresthesia as extra weight puts pressure on the nerves. Weight gain due to pregnancy can also cause paresthesia.
Women are more likely to develop this disease than men. People who are on prolonged bed rest may also get paresthesia.
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What Are Less Common Causes Of Paresthesias
Several serious diseases cause paresthesias. In these cases, paresthesias often last longer and also cause weakness.
These less common but more serious causes of paresthesias include, but are not limited to:
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Difficulty breathing
If you have paresthesias with these characteristics, its best to get medical attention. A careful history, physical examination, and other diagnostic tests will likely shed some light on the cause of the paresthesias. Its best to get to the bottom of things as early as possible to prevent any nerve damage from worsening.
Nerve Injury Or Compression
Hitting your elbow on a hard surface and sitting on the toilet for too long are common examples of nerve injury and compression. If the injury isnt serious or the pressure on the blood vessels is short-lived, the nerves usually recover quickly. So the abnormal sensation that results typically goes away in seconds to minutes.
With some injuries, however, paresthesias can last longer. This usually indicates that a nerve is trapped or severely irritated. Two well-known issues related to trapped nerves are carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome. These often result from a person performing repetitive wrist or elbow motions.
Nerve damage near the spine can also cause paresthesias. Radiculopathy occurs due to pressure on one or more of the nerves as they exit the spine. Irritation from that pressure causes nerve-related pain, such as paresthesias.
Similarly, myelopathy occurs due to pressure on the spinal cord itself, causing paresthesias. This pressure can often result from trauma, a herniated disc, or narrowing around the spinal cord or the exiting nerves.
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What Is Pins And Needles
Pins and needles feels like pricking, tingling or numbness on the skin.
It happens when the blood supply to the nerves is cut off. This is usually when you sit or sleep on part of your body. It only lasts a few minutes.
You often get pins and needles in your:
It usually stops when the weight is taken off the body part and your blood supply returns to the nerves.
What Is The Outlook For People With Paresthesia
Temporary paresthesia usually resolves within a few minutes.
You may have a case of chronic paresthesia if those strange sensations dont go away or they come back far too often. It can complicate your daily life if the symptoms are severe. Thats why its so important to try to find the cause. Dont hesitate to seek a second opinion or see a specialist if necessary.
The severity of chronic paresthesia and how long it will last largely depends on the cause. In some cases, treating the underlying condition solves the problem.
Be sure to tell your doctor if your treatment isnt working so they can adjust your treatment plan.
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Can Paresthesia Be Prevented
Paresthesia of skin cannot be prevented and avoided. There are some tips that can reduce the severity of paresthesia.
These are as follows:
Paresthesia of skin is a curable disease that results due to many other diseases. It is characterized by pin and needle sensation in the limbs that can go off in few minutes if it is a temporary paresthesia while becomes painful and severe in case of chronic paresthesia.
It is always advisable to consult a doctor for chronic paresthesia.