Numbness

What causes numbness?

Numbness is the partial or complete loss of feeling or sensation. Complete numbness is dangerous because you won’t feel pain or temperature. Numbness may also affect your body’s ability to sense its position, which can lead to dizziness and balance problems.

While numbness may occur in any area of your body, it most often affects your arms, hands, fingers, legs, or feet. The most important thing to know about numbness is it’s a warning sign that nerves are damaged.

A few issues that cause numbness by damaging nerves include:

• Stroke
• Toxins
• Injury due to trauma
• Decreased blood supply
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Compressed nerves
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Viral and bacterial infections
• Chronic diseases

Numerous chronic diseases contribute to nerve damage or neuropathy, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, migraines, and multiple sclerosis.

What other symptoms occur with numbness?

Numbness develops from a nerve problem, and nerve damage causes other symptoms. As long as your numbness is partial, you may feel tingling along with partial numbness. Nerve damage also causes burning, aching, or sharp pain. Numbness, tingling, and pain can all develop along the full length of the damaged nerve.

Red flags for potentially serious problems that need quick medical attention include:

• Sudden onset of numbness
• Sudden or rapid onset of muscle weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Numbness on your face and body
• Numbness in the saddle area
• Numbness or stabbing pain in both legs

If you develop any of these symptoms, call South Valley Neurology immediately or seek medical treatment from your local urgent care center or emergency department.

How is numbness treated?

After reviewing your symptoms and completing a comprehensive physical and neurological exam, your South Valley Neurology provider may do blood work and perform a variety of diagnostic tests. For example, you may need nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG) or an MRI.

Since treatment for numbness focuses on the cause of the nerve problem, which includes a wide array of conditions, your doctor at South Valley Neurology uses one of many possible treatments. 

The complexity of generic symptoms like numbness and their underlying nerve damage makes it essential for your care to come from an experienced neurologist.

If you develop ongoing numbness and tingling, call South Valley Neurology to request an appointment today.