Almost everyone has experienced numbness in certain body parts. You may feel uncomfortable with the sensation which is often accompanied by pins and needles, pins and needles or pins and needles.
Some of the causes of this condition are actually harmless. And numbness due to innocuous causes is usually only temporary. However, there are several causes of numbness that need to be watched out, such as tumors and strokes, because it is potentially fatal if not treated immediately.
Causes of Numbness
In general, numbness is caused by damage to several parts of the nerve or a single nerve branch that is usually located at the nerve endings of the body. Numbness can also occur if the nerve is irritated or depressed.
Harmless numbness is caused by an emphasis on a part of the body for a certain period of time. Like when sitting with legs crossed which can cause numbness of the feet, sleep with your head held in your hands, or remain in one position for a long time.
Numbness can also be caused by health problems, such as:
- Diabetes.
- Vitamin B deficiency
- Chronic alcohol abuse.
- Spinal problems, such as hernia nucleus pulposus (spinal cord squeezed) and spinal cord injury.
- Neurological diseases, such as myelitis and encephalitis.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes the hands and fingers to numb, tingling, and pain.
- Shingles.
- Brain damage, for example in stroke, epilepsy, TIA (transient ischemic attack), and brain aneurysm.
- Tumors that press on the brain or nerves.
- Exposed to temperatures that are too cold (Frostbite).
- Leprosy
- Syphilis.
- Side effects of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Specific chemical poisoning, such as heavy metals.
- Organ damage, such as kidney failure or failure
- Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that has the potential to paralyze the brain and spinal cord.
- Lyme disease, which is a disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and spread by the bite of lice infected with the bacteria.
- Vasculitis, which is inflammation of the blood vessels.
Treating your health condition is a way to overcome numbness. For example if you have diabetes, your doctor will recommend you to maintain food intake so that blood sugar levels are maintained, and provide medicines for diabetes.
When should you see a doctor?
You are advised to visit the hospital immediately when the numbness that you experience is accompanied by:
- Confused
- Difficult to talk.
- Involves all arms and legs.
- Dizzy
- Muscle spasms.
- A sudden, severe headache.
- Can not control the movement of the arm or leg, and difficult to resist urination and defecation.
- Paralysis or unable to move
- Loss of consciousness.
- Numbness occurs suddenly without apparent cause.
- Numbness arises after suffering a head injury or spinal cord injury.
- Numbness in the legs worsens when you walk.
If there are complaints of numbness accompanied by some of the symptoms above, you need to immediately consult a doctor to undergo further tests. The doctor will do a physical examination to determine the cause of numbness. In addition, your doctor may also recommend a CT scan or MRI if you have had a head injury, a brain tumor is suspected, or a stroke is suspected. Other investigations that may also be needed to determine the cause of numbness, namely blood tests, brain fluid analysis, and examination of nerve electrical conduction.
Although numbness is often not caused by a serious illness, you should be aware of this complaint if numbness often recurs, if you have certain medical history such as diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease, also if numbness arises after taking medication or undergo certain medical procedures.
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