Rs Neurology

Numbness refers to a loss of sensation in a part of your body. It can also refer to a reduced or altered sensation in the body. Oftentimes, it can be combined with other feelings and sensations like pins & needles, tingling, or burning. While numbness can appear on a single nerve on one side of the body, it can also appear symmetrically on both sides of the body.

Of course, many of us have experienced the feeling of pins & needles and temporary numbness when we sit in one position for too long. However, if feelings of numbness begin to be severe and disabling it might be caused by more serious and long-term neurological conditions or nerve damage.

Below are some conditions that might be the cause of serious, long-term numbness:

Cervical Radiculopathy is a damage or change in the way a nerve in the cervical spine works. Due to this damage and alteration of the nerve, feelings of numbness and tingling sensations in the arms and legs might persist.

Strokes or TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) is when there is a blockage of the flow of blood to the brain. Numbness that is felt on one side of the face or body and in the arms and legs are early symptoms of strokes and TIA.

Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition or disease that occurs when the nerves between the brain and spinal cord are damaged. Damage to peripheral nerves can interrupt the communication between certain parts of the body and brain. It often causes numbness, pain, and weakness in parts of the body especially the hands and feet.

Tumours in the brain or the spine can put pressure on the nerves in the brain or the spine causing feelings of numbness and the loss of sensations in certain areas. The location of the tumor tends to determine where the sense of touch would be altered.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the brain and the spinal cord. Overtime, the disease affects nerves, causing nerve damage and deterioration. Numbness is the most common symptom of MS. People with MS may experience mild to severe numbness in various places including the arms and legs, hands and feet, face, and whole body.