Paresthesia

Paresthesia

Paresthesia is a condition in which the affected individual may experience tingling, numbness, burning, prickling, or itching. These sensations may be felt in the fingers, hands, toes, or feet. A number of neurological and orthopedic conditions can result in Paresthesia. Available treatments may be based upon the root cause of this condition.

What Is Paresthesia ??
It is not uncommon for many people to experience a prickling or burning sensation from time to time. This sensation usually occurs without any warning and does not include any pain.

Temporary Paresthesia
Sometimes the sensation often described as 'pins and needles' is quite common and temporary. You might experience this feeling if you fall asleep with your arm in a certain position or if you sit for a long period of time with your legs crossed. This sensation is the result of prolonged pressured on a nerve. Once the pressure is relieved, the feeling typically goes away.

Chronic Paresthesia
Some individuals may experience chronic paresthesia. This is usually a symptom of severe underlying conditions. Disorders in which the central nervous system is affected, including Strokes and Multiple Sclerosis, can result in chronic paresthesia. These chronic sensations can also be the result of pressure forming against the spinal cord or brain due to a Tumor. When paresthesia is accompanied by pain, it may be the result of a condition in which the nerves become entrapped, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In order to determine the root cause of paresthesia, a diagnostic evaluation is necessary. During the evaluation, the physician will perform an exam and take the patient's medical history. Lab tests may also be necessary.

Here is a video to introduce paresthesia

What Are the Symptoms of Paresthesia?


Paresthesia may affect different people in different ways. Some people have described it as numbness or tingling while others explain it as an itching or burning sensation. Depending upon the affected area of the body, these sensations may also include other symptoms as well as pain. It is important to report related to symptoms to your physician as this can assist with making a proper diagnosis. Other symptoms that may be associated with paresthesia include the need to urinate frequently, anxiety, rashes, muscle spasms, or a sensitivity to touch. You may also experience a greater degree of paresthesia while performing certain tasks or walking.

Complications
Complications and even permanent damage can arise if paresthesia is not treated. If you experience any type of abnormal sensations, it is important to consult your healthcare professional. Upon diagnosis of the underlying condition, your doctor can provide you with a customized treatment plan to help prevent possible complications that might include disability, Chronic Pain, difficulty breathing on your own, and paralysis.

When to See a Doctor
A life-threatening condition may arise in some situations. If so, it is imperative that you receive immediate medical attention. Symptoms that might indicate the presence of a life-threatening condition include difficulty walking, loss of consciousness, confusion, loss of bladder control, dizziness, problems walking, slurred speech, and loss of strength. You should also call 911 if you or someone you know experiences paresthesia after sustaining a neck, back, or head injury.

What Causes Paresthesia?
Nerve damage or compression is the most common cause of paresthesia. Several disorders and diseases can result in nerve injury, thus causing symptoms related to paresthesia. Any activity that results in prolonged pressure to the nerves can result in temporary paresthesia. Orthopedic and neurological conditions can also cause paresthesia.

Orthopedic Causes
Moderate to severe orthopedic conditions can result in damage or injury to the nerves and symptoms associated with paresthesia. Some conditions might include bone fractures, neck or back injuries, Osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated disk, or degenerative disk damage. A too-tight cast can also cause paresthesia.

Neurological Causes
Paresthesia may also be the result of several neurological diseases and disorders, such as brain tumors, Alcoholism, diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, Encephalitis, stroke, mini-strokes, or transverse Myelitis. A Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of paresthesia.

How Is Paresthesia Treated?
Paresthesia treatment is often based upon the ability to obtain an accurate diagnosis regarding the underlying condition. Temporary paresthesia can often be resolved by massaging the affected area to restore circulation. When paresthesia is caused by a chronic disease or condition, the goal of treatment is often aimed at relieving the relevant symptoms. For mild symptoms, taking medications such as ibuprofen may be sufficient.

In some instances, low doses of Antidepressant Medications may be required in order to alter pain perception. Alternative treatments are available, including nutritional therapy, which may be helpful in cases where the cause is related to a vitamin deficiency. Massage therapy and acupuncture have also proven helpful for some people in relieving paresthesia symptoms. Wearing loose-fitting clothing and shoes can also help to relieve symptoms.

Paresthesia

Paresthesia






Paresthesia is sudden change in sensation in the affected area. The changes will be only temporary and does not cause any long-term changes in the body. The feeling of pain or change is experienced by the person who has neurological problem. For instance the person may feel sudden pain or tingling sensation in the waist which is short-lived.

Paresthesia is of two type namely chronic and acute paresthesia. Some people will experience a feeling of chillness or numbness on the affected region only for an instant and later they will not feel anything abnormal. Transient paresthesia is one that occurs due to external causes like wearing tight clothes, for instance opening of mouth suddenly when witnessing a traumatic event. It occurs often in the legs and hands and sometimes on mouth. Chronic paresthesia is due to the error in the signals of neuron. It is something like swelling or inflammation or a condition. It may range from very small pinching sensation to tumor in the brain.

Paresthesia is caused due to medical condition, due to accidents or sometimes due to medical procedure. When a person observes sudden numbness or change in sensation he should consult a neurologist to monitor the changes. When the blood supply gets disrupted due to plague formation (Peripheral Vascular Disease) it can damage the neurons. In some cases, paresthesia occurs due to deficiency of vitamins and nutrients.

Treatment for paresthesia is available in the form of medicines and therapy. The doctor will diagnose the health condition of the patient and prescribe corticosteroid drugs like predinisone, or start intravenous globulin injection to boost the immunity. Use of topical ointments can alleviate the symptoms temporarily. The simple home-remedy for paresthesia is just shaking the head gently from one side to other which will remove the block in nerve signals.

Pictures of Paresthesia :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Paresthesia

Paresthesia – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Definition

Paresthesia – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Definition

What is Parethesia?

This is a sensation which is normally felt on the skin. It is felt or described as tingling, numbness, needles and pins, or pricking. It is at times also known or referred to as having the body part, arm or leg “fall asleep”.

Paresthesia may be classified as either chronic or transient. Transient paresthesia is normally a symptom of a panic attack or hyperventilation syndrome. Chronic paresthesia may result from circulation which is bad, irritation of a nerve, neuropathy, or many other causes and conditions. There is no known long term substantial consequence from paresthesia – although the underlying situations can have an assortment of results.

Paresthesia Symptoms

Paresthesia is a prickling or burning sensation which is normally felt in the feet, legs, arms or hands but may as well occur in other parts of the body. This sensation which happens without any warning is normally painless and is usually described as tingling or numbness, itching or skin crawling. Nerves which are sensory supply or innervate different regions of the body.

Determining the symptoms of allocation is a vital method to id the nerves which are involved. As an example, the median nerve innervates the thumb, half of the ring finger, the first 2 fingers as well as the portion of the hand to which they are connected to. The ulnar nerve innervates the other half of the right finger, the little finger and the remainder of the hand.

The distribution of symptoms can also help with the diagnosis of underlying disease. Diabetes usually causes a symmetrical “stocking and glove” distribution in the feet and the hands. Multiple Sclerosis can cause symptoms in many, widely separated areas.

Other symptoms can also accompany paresthesias depending on the type as well as the severity of the disturbance of the nerve. For instance, weakness can accompany any damage to nerves which carry both motor and sensory neurons. Motor neurons are the neurons which carry messages outward from the brain.

Paresthesia Causes

When an individual experiences paresthesia regularly, it could be the indication of a more substantial problem of the body. Frequent cases of paresthesia can be symptoms that the neurons in the brain are not functioning properly as well as not properly relaying signals to the brain. For example, sciatica can cause burning pains in the leg, a pins and needles feeling, numbness, or shooting pain thru out the leg. A friendly paw from a household pet, for instance, can cause excruciating pain because the nerve lesions confuse the signal which said “the cat is batting my leg” and translates it into the sensation of pain or discomfort.

In other cases, the neural problems can be related to diabetes, malnutrition, thyroid problems or other underlying medical problems.
The following is a list of underlying conditions or causes that could probably be the cause of paresthesia – they include:

You're reading Paresthesia – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Definition posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

• Entrapment of nerve


• Traumatic nerve damage


• Compression of nerve


• Peripheral neuropathy


• Transient ischemic attack


• Stroke


• Transverse myelitis


• Multiple sclerosis


• Encephalite


• CNS tumor


• Brain tumor


• Encephalitis


• Arteriovenous malformation – pressing against CNS and brain


• Diabetic neuropathy


• Diabetes


• Vitamin B12 deficiencies


• Hypothyroidism


• Alcoholism


• Heavy metal poisoning


• Arsenic poisoning


• Lead poisoning


• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome


• Nerve entrapment syndromes


• Rheumatoid Arthritis


• Systemic lupus eruthematosus

Paresthesia Treatment

The plans for treatment of paresthesia are very personalized depending on the reason, the age of the individual, the presence of co-existing diseases, as well as further factors. Treatment normally entails a comprehensive plan which focuses on the underlying or the related cause and assists to lessen the atypical sensations of paresthesia so that the patient can lead a normal, active life.

In ordinary cases of the temporary feeling of “pins and needles”, the sensation can usually be relieved by vigorous movement of the affected limb. Normally, as soon as the pressure on the nerve is relieved, the problem will start to go away on its own.

Another instance of nerve compression can be one which is due to crossed legs, and can most of time be treated with very simple measure, for example uncrossing the legs. Paresthesia due to anxiety attack or hyperventilation resolves by itself after the eposide is over. Paresthesia caused by a cast which is too tight is treated by cutting as well as opening the cast so as to ease the pressure on the nerves.

Other causes of paresthesia which are more serious, for example diabetes need treatment that is more intense. This can involve regular monitoring, medications, physical therapy, surgical procedures, orthopedic devices, dietary changes, lifestyle changes as well as hospitalization.

Additionally to problems with neuron function, some chronic cases of paresthesia can also be listed to damage to the nerves themselves. Some causes of nerve damage are Lyme Disease or multiple sclerosis; a brain tumor can also have comparable effects. For those individuals who are having the “pins and needles” sensation frequently, it is extremely important to see your primary care physician who will test for any serious problems that might cause paresthesia.

Treatment for a number of causes of paresthesia can include management of the neck by a physician, physical therapist or chiropractor.

Additional to treating the underlying reasons of paresthesia, drugs can be utilized to reduce the uneasiness of paresthesia. These can consist of corticosteroids, for instance prednisone. In many cases topical creams used for numbing, such as Lidocaine cream, can be used.

Paresthesia – Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Paresthesia – Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment






Paresthesia can be defined as strange skin sensation that causes tingling or pricking sensation. It is also called as “pins and needles” in colloquial terms or falling asleep of the limbs for few minutes. It is a painless feeling and this abnormal sensation is felt in the hands, feet or legs and arms. The term Paresthesia originates from the Greek in which “para” means abnormal indicating abnormal sensation. For some people this feeling is described as burning, pricking or tingling sensation and for others it is felt as numbness.

Paresthesia occurs suddenly without any warning and often it is short-term. Paresthesia is caused due to several reasons including neurological and orthopedic problems and for some people it is caused when excess of pressure is applied on the nerve. This phenomenon can be acute (short-term) for many people and it can be chronic (long-term) for some people. This type of strange feeling is actually a symptom of underlying medical condition. Treatments can be given based on the root cause of paresthesia.

Types :

Paresthesia is of two types namely temporary or acute and chronic or long term.

• Acute Paresthesia – As the name indicates the feeling of ‘pins and needles’ are short-lived and temporary. A person who has fallen asleep on his arm would experience the feeling of numbness or prickling for few minutes. This can be caused due to exerted pressure on the arm by the skull. This feeling would disappear once the pressure is relieved.


• Chronic Paresthesia – In this case abnormal sensation is felt frequently and this occurs due to medical conditions like neurological or orthopedic problem. Severe disorders like Multiple Sclerosis, Strokes or any serious problem in the central nervous system can induce tingling feeling in the arms and hands. Growing tumor in the brain or spinal cord can exert pressure on the surrounding regions causing this strange feeling. In some cases underlying nerves get entrapped like in the case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Causes of Paresthesia :

Paresthesia (tingling sensation) can be caused by mild factors like built-up pressure to more serious causes like multiple sclerosis or brain tumor. Wide range of potential causes of Paresthesia include orthopedic factors like degenerative disk disease, herniated disk, Osteoporosis, bone fractures and entrapment of nerves. Neurological causes of Paresthesia include formation of tumor (in the brain or spine), encephalitis, neuritis, infectious diseases like Lyme Disease or frostbite, nerve damage caused by prolonged pressure, autoimmune disorders like Lupus or multiple sclerosis, strokes like transient ischemic attack and peripheral neuropathy and heavy metal poisoning like lead/mercury and migraine.

Paresthesia can be caused by drug-related problems like intake of Beta-blockers, benzodiazepine withdrawal, certain types of anticonvulsant drugs and withdrawal of medications belonging to SSRI group. The symptoms of tingling and numbness can also be caused by cardiovascular problems like poor circulation, atherosclerosis, and Peripheral Vascular Diseases. In some cases, certain types of metabolic disorders like dehydration, hyperkalemia, diabetes, Hypothyroidism and high levels of magnesium in blood can cause this problem. For some patients, anesthesia can be a cause of paresthesia. Contaminated sterile solutions, damage of nerve sheath fiber due to anesthesia can cause the effect of Paresthesia. Sometimes, Paresthesia can be indicative of underlying medical disorders like muscular atrophy, numbness, Restless Leg Syndrome, dysarthria and crawling feeling on the skin.

Symptoms Of Paresthesia :

Well defined symptoms of Paresthesia include tingling sensation, numbness, pricking or burning feeling. Some people would have these abnormal sensations with pain also. Often these symptoms target the extremities of the body like fingers/toes and hands/legs. There are people who report about itching sensation with burning pain due to this problem. In rare cases Paresthesia can be accompanied with serious signs like loss of consciousness, dizziness, changes in visual perception, shortness of breath, slurred speech and difficulty in walking. In that case the person should be treated on emergency basis to prevent fatal issues.

When To Check With Your GP :

If you have occasional symptoms of Paresthesia while falling asleep on your arm you can ignore it. But if the symptoms of numbness and tingling sensation occur repeatedly with or without other symptoms you need to consult your doctor. Patients with previous medical problems like diabetes and neurological issues should give top priority to these symptoms.

Diagnosis :

Your doctor will collect complete medical history before attempting to diagnose Paresthesia. He/she would check whether it is accompanied with other symptoms. He may order for test based on your symptoms. Nerve conductivity test would be administered if the doctor suspects any neurological problem or nerve damage. Other laboratory test would be ordered for checking the rate of metabolism of the person.

Treatment of Paresthesia :

Method of treatment depends on underlying medical condition. Firstly the doctor would make sure of the underlying reason for Paresthesia. Stretching exercises and gentle massaging of the affected limb can improve the symptoms and give relief from temporary numbness. Pain-killers like Ibuprofen is recommended for quick relief from mild pain. Chronic form of Paresthesia can be treated with mild antidepressant drugs. Usually the doctor would start with mild dosage and observe the progress of the symptoms and gradually increase the dose depending on the situation. Drugs like amitriptyline would reduce the signals of pain perception in the brain thereby providing relief of the above symptoms.

In case the doctor suspects deficiency of nutrients like vitamins he may prescribe supplementary vitamins like vitamin B12 in the form of injection or pills. Alternative treatments are available for Paresthesia in the form of acupuncture. Massage with aromatic oils can also give relief from the symptoms. For people who get symptoms of Paresthesia due to cardiovascular problems Blood Pressure and cholesterol level would be stabilized by giving suitable medications.

For those who are long-term diabetic blood sugar levels should be regularly monitored to prevent diabetic neuropathy. Patients who are immune-compromised would be given prednisone or suitable corticosteroids and in some cases intravenous gamma globulin is given. Topical creams like Lidocaine or Prilocaine can help in relieving the signs of temporary tingling and numbness. In very rare cases, surgical interventions is necessary to relieve the pressure from the underlying nerve.

Useful Tips :

The affected person should wear loose fitting clothes and shoes to reduce the intensity of symptoms. He/she should take a healthy diet and do regular exercise to reduce stress.

Outlook :

Often, Paresthesia symptoms can improve if the underlying cause is diagnosed and treated. It might take enough time if the case is chronic and due to severe underlying medical conditions like tumor or multiple sclerosis.