Why do body parts go numb

But in some cases, paresthesia may last a long time. In these cases, you may need to see a healthcare provider to figure out the cause of your symptoms. Rest assured, most cases of pins and needles or your foot falling asleep are simply caused by assuming an unnatural position and are quickly resolved by moving around a bit. Most cases of paresthesia can be prevented by sitting with proper posture while watching TV or reading.

Other causes can include:. If you consistently feel symptoms of paresthesia, you should seek medical attention from your healthcare provider. In general, if your numbness and tingling symptoms come on while you are sitting in an awkward position, then they should go away within a few minutes of moving around.

After a half-hour or so, you should be back to your normal self. If your foot or arm remains tingling or difficult to move after an hour, it may be time to check in with your healthcare provider.

If the cause of your paresthesia is due to an acute central nervous system condition, like a stroke, then time is of the essence. Getting the right diagnosis and medical care immediately is necessary. If you have paresthesia that comes on gradually, and if you have a medical condition like diabetes, you may not be too concerned when your pins and needles or numbness worsens. It may just be due to high blood sugar. But, a worsening case of paresthesia should still be monitored by your healthcare provider.

Peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes usually starts with a feeling of paresthesia in your foot or feet and it needs to be managed appropriately by your healthcare provider.

Anytime you feel pins and needles or numbness in your arm or leg, this is paresthesia. Most of the time you know exactly what to do to take care of the problem: shake your arm or leg a bit, get in a better position, and wait a few minutes. This self-care treatment that we have all learned over time most often helps take pressure off your irritated nerve and quickly gets you feeling back to normal again. This is most often effective when your leg or arm falls asleep while you are sitting in an awkward position.

Change your position, wait a bit, and your paresthesia symptoms should subside. If your symptoms of paresthesia are long-lasting, you may need to visit your healthcare provider to get an accurate diagnosis of the condition that is causing your abnormal leg or arm sensations. He or she can work with you to understand your problem and perform the right diagnostic studies to determine the cause of your condition.

Common diagnostic procedures for paresthesia may include:. The tests your healthcare provider chooses to perform to diagnose paresthesia depends on your clinical presentation. A careful examination by your healthcare provider will lead him or her to investigate different avenues as to the cause of your paresthesia.

For example, if your paresthesia is accompanied by back or neck pain and you have altered spinal motion, your healthcare provider may suspect compression of a spinal nerve as the cause of your problem. If you have a history of diabetes that is poorly controlled, your healthcare provider may suspect peripheral neuropathy as the culprit.

The test results your healthcare provider obtains can give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and can lead you to the right treatment. For persistent paresthesia, when your symptoms don't subside with shaking out your body, correct treatment depends on what is causing your abnormal sensations of pins and needles or numbness.

If your symptoms are caused by a central nervous condition like MS or a stroke, you need to work closely with your healthcare provider to get the right treatment. Medicine may help your symptoms and your healthcare provider can give you an understanding of how your symptoms should change over time. Physical therapy may help improve your overall functional mobility. If your paresthesia is caused by compression of a spinal nerve, as in a condition like sciatica , you may benefit from a course of physical therapy to help get pressure off of your nerve.

Your physical therapist may prescribe spinal exercises to perform that can relieve compression of your nerve and restore normal sensations and motion to your arm or leg. If weakness is present, your PT may prescribe strengthening exercises to restore normal mobility. If a herniated disc is causing the abnormal sensations in your arm or leg, and if you have failed to improve with conservative measures like PT, you may benefit from surgery to help decrease pressure on your nerve or nerves.

Because limb numbness can be due to many factors, doctors often use a comprehensive workup to determine its cause. This includes:. A doctor will ask about previous health conditions as well as when the numbness started.

A doctor will examine you and test for neurological function. This includes testing your reflexes, muscle strength, and sensory functions. A doctor may test to see if you can feel various sensations, such as a pinprick or light touch on both sides of the body.

Of special interest is where and to what extent someone is experiencing numbness of limbs. For example, numbness on both sides of the body can indicate a brain lesion. Numbness in only part of a limb can indicate peripheral nerve damage.

Further imaging and blood tests may be needed to make a diagnosis. Blood tests a doctor may order include:. People with numbness in their feet may also require gait training. This physical therapy rehab method will help them practice walking with numbness. Those who experience numbness in the fingers and hands should also take precautions to prevent burns. This includes avoiding fires, hot water, and other sources of heat.

Numbness can affect your ability to sense hot items. Learn about numbness in your lower leg. Numbness in the thigh can cause you to lose sensation or to feel burning or tingling in the area. People with diabetes may experience diabetic neuropathy , a type of nerve damage.

It can occur over time as the metabolic effects of diabetes in the bloodstream damage nerves. One-third to one-half of people with diabetes have peripheral neuropathy , a form that typically causes numbness and pain in the feet and legs, or less commonly, in the hands and arm. Vitamin B12 deficiency , or pernicious anemia , can cause nerve damage due to low red blood cell levels and reduced oxygen circulation.

This can cause peripheral neuropathy. A range of medications can also cause peripheral neuropathy, such as:. Calcium is vital to proper nerve function and blood flow.

Hypocalcemia , or calcium deficiency, can cause numbness and tingling in the fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and fingers.

It occurs when the median nerve, a major nerve in the arm, becomes compressed in the space where it travels through the wrist. Panic attacks , or sudden overwhelming periods of fear and anxiety without real danger, can cause a range of symptoms, including numbness or tingling in the hands.

Toothaches and infections can compress facial nerves, causing numbness in the face and mouth. They may then order laboratory tests, such as blood tests, to confirm or rule out potential causes. In some cases, a doctor may request further testing, such as MRIs or other imaging tests.

Electromyography and nerve conduction studies can help assess the extent and type of nerve damage, especially when neuropathy causes the tingling. Niacin , a B complex vitamin , may help reduce inflammation and related numbness.

In cases of severe or painful numbness, treatment may involve a short round of corticosteroids, which also quickens recovery by reducing inflammation. Several medications designed to treat different conditions may also help reduce numbness and tingling associated with MS, such as:. Several different treatment plans may help reduce or manage numbness and tingling not related to MS, such as:. However, several lifestyle habits may help prevent or reduce numbness and tingling associated with MS, such as:.

See a doctor if numbness or tingling is persistent or occurs without an obvious cause, or if they accompany any of the following symptoms :. People who experience certain symptoms with numbness and tingling may need emergency medical attention.