BANGALORE: If you have an abnormal sensation of the skin, such as numbness, tingling, pricking, burning, or creeping on the skin that has no objective cause, in all probability you have paresthesia.
Known causes
There are many different causes for paresthesia, like nerve damage, nerve entrapment, nerve compression, or damage to blood supply for a nerve. The list of possible underlying conditions paresthesia includes traumatic nerve damage, nerve entrapment, nerve compression, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Diabetes, vitamin B12 deficiencies, alcoholism, heavy metal/lead/arsenic poisoning, tumours and encephalitis can also lead to the disease.
In older individuals, it is often the result of poor circulation in the limbs.
Nerves below the head may be compressed where chronic neck and spine problems exist and can be caused by, amongst other things, muscle cramps which may be a result of clinical anxiety or excessive mental stress, bone disease, bad posture, unsafe heavy lifting practices or physical trauma.
Identify it
Paresthesias of the hands and feet are common, with transient symptoms of the related conditions of hyperventilation syndrome, often open mouth, and panic attacks. Other common examples occur when sustained pressure has been applied over a nerve — inhibiting/ stimulating its function. Removing the pressure will typically result in gradual relief of these paresthesias, often described as a ‘pins and needles’ feeling.
There are abnormal sensations - similar to ‘pins and needles’, normally hands, arms, legs, or feet, burning sensation or a prickling sensation.
Treatment
Treatment of paresthesias depends on the underlying cause. For limbs that have ‘fallen asleep’, restoring circulation by stretching, exercising, or massaging the affected limb can quickly dissipate the numbness and tingling. If the paresthesia is caused by a chronic disease or occurs as a complication of treatments such as chemotherapy, most treatments are aimed at relieving symptoms.
Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen are recommended if symptoms are mild.
In more difficult cases, antidepressant drugs are given at a much lower dosage. Nutritional therapy includes supplementation with B complex vitamins, especially vitamin B 12 (intramuscular injection of vitamin B12 is most effective). But overdose of Vitamin B6 is one of the causes of paresthesias.
People experiencing paresthesia should also avoid alcohol.