Certain diseases such as diabetes, or toxins such as chemotherapy drugs or alcohol, can damage the longer, more-sensitive nerve fibers such as those going to your feet and cause numbness. Numbness commonly affects nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, usually causing a lack of sensation in the arms, legs, hands and feet. Numbness alone, or numbness associated with pain or other unpleasant sensations, isn't usually due to life-threatening disorders such as strokes or tumors.
Your doctor will need detailed information about your symptoms to diagnose the cause of your numbness. A variety of tests may be needed to confirm the cause before appropriate treatment can begin.
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Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Numbness in the thighs, buttocks, genitals, and the area between them saddle area and loss of bladder and bowel control incontinence.
People who have warning signs should go to a hospital immediately. People without warning signs should call their doctor. The doctor can decide how rapidly they need to be seen based on their symptoms. Doctors begin by asking which body parts are affected. The pattern of body parts affected by numbness often indicates which part of the nerve pathway is malfunctioning:. Both sides of the body below a specific level of the body: Spinal cord malfunction, as occurs in transverse myelitis Acute Transverse Myelitis Acute transverse myelitis is inflammation that affects the spinal cord across its entire width transversely and thus blocks transmission of nerve impulses traveling up or down the spinal cord Both sides, mainly in the hands and feet: Simultaneous malfunction of many peripheral nerves throughout the body a polyneuropathy Polyneuropathy Polyneuropathy is the simultaneous malfunction of many peripheral nerves throughout the body.
Infections, toxins, drugs, cancers, nutritional deficiencies, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and Then doctors ask about the person's other symptoms and medical history Medical History in Neurologic Disorders Before doing a physical examination, doctors interview the person. Doctors ask the person to describe current symptoms, including those related to the nervous system neurologic symptoms : What Doctors also do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination often suggests a cause and the tests that may need to be done see table Some Causes and Features of Numbness Some Causes and Features of Numbness Numbness refers to the partial or complete loss of sensation.
Whether the person also has other symptoms such as abnormal sensations, weakness or paralysis, loss of bowel or bladder control, retention of urine, vision problems, difficulty swallowing, or deterioration of mental function. Whether any event, such as pressure on a limb, an injury, sleeping in an awkward position, or an infection, triggered the symptoms.
Knowing how quickly numbness and other symptoms began helps doctors determine the type of disorder. The person is asked about symptoms that may suggest a cause. Doctors also ask whether the person has had a disorder that can cause numbness, particularly diabetes, chronic kidney disease, infections such as HIV infection or Lyme disease , a stroke, or arthritis.
Doctors may ask whether any family members have had similar symptoms or have a hereditary disorder that affects the nervous system. They ask the person about use of drugs, including recreational drugs, and about possible exposure to toxins. The physical examination includes a complete evaluation of the nervous system neurologic examination Neurologic Examination When a neurologic disorder is suspected, doctors usually evaluate all of the body systems during the physical examination, but they focus on the nervous system.
Examination of the nervous system—the Testing is not needed if the diagnosis is obvious and treatment involves only general measures such as rest or a splint —for example, in some cases of carpal tunnel syndrome.
For sensory nerves, plexuses, or spinal nerve roots: Nerve conduction studies and electromyography. For plexuses: Nerve conduction studies and electromyography and sometimes magnetic resonance imaging MRI after a contrast agent is injected into a vein. Nerve conduction studies and electromyography Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Studies Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination.
Electroencephalography EEG is a simple, painless procedure in which Nerve conduction studies use electrodes or small needles to stimulate a nerve. Then doctors measure how fast the nerve transmits signals. For electromyography, a small needle is inserted into a muscle to record its electrical activity when the muscle is at rest and when it is contracting. Other tests are then done to identify the specific disorder.
For example, if results suggest a polyneuropathy, doctors do blood tests to check for its various causes such as diabetes, kidney disorders, or vitamin deficiencies. General measures can help relieve symptoms and prevent additional problems. The numbness and tingling symptoms of MS are rarely disabling or permanent.
But severe numbness can make it difficult for a person to use the numb body part, which may interfere with everyday activities. For example, numb hands can make holding things, typing, or self-care hard or impossible.
If someone has numb feet or legs, walking and driving can be dangerous. People with numbness and tingling in their face may also mistakenly bite their tongue or inner mouth. Severe numbness can make it hard to tell when things are very hot or cold, increasing the risk of burns and frostbite.
Other conditions affecting the central nervous system that can cause numbness and tingling include:. Some other conditions that target specific parts of the body can cause numbness and tingling. Body parts include:. 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.
Definition Causes When to see a doctor. Products and services. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again.
Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Numbness. Merck Manual Professional Version. Accessed April 16, Stroke: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Signs and symptoms of adult brain and spinal cord tumors. American Cancer Society. De Keyser F. Ganglion cysts of the wrist and hand.
Accessed April 20, Raynaud's disease. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
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