Numbness and Tingling
Numbness and tingling are not normal symptoms to be experiencing. Quite often when someone experiences these sensations they are felt in the fingers, hands, feet, arms or legs.
There are many causes that may lead to the sensation of numbness and tingling below are just a few:
- Sitting or standing in the same position for a long period of time
- Pressure to a nerve from a herniated or bulging disc
- Lack of blood supply to a given area – an example of this can be atherosclerosis, which is a build up of plaque from cholesterol. The person may experience pain, numbness and tingling in the legs.
- Pressure to peripheral nerves from enlarged blood vessels, tumors, scar tissue or infection
- Lack of vitamins such as B12
- Shingles
- Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium or sodium in the body
Some other conditions that may cause the sensation of numbness and tingling are:
- Migraines
- Diabetes
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Stroke
- Seizures
- Multiple sclerosis
Some of the causes of numbness or tingling in the arms and hands may be a result of a cervical spine nerve or a portion of it being irritated. This irritation can be a result of a cervical subluxation. A subluxation is a misalignment of two or more vertebral bones. The nerves that exit from the cervical vertebrae may be compromised causing the numbness and tingling sensations.
The numbness or tingling that occurs in the legs and feet may be caused by the same mechanism found in the arms and hands. A protrusion of the intervertebral disc or herniated intervertebral disc can place pressure on nerve producing numbness down the leg. The feet may be affected depending on what level the disc is being irritated.
When and if you are experiencing the symptoms of numbness and tingling it needs to be attended with great concern. The neurological system is the most sensitive structure in the body and early warnings are best heeded sooner rather than later. If you are healthy and wake up with tingling in your arms or legs, it is important not to ignore the symptoms. If you experience pain in the neck or back for several days and tingling should begin then it is very important that you consult your chiropractor.
One common cause of tingling in the arm may be a subluxated first rib. This condition is called thoracic outlet syndrome where the artery and nerve may be pinched in the neck. The tingling is usually of a diffuse nature, rather than to one particular part of the arm. This is called a dermatomal pattern. A dermatomal pattern occurs when a nerve root is irritated in the neck, giving. There are many reasons for numbness and tingling as described above, the most important thing to remember is to not ignore the symptoms.
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