Rosie Galvez
Have you ever felt “pins and needles” in your entire leg when you stand up after a long gossip session with your friends? This is a common issue that almost every teenager and adult faces nowadays.
However, long term tingling and numbness may be due to a neurological disorder, deficiency or maybe a symptom of a developing tumor that may need immediate medical attention.
Causes and Treatments
One of the various and most common reasons for Paresthesia is the deficiency of vitamins and minerals that help in the formation of the Red-Blood cells (RBCs) such as Vitamin B12, which plays an important role in the formation of the DNA, as well as the development process of the body. With growing age, absorption of this particular vitamin becomes more complex. This may be due to heavy intake of caffeine or tobacco, or the cause of following a vegan diet, as this vitamin is obtained through animal-based food sources. As a result, the production of RBCs reduces in the body causing the oxygen level in the blood to drop. This affects the nervous system gravely leading to temporary paralysis in various parts of the body. However, consumption of supplements in the form of capsules or shots along with fortified foods may help to overcome this deficiency.
A major cause that may lead to the lack of sensation is Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which mostly occurs at the age of 20-50. It is a condition in which the protective sheath of the nerve fibers is damaged, leading to error in the messages being relayed from the brain to different parts of the body. As a result of this damage, the person experiences severe numbness in one or more limbs, typically on one side of the body, legs or trunk. This affects the movement of the body parts, making everyday activities such as climbing stairs, driving etc. difficult to carry out. Unfortunately, MS has no permanent cure. Although early treatment and medication can help reduce attacks and lowering the symptoms in order to reduce their effect on the person’s daily life.
Another reason for this condition may be the lack of proper blood supply to the brain, preventing oxygen from reaching the brain tissues in the required amount, causing severe damage to the brain cells. This leads to numbness in the face or arms eventually causing a stroke. Blockage of an artery or bursting of a vessel may be the foremost reasons for a stroke. High cholesterol level leads to deposition of fat on the walls of the blood vessels which results in the constriction of the pathway of the blood, reducing the circulation level. This causes the blood pressure to become uncontrollable high. In order to prevent such risky situations, a proper, balanced diet should be observed along with daily exercise to help burn any excessive fat that may have accumulated in the body.
Also, a lot of people who experience a car accident or get into an accident that causes a spinal injury often complain of numbness in their legs and arms. This may be due to compression or damage inflicted upon the nerves during the incident. The damage to the spinal cord often leaves permanent disabilities such as paralysis and difficulty in breathing, if the injury is too severe. However, therapists mostly recommend the patient to undergo various therapies and perform multiple exercises everyday in order to reduce the immobility and tingling in the arms and legs. If the cause of numbness is not dealt with on time, it may lead to the formation of blood clots which could worsen the situation of the person.
Moreover, another issue that needs to be addressed is the development of tumors in the cerebral cortex and areas near the spinal cord. It is important to identify a tumor in its early stages in order to deal with it before any serious damage is done to the brain. However, we often tend to ignore the symptoms such as numbness in the spinal cord and near the face, taking them as just the reason for deficiencies or fatigue. This is highly dangerous and may even lead to the infected person losing his or her life, if the tumor is discovered at a later stage. These tumors show common symptoms such as headache and tingling, deceiving us to believe they are normal. However, neglecting of any such symptoms should strictly be avoided as locating the tumor at an early stage can help control its development by appropriate medication and chemotherapy.
When to See a Doctor
Numbness and tingling are symptoms that are often considered as something not too serious and are ignored, although they may be the cause of extreme damages that may affect an individual’s entire life. Obtaining a proper history and physical from a physician along with diagnostic tests is compulsory in order to implement the required treatment.
Summary
Many disorders and ailments cause paresthesia, but a major cause may be our negligence towards our health and diet. Nowadays, careers and jobs have become the top priority of our generation and with the increasing competition in every field of life, they pay hardly any attention towards their health. It is important to make sure that we obtain the required amounts of vitamins and minerals needed by our body to carry out its daily functions. Along with the consumption of a healthy diet, daily exercise or a run around the neighborhood could help stabilize the blood circulation, which could reduce the risk of Atherosclerosis (blocked arteries) and various other diseases that may lead to numbness or paralysis because; “It’s better to be safe than sorry”.
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