Many people often experience numbness in their limbs (arms and legs). Sometimes it is accompanied by a slight tingling, the appearance of goosebumps on the body, a pulling painful sensation. Mostly rather unpleasant phenomena are due to physiological changes in the body. In some cases, numbness is the first sign of the disease. We will talk separately about the causes, methods of treating numbness.
Numbness of limbs: causes
Slight, almost imperceptible tingling, crawling, reduced sensitivity - all these sensations are called paresthesia.
Numbness in the limbs (legs) can be caused by wearing new shoes. Of course, without "rubbing" can not do. Gradually, numbness, which occurs when undressing, joins it. In order to avoid the appearance of an unpleasant sensation, it is necessary to carefully approach the issue of choosing shoes. A similar situation occurs when wearing tight clothing.
Longbeing in an uncomfortable position during the day or during sleep causes numbness of the limbs.
Among physiological causes that can also affect the appearance of numbness are exposure to low temperature air or water. In this situation, it is necessary to urgently warm the frozen limbs.
Pathological causes
Nervous system diseases can also cause numbness of the limbs (arms and legs). During the course of the inflammatory process, pinching or other pathological processes occur in the nerve trunks.
So, numbness of the limbs occurs with such diseases:
- Polineuropathy - numerous lesions of the trunks of the peripheral nervous system. There is atrophy and weakness in the limbs, desiccation, partial movement disorder, and in some cases paralysis (complete loss of function). This "suffering of the nerves" is usually found in people who suffer from diabetes, alcoholism, as well as infectious blood diseases (diphtheria, hemoblastosis), hereditary diseases (porphyria), and connective tissue diseases (periarteritis nodosa, systemic lupus erythematosus).
- Damage to the nerve plexuses of the spine (cervical, shoulder, lumbosacral). In this situation, numbness is accompanied by severe pain.
- Numbness of the limbs often causes osteochondrosis.
- After a stroke, because there is a malnutrition of the brain. Even at rest, patients often have numb hands.and legs, tingling.
- In median nerve syndrome. A characteristic feature is the “monkey paw”, the hand becomes similar to the paw of a monkey, respectively, unsuitable for work.
- Pathological lesions of the radial and ulnar nerves (Turner's syndrome).
- With vascular pathology, when there is a violation of blood circulation in the small arteries of the limbs.
- Raynaud's disease is a paroxysmal circulatory disorder in the hands and feet. Often the occurrence of this disease is due to hereditary and stress factors.
- For shingles.
- With vibration disease - numbness of the limbs is characteristic of those people who often expose their body to vibration with a certain amplitude. As a result of such microtraumatization, pathological reflexes are formed, which, in turn, cause pain.
- After traumatic injuries (fractures of arms and legs, bruises and dislocations). Sometimes the integrity of nerve endings is disrupted.
- As a result of taking certain medications, we are talking about side effects. These medications include antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs.
- With neuroses.
Neurological processes often cause numbness in the extremities. The reasons for this are a specific type of activity that requires constant tension of the hands and the humeroscapular zone. Numbness is often felt by violinists, seamstresses, pianists and those people who spend a lot of time at the computer keyboard.
Symptoms
Numbness of limbsusually accompanied by very painful sensations. The most "faithful companions" of limb paresthesia:
- pain;
- rise in body temperature;
- redness or blanching of the skin;
- mental disorders - fear;
- autonomic disorders - increased heart rate, breathing, sweating, dizziness and fainting occur.
Numbness can be locally isolated - on one side of the limb - or both at once. In rare cases, opposite sides of the body become numb: the left arm and right leg. It is not uncommon for unpleasant manifestations to occur in combination with other parts of the body (back, abdomen, face, etc.).
Numbness in fingers
This is a fairly common phenomenon that has a wide range of causes. Unpleasant sensations in the upper extremities may occur due to the manifestation of carpal tunnel syndrome. This syndrome is especially common in people who work a lot at the computer keyboard.
Because everyday work at the computer causes a lot of tension in the hands, swelling of the tendon may gradually appear. This is due to the fact that the nerves responsible for the sensitivity of the palm are compressed. The nerves on the middle, index and thumb are directly compressed. If not treated in a timely manner, then complete death of the muscles can occur. As a result, the person will not be able to move their fingers.
If the left limbs go numb
Numbness of the limbs (hands) on the left oftenindicates that there are problems with the heart. Such phenomena occur due to experienced severe stress or nervous breakdown.
If numbness manifested itself in stages, then it is necessary to understand the exact reason for its development. Perhaps the disease is associated with problems with blood vessels, the spine or the nervous system. Often this phenomenon occurs due to existing osteochondrosis. Accordingly, as a result, changes occur in the spine - the intervertebral nerves are pinched.
Numbness of the left limbs occurs most often in people whose age exceeds 50. Numbness is accompanied by pain with cramps. It can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis - an infectious disease in which the infection enters the joints, as a result - they are deformed and pinch the nerves.
If the right limbs go numb
Numbness of the extremities (legs and hands) of the right side is often due to a consequence of a stroke. Sometimes simple numbness can turn into complete paralysis. If the patient is not helped in time, then everything can end in death.
Often numbness on the right side is accompanied by pain, increased fatigue and weakness of the whole body.
Numbness of part of the face
Facial numbness is often associated with diseases of the vessels and nerves. Characteristic symptomatic signs of facial numbness indicate that the central nervous system is affected.
If the face becomes numb on only one side, then the development of neuralgia is likely. Characterized by severe pain and bright twitching of facial muscles.
In the case of redness of the numb face and a rash, it is possible that there is probably shingles. In addition to these signs, bubbles with liquid may occur. Among the accompanying symptoms: body temperature drops, appetite decreases and general weakness appears.
Numbness of arms and legs at the same time
Simultaneous numbness of the limbs is often accompanied by dizziness. This process is associated with neuralgia - the nervous system. These symptoms are the consequences of nervous overexcitation and stress. Getting rid of this problem will be quite difficult. First of all, you need to isolate yourself from the negative and try to be less nervous. Otherwise, a serious disease may appear, associated with a violation of the cardiovascular system, as well as orthopedic and neurological diseases.
Simultaneous numbness of limbs occurs due to pinched nerve, accompanied by headache, itching, tingling, burning. The patient is often very overtired and generally weak.
Diagnosis
Numbness in the extremities should only be diagnosed by a doctor with many years of experience (neurologist, neurologist, family doctor or general practitioner).
Immediately it will be necessary to take a general blood test to see the level of hemoglobin and, possibly, to identify IDA (iron deficiency anemia). Reduced quantityred blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood can lead to numbness of the extremities. Also, according to the results of a general blood test, you can determine the level of vitamin B12 in the body.
An important role is played by x-rays and computed tomography. With these methods, the presence of bone fractures that affect the nerves can be determined. Electroneuromyography is also used - a technique with which you can determine the location of nerve damage.
The method of ultrasonic Doppler examination of blood vessels is actively used. It is effective in the diagnosis of vascular diseases: deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities. This list of diseases often causes numbness.
Treatment
Now you know the causes of numbness of the limbs, the treatment directly depends on what disease causes this process. If the numbness is related to daily specific work, then it will be much easier to treat.
You cannot prescribe a course of treatment yourself. Since numbness can be caused by a serious disease that needs to be urgently treated. First of all, you need to consult a neurologist, and then undergo a full medical examination.
Timely treatment can be carried out both in inpatient and outpatient settings. In rare cases, surgery has to be added.
Folk remedies
Treatment of numbness of the extremities can also be carried out with the help of traditional medicine. It is recommended to use honey, milk and sea s alt. To prepare a medicinal composition, it is necessary to mix 1 liter of milk with 50-100 g of honey and 0.5 kg of sea s alt. Stir the mixture and heat over low heat to 60 degrees. Then add 1 liter of water of the same temperature to the resulting solution. Pour the whole mixture into a basin with an enameled surface.
After that, wash hands and feet for 10 minutes. Course - 10-15 procedures. It is imperative to comply with the condition: after warming up, you do not need to supercool.
Connecting diet therapy
Causes of limb numbness and treatment are interrelated concepts. Patients suffering from this disease must follow a protein and fortified diet. You need to add legumes, cabbage, carrots, greens and vegetable salads to the diet.
As for drinks, it is advisable not to drink coffee and cocoa. Better give preference to mint tea.
Do not abuse sweet, fatty and smoked foods.
Prevention
In order to avoid problems with numbness of hands and feet, it is necessary to carefully choose shoes, sleep on a flat surface.
Recommended walks in the fresh air, be sure to alternate work at the computer with rest. Do not use the elevator, but rather take the stairs. Use brisk walking, walk as much as possible. All this will warm up the muscles and prevent them from stagnation. It is also important to perform at least elementary physical exercises everyday - exercises in the morning.
Exercise 1: as soon as a person wakes up, it is necessary, without getting out of bed, to raise your fists up and squeeze them 50 times in a row. Then stretch the limbs along the body and repeat these steps again.
Exercise 2: press your palms together, cross your fingers, then squeeze and unclench 30 times. This exercise is effective when developing the hands.
Forecast
Often numbness is caused by normal fatigue. However, there are cases when the cause lies in a serious illness. Under no circumstances should it be launched. This is especially true for Raynaud's disease. The prognosis can be positive only if you consult a doctor in a timely manner for help. Otherwise, the intervention of the surgeon is also possible. Your he alth is in your hands! Stay he althy!
