What is numbness and tingling?
Definition Numbness and tingling are decreased or abnormal sensations caused by altered sensory nerve function. Description The feeling of having a foot “fall asleep” is a familiar one. This same combination of numbness and tingling can occur in any region of the body and may be caused by a wide variety of disorders. Sensations such as these, which occur without any associated stimulus, are called paresthesias. Other types of paresthesias include feelings of cold, warmth, burning, itching, and skin crawling. Causes and symptoms Causes Sensation is carried to the brain by neurons (nerve cells) running from the outer parts of the body to the spinal cord in bundles called nerves. In the spinal cord, these neurons make connections with other neurons that run up to the brain. Paresthesias are caused by disturbances in the function of neurons in the sensory pathway. This disturbance can occur in the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), the nerve roots that are attached to the
