Table of contents:
- What causes numbness?
- 1. Wrong posture
- 2. Diabetes
- 3. Carpal tunnel syndrome
- 4. Multiple sclerosis
- 5. Vitamin B12 deficiency
- When should this numbness be checked?
Have you ever heard the expression "numb"? This expression is not only used to describe conditions that occur when someone has had a broken heart. Numbness doesn't just happen to your taste buds either. Numbness can occur in any part of your body. What exactly is the cause of the numbness?
Numbness, aka numbness, is a condition where you can't feel anything. This condition occurs, because the stimulation is not channeled to your nerves, which aims to send taste signals to your body. Numbness is accompanied by a tingling feeling and a burning sensation. In most cases, numbness is often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms or the soles of your feet.
What causes numbness?
Numbness can occur due to many things, including:
1. Wrong posture
In most cases, the most common cause of numbness is incorrect posture. Standing or sitting with one particular leg heavier than the other, as well as when you sleep and the rest of one hand is heavier than the other, will certainly put greater pressure on the hands and feet that are the point of support.
2. Diabetes
Diabetes can cause damage to the blood vessels that play a role in transmitting stimulation to your hands and feet. This happens because diabetes can affect blood circulation which plays a role in sending stimuli. This condition can actually be dangerous, because your hands and feet can not feel when touched by something with a high temperature.
3. Carpal tunnel syndrome
Excessive pressure on the fingers and wrists can cause symptoms of numbness in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. You will experience this condition more often, if you frequently perform certain repetitive movements, which cause constant pressure on your wrist.
4. Multiple sclerosis
Damage to the myelin sheath, which functions to protect the main route for delivery of stimuli to the nervous system, can occur when you have multiple sclerosis. In addition to the myelin sheath, multiple sclerosis is also able to slow down the sending of taste signals to and from the nerves.
5. Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 has a role in forming the myelin sheath (a sheath that protects the main pathway for stimulation of nerves). Lack of availability of vitamin B12 will certainly inhibit the formation of this sheath and the delivery of stimuli to the nerves.
When should this numbness be checked?
Most of the numbness conditions are actually harmless. Based on the various causes, treatment will depend on the cause of the numbness you are experiencing. However, you should immediately consult a doctor if:
- You experience numbness suddenly for no apparent reason.
- This is followed by pain in the neck and fingers.
- Followed by an increase in the frequency of urination.
- The numbness in your feet can get worse when you walk.
- Numbness develops followed by a rash.
- Other unusual symptoms occur.
- Occurs in one area almost as a whole. In the entire area of the hands or feet, for example.
- Followed by a wound to the head.
- Lasts more than a few minutes.