Numbness
June 15, 2012
The feeling of having a foot or hand "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.
Direct compression of the nerve also causes paresthesias. Compression can be short-lived, as when a heavy backpack compresses the nerves passing across the shoulders. Compression may also be chronic. Chronic nerve compression occurs in entrapment syndromes. The most common example is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through a narrow channel in the wrist. Repetitive motion or prolonged vibration can cause the lining of the channel to swell and press on the nerve. Chronic nerve root compression, or radiculopathy, can occur in disk disease or spinal arthritis.