If you have to deal with numbness, tingling, burning, or a sensation of “pins and needles”, you probably wonder what caused it in the first place and how you can stop it. This is especially true of chronic sufferers who wake up from intense symptoms. Whether you experience tingling in your fingers or pins and needles in your feet, these are common signs of paresthesia, which affects millions of people in the United States per year.
Paresthesia is not limited to numbness and tingling in your hands and feet, it can affect practically any part of the body and can feel very different from person to person. In many cases, it is benign and temporary, such as when your leg “falls asleep” from sitting with it crossed for too long. In other cases, it can be severe, chronic, and painful, such as when it’s caused by trauma or a condition.
Okay, so what is paresthesia?
If you’ve ever had pins and needles, burning, numbness, or a lack of sensation in any part of your body, then you’ve experienced paresthesia! Essentially, paresthesia is a sensory symptom caused by something such as nerve damage or a disorder. Paresthesia typically causes numbness and tingling in hands, feet, arms, and legs, but can affect much more than that.
For some people, paresthesia may feel like cold or prickly raindrops, running water, or bugs crawling on your skin. Typically, these sensations result from an event or condition that caused damage, injury, or aggravation of your nerves.
Paresthesias like these can move around as a result of nerve or neurological damage or a disorder. For instance, you may feel tingling in your right hand in the morning, burning in your leg at lunch, nothing at dinner, and pins and needles in your feet at night. This may change from day to day.
Paresthesia may be more noticeable at night or at extreme temperatures, and there are treatments that can help if it is painful or wakes you, interfering with your daily life.
Having any of these symptoms is likely a form of paresthesia caused by something that has happened to you. However, not experiencing any of these does not discount the possibility of paresthesia. Many people only experience one or a few of these symptoms. Depending on the severity of the cause, the symptoms may be chronic or transient.
Symptoms of paresthesia include the following:
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Burning
- Itching
- Sensation of “pins and needles”
- Sensation of raindrops landing on you
- The feel of water running over your skin
- Sensation of bugs crawling on you
If you experience any of these and your symptoms persist, you should consult with a doctor. They should be able to guide you on an appropriate diagnosis and, if necessary, a plan for care.
What causes paresthesia?
For me personally, it all started with a red light. In November 2018, I brought my vehicle to a stop at a red light. The driver behind me did not, and the impact launched my car through the intersection. This resulted in multiple herniated discs and a bulging disc, which creates problems for the nerves in my neck and back.
This is believed to cause paresthesia in my arms, legs, hands, feet, and head. As I write, I can feel my left forearm and right hand tingling and burning with sharp sensations. These tingling sensations travel from place to place, sometimes in my legs, other times my arms, or even my back, shoulders, and forehead. These sensations are often worse at night, and sometimes wake me, especially when my leg is burning.
These are typical symptoms for someone in an accident like mine. Not all paresthesia is caused by a traumatic incident, however, and sometimes the onset of paresthesia can be quite delayed.
Possible causes of paresthesia include the following:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Diabetes
- Migraines
- Accident or injury
- Multiple sclerosis
- Seizures
- Stroke
- Burns
- TIA or transport ischemic attack
- Underactive thyroid
- Reynaud’s phenomenon
There are certainly other causes, and the medical community is always expanding its knowledge of causes and effects. Even a cat bite can cause paresthesia, as in this case. Thankfully, if you experience paresthesia, there are options for treatment.
How can I stop pins and needles in my feet and hands?
Well, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that if these are chronic or severe symptoms, they are likely caused by nerve damage. This could be as a result of a traumatic injury or a condition that affects your nerves. The good news is that paresthesia is treatable, and multiple things may help!
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of paresthesia, you have a few different options to consider. Depending on the root cause, you may want to remedy your diet, exercise your nerves, and seek treatments that could regenerate your nerves directly.
To start with, drinking heavily and maintaining a poor diet with vitamin deficiencies (especially B-12 and folate) is believed to contribute to paresthesia. Remedying this by maintaining a healthy diet low in alcohol and high in vitamins and nutrients could help your symptoms improve, though it will likely not remove them entirely.
Your doctor may be able to recommend techniques that could help your symptoms improve. Depending on your symptoms and the nerves affected, you may be recommended to try stretches like nerve glides, which work by repeatedly activating your nerves. Often these are done in sets of one hundred and twenty on each side, but your specific recommendation may differ.
You may also want to seek out a regenerative medicine practitioner, which I’ll highlight in greater depth below. These doctors can provide injections of stem cells and PRP that could reduce inflammation that might be pinching nerves and regenerate and renew your damaged nerves themselves.
Paresthesia can affect any part of the body, but it commonly affects the:
Paresthesia is a medical condition that causes abnormal sensations in the skin, usually tingling, prickling, or burning. Paresthesia can affect any part of the body, but it commonly affects the:
- fingers
- toes
- arm
- legs
- face
- chest
- abdomen
- foot
Neuropathy
Chronic nerve damage leads to neuropathy. The primary reason for neuropathy is high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia.
Some other possible causes of neuropathy could be:
- autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis
- repetitive movement injuries
- liver diseases
- bone marrow or connective tissue disorders
- trauma
- neurological diseases, such as MS
- Deficiencies in vitamin B-1, B-6, B-12, E, or niacin
- kidney diseases
- stroke
- tumors in the brain or near nerves
- hypothyroidism
- certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs
- Overdosing on vitamin D.
- exposure to harmful chemicals or heavy metals
Nerve damage can eventually lead to permanent numbness or paralysis.
Who is at risk for paresthesia?
Paresthesia often causes a loss of feeling in the areas affected. This can make it hard to move or control the muscles in those areas. In some cases, paresthesia can also lead to weakness or paralysis.
Tumors or other growths in the body can press on nerves and cause paresthesia. Transverse myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord that can cause paresthesia. Physicians often look for other signs such as changes in reflexes or muscle strength before diagnosing transverse myelitis.
There are different types of paresthesia, depending on which nerve is affected. For example, paresthesia in the limbs is called peripheral neuropathy. Elbow nerve injury is a common type of peripheral neuropathy. It can cause weakness and tingling in the arm and hand.
Paresthesia may also occur in the face, mouth, or genitals. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that can cause paresthesia. Entrapment syndromes are conditions that can cause compression of nerve roots and lead to paresthesia. Type 2 diabetes and breast cancer are two examples of diseases that can cause entrapment syndromes.
Paresthesia can affect anyone temporarily, but your risk for radiculopathy rises as you age. Additionally, the following may also increase your chances of experiencing it:
– smoke
– are obese
– have diabetes
– have a family history of nerve damage
– drink alcohol excessively
– use certain medications
-Have a history of spinal cord compression
How is paresthesia diagnosed?
If you have been experiencing numbness or tingling sensations for more than a week, consult your physician.
Before your appointment, make note of medical conditions in your family and any medications- both over the counter or prescribed- that you take. If you have a job or play sports that require repetitive movement, mention those too.
When diagnosing a patient, doctors will take into account any health conditions the individual has. For example, if the person seeking medical help has diabetes, then the physician will try to establish whether or not they have neuropathy–a condition caused by damage to nerves.
A complete physical examination will be conducted by your doctor, which almost certainly will have a neurological assessment. Additionally, blood work and other laboratory tests (e.g., a spinal tap) may be done to rule out particular diseases.
If your doctor believes there may be an issue with your neck or spine, they suggest CT scans, MRI testing, or X-rays.
Depending on what the results show, they may then refer you to see a specialist in that field, such as a neurologist, orthopedic, or endocrinologist.
What are the treatment options for paresthesia?
Paresthesia is a sensation that feels like prickling, tingling, or numbness. Paresthesia may be accompanied by a feeling of coldness or warmth, and it may be more noticeable when you touch or pressure the area.
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for paresthesia, as the cause and severity of the symptoms can vary from person to person. Treatments may include medications to treat the underlying condition, physical therapy to improve muscle strength and movement, or nerve stimulation treatments. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair or remove damaged nerves.
There are a few things that you can do to help manage paresthesia symptoms. Taking breaks often to move around and stretch can help keep muscles from getting stiff and tense. Applying heat or cold to the affected area can provide relief from discomfort. And avoiding activities that put pressure on or irritate the skin can help prevent further irritation.
How can you prevent paresthesia?
Paresthesia can’t always be prevented, but there are ways to lessen its occurrences or severity. For example, wearing wrist splints at night may help resolve the paresthesia symptoms you experience by taking pressure off of the nerves in your hands.
By following these tips, you can reduce your risk of chronic paresthesia:
- Try to limit repetitive movements.
- If you’re performing repetitive motions, take frequent breaks.
- Get up and move around to avoid sitting for long periods of time.
If you have diabetes or another chronic illness, lowering your paresthesia risks is possible with attentive monitoring and careful management of your disease.
How could cell therapy regenerate nerves?
Regenerative cell therapy can make use of certain special medicinal signaling cells in your body to regenerate almost any type of cell, including nerve cells.
For instance, the technique that Las Vegas regenerative cell clinic Dynamic Stem Cell Therapy uses to achieve nerve repair is called cell therapy. The procedure creates new cells from the inflammatory booster of cells from the blood of your body and amniotic fluid. These stem cells cells may become the nerve cells you need, renewing and regenerating your affected nerves and potentially reducing or eliminating your pain.
What is getting cell therapy like?
Our procedure is simple and straightforward. It all starts with a conversation, so that we can fully understand your unique circumstances and how we can best help you. The process is quick and effortless, though you will need someone to drive you home after your stem cell injection.
To get started, you can call (702) 547-6565, chat with us on Facebook, or email us at contact@stemcellpowernow.com. Either way, you’ll enjoy a free consultation and expert advice. For more information about the cell therapy procedures at our clinic, please check our FAQ here.
What is your clinic like?
Dynamic Stem Cell Therapy employs an incredible staff and a compassionate, world-class doctor that can help you find the right path for your personalized treatment. We even offer regenerative cell therapy financing for our procedures. Our experienced Las Vegas cell therapy clinic offers PRP and amniotic cell therapy treatments for many injuries or conditions.
As with any treatment option, it is important to work with a doctor that develops a customized treatment plan for your unique circumstances. With an incredible regenerative cell therapy doctor and a customized treatment plan, we may be able to get you back to a fuller, more vibrant life.
You certainly want to hear good things from other patients at the clinic you go to, so be sure to check out our patient testimonials for some amazing examples!
How Do I Get Started?
At Dynamic Stem Cell Therapy here in Las Vegas, Nevada, our mission is to ensure you receive the care that you need in a safe and controlled way. While the world of regenerative medicine might seem overwhelming, it is much simpler if you start with an experienced clinic that follows high quality standards and has safe practices.
To get started, you can:
- Call (702) 547-6565
- Chat with us on Facebook
- Email us at contact@stemcellpowernow.com
Throughout your journey, we’ll be your partner for any questions about PRP, stem cells, or stem cell therapy. Contact us today to book a free consultation and we’ll help you discover if stem cell therapy could be the right choice for you. We can’t wait to hear from you!
