Dr. Nilesh Bakale | Consultant Neurosurgeon in Karad What is numbness?
Numbness is a loss of feeling or sensation in an area of the body. It can be complete or partial. It is usually a sign of a problem with nerves in the body, although it is a common symptom of many different medical conditions.
Most cases of numbness are not serious. In more severe cases, it causes complications related to not feeling pain (for example, causing burns if unable to feel the pain from high heat) or being unaware of what’s happening to parts of the body (for example, falling if unable to feel the position of one’s feet). It can also be a sign of a serious underlying condition such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis.
What are the possible causes of numbness?
Numbness has many possible causes. A problem with a nerve or nerves usually causes the symptom. When a nerve is damaged or compressed, it interferes with the body’s ability to feel normal sensations.
Some cases of numbness involve abnormal pressure on the nerves in and around the spine. Conditions that may cause this numbness include:
- Collapsed backbone due to osteoporosis
- Compressed spinal cord
- Ruptured or herniated disc
- Pinched nerve due to arthritis, bone spurs
Other medical conditions that may cause numbness include:
- Diabetes
- Infections such as HIV or Lyme disease
- Kidney disease
- Medications or drug use
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
- Arthritis
- Tumor
- Spread of cancer to the spine
- Animal and insect bites
- Exposure to poisons/toxins
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