Symptom: Numbness

Introduction: Numbness

Further information about Numbness is below, or review more specific information about these types of Numbness: arm numbness, hand numbness, finger numbness, leg numbness, foot numbness, toe numbness, numb thigh, facial numbness or other types.

Numbness usually arises from damage or disease of nerves. Numbness is often associated with or preceded by abnormal pain-like sensations often described as pins-and-needles, prickling or burning sensations; these are called paresthesias. Numbness is loss of sensation whereas paralysis usually involves both the loss of the ability to move the area and loss of sensations. The term "numbness" is also sometimes used to refer to emotional numbness or detachment. Any numbness or abnormal sensation symptoms need prompt professional medical advice.

» Review Causes of Numbness: full list

Causes of Numbness:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Numbness. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Various general possible causes of numbness include:
  • Paresthesias
  • Nerve disorders
  • Nerve entrapments
  • Nerve compression syndromes
  • Repetitive motion disorders
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Circulatory disorders
  • Diabetes
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Hyperventilation
  • Stroke
  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Panic attack - some patients report numbness or tingling in panic attacks (but only with many other symptoms including panic).
• Numbness can affect various body parts and its cause depends on the location of the numbness:
  • See also leg numbness, thigh numbness, foot numbness, or toe numbness
  • See also arm numbness, elbow numbness, hand numbness, wrist numbness, or finger numbness
  • See also facial numbness, lip numbness, or mouth numbness
• Panic attack - can get tingling or numbness in panic attacks, but usually with many other symptoms.
• See also causes of paresthesias, paralysis, tingling, or other related symptoms

See full list of 242 causes of Numbness

» Review Causes of Numbness: full list

Causes of Types of Numbness:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Numbness:

• Arm numbness (58 causes)
• Hand numbness (32 causes)
• Finger numbness (29 causes)
• Leg numbness (54 causes)
• Foot numbness (22 causes)
• Toe numbness (19 causes)
• Numb thigh (5 causes)
• Facial numbness (18 causes)
• Ankle numbness (13 causes)
• Back numbness (9 causes)
• Buttock numbness (8 causes)
• Calf numbness (12 causes)
• Chest numbness (8 causes)
• Chin numbness (10 causes)
• Ear numbness (8 causes)
• Elbow numbness (12 causes)
• Eye numbness (8 causes)
• Eyelid numbness (8 causes)
• Groin numbness (10 causes)
• Gum numbness (11 causes)

See full list of 54 types for Numbness

Numbness: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Numbness, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Numbness: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Numbness and Nerve symptoms (208 causes)
• Numbness and Pain (208 causes)
• Numbness and Sensations (208 causes)
• Numbness and Weakness (154 causes)
• Numbness and Paresthesias (109 causes)
• Numbness and Arm symptoms (105 causes)
• Numbness and Leg symptoms (104 causes)
• Numbness and Muscle symptoms (93 causes)
• Numbness and Limb symptoms (93 causes)
• Numbness and Head symptoms (87 causes)
• Numbness and Movement symptoms (85 causes)
• Numbness and Muscle weakness (77 causes)
• Numbness and Digestive symptoms (75 causes)
• Numbness and Hand symptoms (72 causes)
• Numbness and Foot symptoms (64 causes)
• Numbness and Behavioral symptoms (63 causes)
• Numbness and Face symptoms (62 causes)
• Numbness and Dizziness (58 causes)
• Numbness and Fainting (58 causes)
• Numbness and Syncope (58 causes)

See full list of 1570 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Numbness

Home Diagnostic Testing and Numbness

Home medical tests possibly related to Numbness:

• Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Tests
  • Home Blood Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Eye Tests

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Pain (3014 causes)
• Nerve symptoms (3495 causes)
• Sensations (3186 causes)
• Common symptoms (4555 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Numbness

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Numbness:

• Hypersensitive (7 causes)
• Paresthesias (210 causes)
• Paralysis (290 causes)
• Tingling (358 causes)
• Itchiness (808 causes)
• Sensations (3186 causes)
• Burning sensation (150 causes)
• Weakness (2028 causes)
• Muscle weakness (2042 causes)
• Loss of sensation

Diagnostic Guides for Numbness

Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Numbness from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Numbness. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Numbness

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Numbness

Rare neurological disorder misdiagnosed as anxiety condition: Posterolateral sclerosis is an uncommon neurological disorder that can be misdiagnosed as an anxiety disorder. Symptoms such as peripheral...read more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See ...read more »

TIA's must not be missed: Transient ischemic attacks are sudden in onset and complete clinical recovery occurs in less than 24 hours. Average duration of the attack is 5 minutes. Usually five years after a TIA 1 in 3 people will have stroke. All patients must get...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Numbness

Diagnostic tests for Numbness:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Numbness. Some of these are listed below :

• General appearance - abnormal posture, muscle wasting, abnormal limb movements.
• Mental state examination - including appearance, behavior, rate and continuity of speech, mood, affect, thought content, evidence of any hallucinations or abnormal beliefs, orientation to time, place and person, attention and concentration, short-term memory, insight and judgement. May help detect and evaluate anxiety and panic states which may cause rapid breathing (hyperventilation) and consequent numbness around the lips, lightheadedness and tingling in the extremities.
• Physical examination
  • Examine for physical signs of low calcium including Chvostek's sign (gentle tapping over the facial nerve causes twitching of the facial muscles) and Trousseau's sign (inflation of the blood pressure cuff above diastolic blood pressure for 3 minutes causes muscular contraction of the fingers and wrist)
  • Examination of cranial nerves ( if affected would suggest a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease , a mass in the brain, migraine or multiple sclerosis)

See full list of 56 diagnostic tests for Numbness

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Numbness. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had the numbness? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• Where exactly is the numbness? - e.g. leg (see leg numbness), thigh (see thigh numbness), foot (see foot numbness), toe (see toe numbness), arm (see arm numbness), elbow (see elbow numbness), hand (see hand numbness), wrist (see wrist numbness), finger (see finger numbness), face (see facial numbness) or lip (see lip numbness). Carpal tunnel syndrome causes numbness of the pulps of the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger; peripheral neuropathy typically causes a glove and stocking sensory loss to hands and feet; C8 spinal cord or nerve root lesion causes numbness of the little finger; C7 spinal cord or nerve root lesion cause numbness of the middle finger; C6 spinal cord or nerve root lesion causes numbness of the outer side of the forearm and thumb; meralgia paresthetica causes a burning pain with associated numbness and tingling over the outer surface of the thigh; L3 nerve root lesion causes numbness over the front of thigh; femoral nerve lesion causes numbness over the inner aspect of the thigh and leg; cauda equina lesion may cause sensory loss on the buttocks or around the anus; the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve supplies the forehead and surface of the eye; the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve supplies the skin in the middle of the face and the membranes of the upper part of the mouth, palate and nasopharynx; the third division of the trigeminal nerve supplies the skin of the lower jaw and membranes of the lower part of the mouth.
• Is it unilateral or bilateral? - e.g. symmetrical involvement of both legs suggest peripheral neuropathy. If leg numbness is asymmetrical or confined to one limb this may suggest individual nerve disease.
• Is there a time of day when numbness is worse? - can help determine the cause of numbness e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome is usually worse at night.
• Relieving factors? - may help determine the cause of numbness e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may be relieved by dangling the arm over the side of the bed.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Numbness (52 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Numbness) may include:

• Pain in the involved leg or foot? - may suggest lumbar spine spondylosis (degeneration), spinal stenosis, tumor of the cauda equina (distal tip of the spinal cord and its nerves), spondylolisthesis (forward movement of one lumbar vertebrae on the one below it), herniated disk or pelvic tumor.
• Pain in the involved arm? - if also pain in the involved arm this usually suggests herniated cervical disc , spinal cord tumor or cervical spondylosis. Other conditions to consider are brachial plexus neuropathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, cervical rib, Pancoast's tumour, Raynaud's disease, sympathetic dystrophy or various entrapment syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.
• Weakness in the involved arm or hand? - may suggest a type of brachial plexus; compression of the C8 segment by cervical spondylosis or a disc herniation, median or ulnar nerve lesions; diabetes mellitus causing a peripheral neuropathy.
• Incontinence of urine? - If incontinence or urine is present with leg numbness, this may suggest poliomyelitis, cauda equina tumor or metastatic tumor of the lumbar spine.
• Back pain? - if associated with thigh numbness may suggest prolapsed disc causing pressure on L2 or L3 nerve roots (note L2 causes buttock numbness also).

See Diagnosis Checklist for Numbness (52 listings)

Stories from Users for Numbness

Real-life user stories relating to Numbness:

• Numbness and tingling all over
• palpitations, lightheadedness, heavy-feeling limbs, no diagnosis for 2+ years!
• Numbness in left side of face, and other symptoms
• pins and needles
• Red spots, hands, tingle, skin peeling
• I'm Lost.
• It starts with pins and needles....
• Drug Fever & Going Cold Turkey From A Medicine Used For A Long Time
• Numbness and burning in different parts of my body...please help!!
• Numbness Right Side Of Body
• My wife has lost her mind (Paranoid Delusions)
• weird feeling
• Burning Skin Sensation
• 20 y/o -- Can't feel empty!
• does anyone feel the way i do?
• losing my hope fast....
• sensitive to touch or other sensations,
• Tired of feeling ill, tired of no diagnosis
• Can't Rest My Body
• Tremors, Cloudy Head, Pins n Needles and more.....

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Numbness or relevant symptoms:

• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (171)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Hand numbness
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • Anxiety and high BP
  • More user stories
• Neurological (Nerves) (357)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • Eye twitch
  • Essential tremor
  • More user stories

Videos for Numbness

Patient Surveys for Numbness

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Causes of Numbness listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Numbness as a symptom include:

• Amiodarone
• Carbon monoxide toxicity
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Causalgia
• Cerebrovascular accident
• Colistimethate
• Compartment syndrome
• Digoxin
• Dimercaprol
• Gopalan's syndrome
• Guillain-Barre syndrome
• Hyperventilation
• Hypocalcaemia
• Hypothyroidism
• Ito syndrome
• Lepromatous leprosy
• Lidocaine
• Limb ischaemia
• Mefloquine
• Multiple sclerosis

See full list of 242 causes of Numbness
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Numbness:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Numbness as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Ceftizoxime
• Cefizox
• Argining Hydrochloride
• R-Gene
• Nalidixic Acid

See full list of 57 medications causing Numbness

Definitions of Numbness:

Numbness: Imprecise term for abnormal sensation, including absent or reduced sensory perception as well as paresthesias.
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Subjective cutaneous sensations (e.g., cold, warmth, tingling, pressure, etc.) that are experienced spontaneously in the absence of stimulation.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Partial or total lack of sensation in a part of the body; a symptom of nerve damage or dysfunction
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Organs affected by Numbness:

The list of organs typically affected by Numbness may include, but is not limited to:

• Skin

Detailed list of causes of Numbness

The list below shows some of the causes of Numbness mentioned in various sources:

• Acid-Base Imbalance - numbness
• Acoustic neuroma - facial numbness
• Acroosteolysis neurogenic - loss of pain sensation
• Acroparesthesia syndrome - hand numbness
• Acute intermittent porphyria - loss of pain sensation

See full list of 242 causes of Numbness

How Common are these Causes of Numbness?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Numbness. Of the 242 causes of Numbness that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 3 causes are "very common" diseases
• 11 causes are "common" diseases
• 8 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 9 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 222 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 242 causes of Numbness

Conditions listing symptoms: Numbness:

The following list of conditions have 'Numbness' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Numbness Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Numbness based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: