The tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in the body, but are often felt in the fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs. Who has never had a foot fall asleep or have felt a tingling in their hand? What are your Causes and when do you have to worry about them?
The family doctor and member of the Neurology Working Group of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFYC), Dr. Jesus Pujol specifies that at the medical level tingling is known as ‘paresthesia’.
“Tingling can appear either because of the position we maintain, or as a symptom of a . One of the most common factors is postural, staying in the same position for a long time and then, secondly, due to a nerve injury and, for example, pressure on the spinal nerves, as a result of a herniated disc,” he says.
The specialist from the Balaguer (Lleida) health center also points to the lack of vitamin B12; to abnormal levels of calcium, potassium or sodium in the body; the use of certain medicines; at diabetes mellitus; to chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments; by arteriosclerosis or by frozen or inflamed blood vessels; as a consequence of an animal or insect bite; or by toxins in shellfish.
About the diseases that can cause paresthesiasDr. Pujol in turn points to carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis (ALS), epileptic seizures or cerebrovascular accidents, as well as Raynaud’s phenomenon (a narrowing of blood vessels due to poor temperature regulation in hands and feet).
Types of tingles
Pujol also distinguishes between episodic paresthesias or tingling, from permanent ones. “The episodic ones are derived from nerve compression, as for example occurs in those derived from herniated discs at any point of the spine, in the case of postural ones and in that of carpal tunnel syndrome. On the other hand, they are permanent when they are derived from a vitamin B12 deficiency, or originate from diabetes mellitus, or from neurological diseases such as ALS”, adds the SEMFYC member.
In his opinion, there is no reason to be scared when the tingles suddenly appear. Yes go It is advisable to see a doctor when weakness or inability to move also arises at the same time as the paresthesia itself.
He also recommends going to a Primary Care doctor if the tingling occurs just after having suffered an injury or trauma to the head, neck or back; if these appear at the same time that the movement of the leg or arm cannot be controlled; or if there is also a loss of sphincter control; or at the same time as the tingling there is difficulty speaking, changes in vision, difficulty or weakness in walking, there are skin rashes, or any unusual symptom in the person and that is accompanied by tingling.
He Treatment, according to Pujol, will depend on the cause that has given rise to these paresthesias. and if, for example, it is due to a deficiency of vitamin B 12, it will be advisable in that case to take supplements of said vitamin. The prognosis of paresthesia depends on the severity of the sensations and associated disorders.