Paresthesia and anxiety: how they are related

People with anxiety experience different symptoms, both physical and psychological. Numbness and tingling (paresthesia) are some of the most common. These symptoms usually occur in the hands, arms, legs, and feet, but they can also spread to any part of the body.

For some people, paresthesia feels like pins or needles, that is, like pricks, similar to when a part of the body “falls asleep.” It may even feel like a complete or partial loss of sensation. You may also notice sensations such as: tingling, itching or burning.

The sensation does not tend to spread throughout the body or throughout the affected part. Therefore, it is possible that the person only notices it on the tips of their fingers or toes, for example. Likewise, it can appear along the scalp, on the back of the neck or on the face. Paraesthesia can also occur on one or both sides of the body.

How are all these symptoms related to anxiety? Next, we analyze it.

Hyperventilation caused by anxiety can cause numbness in certain parts of the body.

Paresthesia and anxiety: how are they related?

Anxiety is a physiological, behavioral, emotional and psychological response that is triggered as a result of the perception of a future threat. During this activation, blood vessels constrict, increasing blood pressure, heart rate, and blood flow to the organs of the torso. This reduces the amount of blood reaching the extremities of the body, especially the feet and hands, causing paresthesia.

In response to the perception of a threat, The anxious person unconsciously tenses their muscles, which generates unusual sensations, such as numbness. A typical behavioral response to anxiety other than fight or flight is “freezing.” This causes the body to be positioned in ways that would otherwise be uncomfortable in another situation. These postures can interfere with blood flow to certain parts of the body, thus triggering paresthesia.

When people are receiving drug treatment for anxiety they may experiencing numbness or tingling sensations as a result of the medication. Also if they have any nerve damage due to excessive alcohol consumption (alcoholic neuropathy), they may suffer from numbness in certain parts of the body.

Likewise, as a consequence of hyperventilation caused by anxiety, an individual may have numbness in certain regions of the body. This is because the imbalance between oxygen and carbon dioxide affects the pH balance of the blood, causing it to become alkaline. When this happens, different symptoms such as tingling or numbness may be experienced.

Treatment for anxiety-induced paresthesia

Since paresthesia is a product of anxiety, the best treatment option is to intervene on the anxiety problem. Some strategies to do so are the following:

Anti-anxiety medication. Psychotherapeutic treatment. Self-care strategies, such as exercising, reducing and coping with stress. Breathing exercises. Generation of a social support network: friends and family. Psychoeducation on anxiety and anxiety-induced paresthesia .

There are many anti-anxiety treatments that can help reduce paresthesia as anxiety decreases. However, if the anxiety improves but the numbness or tingling does not, you should visit a doctor.

Paresthesia and anxiety: how to deal with them in the moment

If anxiety manifests itself with paresthesia, there are some tricks that can be tried to relieve it momentarily.

Do a physical activity

He physical exercise can contribute to the improvement of high levels of anxiety and mood. Moving or practicing some type of sport or exercise can provide calm, as it stimulates the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are necessary to feel pleasant and pleasurable emotions such as joy or happiness.

Moving the body helps to forget about the triggers of anxiety and makes blood flow to those parts of the body (hands, feet, arms) that had been deprived of it, as a consequence of anxiety.

Some activities that you can try are the following:

Walking.Jogging.Simple stretches.Running from one place to another.Dancing to a favorite song.

Perform diaphragmatic breathing exercises

Paresthesia and anxiety can be dealt with through breathing exercises, which can help people reduce physiological arousal and cortisol levels. Diaphragmatic breathing is a good option to achieve such goals:

«Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes and observe your breathing. Pay attention to its rhythm and depth. Is it deep or superficial? Is it fast or slow?

Then Place one hand on your abdomen and make sure that when you breathe, you feel how your stomach inflates and deflates. with each inhalation and exhalation. Place your other hand on your chest and try not to let it move when you breathe. Only the one on your abdomen should move.

Breathe in slowly through your nose, so that the hand you have on your abdomen feels the pressure of it rising. The hand on the chest should remain motionless. Hold your breath for a moment and exhale slowly through your mouth, so that you feel the hand on your abdomen descend.”

Diaphragmatic breathing helps relieve anxiety.

Do something relaxing

Distracting ourselves with a pleasant activity usually allows for a better balance of energy expenditure by the brain. Some relaxing activities for this purpose may be the following:

Watch a funny video.Listen to relaxing music.Talk with a friend.Take a walk in the middle of nature.

As the anxiety subsides, the paresthesia will also subside. Worrying about numbness or tingling in these conditions is not a good strategy, as it will fuel more anxiety.

To end, The relationship between paresthesia and anxiety is not something strange, strange or worrying, so there is no need to add more stress to the situation. If paresthesia continues to appear, despite not feeling anxiety, it is best to consult a doctor.

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