Why do we sometimes feel tingling in the body and what to do to fight them

It has certainly happened to you to spend a long time in the same position and then feel some part of your body “sleeping”. On some occasions, the discomfort is so intense that we can’t even move that limb. But what will be the cause of this painting?

O awesome.club decided to investigate what are the reasons behind the tingling sensation, indicating ways to alleviate it, or even prevent it from arising.

According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), based in Maryland, USA, the feeling of numbness in the body is called paresthesia. The phenomenon usually occurs in the hands, arms, legs or feet, as well as in other parts of the body. It is characterized by a sensation reminiscent of the presence of ants crawling over the skin, and it can become extremely uncomfortable.

Research has shown that numbness, which tends to come on without warning since people are not usually aware of the onset of the sensation, does not always cause pain. Most of the time, it’s just discomfort. The discomfort affects millions of people around the world, being more common in professionals whose work routine is marked by limited movement. This is the case for those who work sitting down for a long time.

At some point, most people have experienced temporary paresthesias. Colloquially, we usually describe them by saying that a part of our body has “fallen asleep”. This happens when we spend a lot of time in the same position, when we sit with our legs crossed, or when we sleep with one arm flexed under our head, for example.

The sensation arises from pressure exerted on a nerve, but it can also be the result of an acquired injury, or some other problem involving damage to the nervous system, such as a nerve injury, a herniated disc, a tumor, etc.

During a paresthesia, the affected part becomes numb and stiff, but flexible. And this increases sensitivity in the region when the limb is supported on a hard or soft surface, extending to other parts of the affected limb.

The feeling of a numb limb usually disappears quickly, as it is enough to relieve pressure on the affected nerve for the blood to circulate there again. This is possible by moving the numb area with exercise, massage or stretching. Gradually, the tingling subsides until it disappears completely.

Due to the sensations caused by paresthesia, some consequences may arise, such as:

Blood circulation problems;

Adoption of harmful postures during sleep, which paves the way for various disorders caused by fatigue or irregular sleep;

Difficulty walking or driving;

Increased risk of falling.

Some types of paresthesia are:

Berger’s paresthesia: paresthesia of the skin, which is characterized by tingling, pins and needles and loss of sensation in the legs. These are signs of an organic disease that affects some young people.

Meralgia paresthetica: the condition is marked by numbness, tingling and burning in the outer part of the thigh.

When the discomfort is felt recurrently, it is possibly a case of chronic paresthesia, which is usually a symptom of a neurological problem, or a traumatic injury to a nerve. It can be caused by disorders that affect the central nervous system, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, or encephalitis. A tumor or vascular injury may also be among the causes. Some syndromes, such as carpal tunnel, can affect the peripheral nerves, causing paresthesia accompanied by pain.

The diagnosis, always made by a specialist, is usually carried out from the analysis of the patient’s clinical history, physical and laboratory examinations. In some cases, depending on the patient, the doctor may order additional tests. If the cause of the burning or tingling is a pathology, it is important to keep it under control.

Therefore, it is recommended to consult a doctor if:

Feeling sudden numbness or weakness;

The numbness progressively extends to other parts of the body;

Have trouble breathing;

There is bladder and/or bowel incontinence;

Numbness appears on both sides of the body;

There is loss of sensation in the face or chest;

The entire member “falls asleep” completely;

Feel changes in the level of consciousness;

Suffer changes in vision;

There are speech problems;

Paresthesia occurs after hitting the head, neck or back.

Do you constantly suffer from paresthesia? In your opinion, what is the most annoying part of this feeling? How do you usually deal with her? Leave your comment!