Numbness, Tingling, Neuropathy, Shooting Pains, Burning Pain, and Pins and Needles …. What is it all About?

What does numbness and tingling feel like? How do you know if you are experiencing it? How do you know if you need to go to the doctor for it?

There are two types of numbness and tingling you can experience:

• Parasthesia – a spontaneous abnormal sensation of “pins and needles” or “foot falling asleep”
• Dysesthesia– an irritating sensation caused by a stimulus that does not normally produce pain

Almost everyone experiences parasthesia from time to time, and it merits seeing the doctor if it is recurring or lasts longer than a few minutes without going away.

On the flip side, dyesthesia is a less frequent occurrence. So if you experience numbness, pain, tingling, or irritation after contact with something that does not usually cause you that reaction, then notifying your doctor’s office is generally a good idea.

Causes of Numbness and Tingling

One of the most important things to understand about numbness and tingling is that they are not a condition but a symptom that could be caused by any number of different (and unrelated) conditions.

The conditions associated with symptoms of numbness and tingling are grouped into 3 different categories based on their cause:

• Trauma
• Neurologic Event
• Metabolic Disorder

At the end of this article, you’ll find a list of many of the most common conditions associated with numbness and tingling divided according to these 3 categories.

Most cases of numbness and tingling are caused by conditions caused by trauma. These also happen to be the cases that respond best to chiropractic care. This is because chiropractic addresses the cause of the trauma, and not the mere symptoms of numbness and tingling, which will usually be alleviated once the cause of the trauma is suitably addressed.

Chiropractic Care for Numbness & Tingling at Our Chicago Office

Your Chiropractic Physician will begin by determining the cause of your numbness and tingling by obtaining an accurate medical history and by performing a physical exam, which may include orthopedic and neurologic testing. Further evaluations may be needed to determine the cause or extent of your condition, which might include: blood tests, CT scan, MRI, vascular ultrasound, or electro diagnostic testing such as nerve conduction velocity studies.

If the doctor determines that your condition may respond well to chiropractic care, a chiropractic care plan will be created for you that aims to eliminate irritation and restore proper functioning of the nerves. In addition to chiropractic care, this care plan may include physiotherapy to reduce inflammation, and/or nutritional and lifestyle coaching to address any possible metabolic causes of your symptoms.   Painful conditions may also be addressed with acupuncture.

Most cases of numbness and tingling that we see in our Chicago office can be treated conservatively with chiropractic care.  In some instances when drugs, injections or surgery may be needed, the doctor would then refer you to a specialist in the appropriate area and will work closely with that specialist to continue helping you resolve your symptoms.

To learn more about how chiropractic care may help allieviate your numbness and tingling call us at 773.878.7330 to schedule an examination today.  We are located on Ravenswood Ave. just north of Foster Ave. in Andersonville.  We offer Same Day Appointments Monday through Saturday for pain associated with Numbness and Tingling, Neuropathy, Shooting/Burning Pain, or Pins and Needles sensations.

Numbness and Tingling as a Sign of Stroke

It is important also to keep in mind that not all instances of numbness and tingling can wait for a doctor’s visit. There are certain times in which dialing 911 is the best and course of action, most significantly when a person feels they may be experiencing signs of a stroke. A partial list of these signs of stroke follows, but please do understand that if you feel like you should call 911, then you should do so without hesitation.

That said, the following is a partial list of signs of a stroke from the American Stroke Association.

• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the face, arm or leg – especially if it’s on one side of the body
• Confusion, speaking and comprehension trouble
• Trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• Dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, trouble walking
• Severe, unexplainable headache

If you experience one of these signs, don’t wait to see if others develop before taking action. Not all warning signs will occur with every stroke. If you notice a sudden symptom arising, note the time and write it down, as you will be asked this later. If any one symptom lasts for more than a few minutes, call 911 or the EMS (emergency medical service) for an ambulance immediately.

The American Stroke Association and our office recommend you keep a list of emergency phone numbers near all your phones and on you at all times and identify the hospital or medical facilities nearest your home and office, including at least one that is a primary stroke center with 24-hr emergency care. Likewise, if you are with someone experiencing one or more of these symptoms for several minutes or more, do not let the person talk you out of it; you could be saving their life.

List of Conditions & Causes of Numbness and Tingling

Trauma

• Sciatica
• Nerve Compression (Slight to Severe)
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Golfer’s Elbow
• Tennis Elbow
• Muscular Trigger Points
• Myofascial Adhesions
• “Entrapped”  Nerves
• “Pinched” Nerves
• Herniated Disc
• Spinal Stenosis
• Nerve Irritation
• Thoracic Outlet syndrome
• Spinal Disc Lesions
• Brachial Plexus Neuropathies
• Spondyloisis
• Severed Nerve

Metabolic Disorders

• Diabetes
• Calcium deficiency
• Liver Disease
• Renal Disease
• Drugs
• Raynaud’s Phenomenon
• Alcoholism
• Vitamin B12 deficiency

Neurologic Disorders

• Demyelenating Disease
• Central Nervous System Disease
• Peripheral Nerve System Disease