This book describes Numbness and Tingling, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related DiseasesMy sister-in-law last week complains of numbness and tingling of both hands and legs.In spite of treatment by the hospital she did not improve.She is still being investigated by the hospital's specialists.Numbness and tingling are atypical sensations that can happen anywhere in the body, but they are often felt in the fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs.Paresthesia is a medical symptom that indicates a burning or prickling sensation in addition to numbness and tingling normally felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also happen in other parts of the body.The numbness and tingling sensation is one which:1. Happens without warning,2. Is normally painless3. Is felt as tingling or numbness,4. Is felt also as skin crawling, or itching.A. Transient or temporary Numbness and tingling is one that gives a sensation of "pins and needles" in people at some time in their lives.It may happen when they have:1. Sat with legs crossed for too long2. Fallen asleep with an arm placed under their head.3. Sustained pressure placed on a nerve.The feeling quickly goes away once the pressure is relieved.B. Chronic Numbness and tingling is frequently a medical symptom of an underlying neurological disease or traumatic nerve damage.Numbness and tingling can be due to disorders affecting the central nervous system such as:1. Stroke and transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes),2. Multiple sclerosis,3. Transverse myelitis,4. Encephalitis.5. A tumor or vascular lesion6. Nerve entrapment syndromesCauses:1. Sitting or standing in the same position for a long time2. Injuring a nerve3. Pressure on the nerves4. Lack of blood supply to an area5. A lack of vitamin B12Symptoms:Numbness and tingling happen when the patient loses normal sensation in an area of the body.This happens because the pressure cuts off the blood supply to nerves that carry messages about sensation to the brain.If the patient has numbness, the patient does not feel anythingDiagnosisA diagnostic assessment of numbness and tingling is based on detection of the underlying disorder that is making the person to sense numbness and tingling feelings.Diabetic neuropathy, hypo-calcemia, vitamin deficiencies, drug toxicity, and minor infections such as herpes zoster or Herpes Simplex Virus can normally be diagnosed medically or with laboratory tests.All other peripheral neuropathies require EMG with nerve conduction studies to confirm and characterize the neuropathy1. Complete Blood Count2. Chemistry panel or metabolic panel3. Urinalysis4. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)5. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)Other Studies are:1. Serum Folate2. Vitamin B123. Syphilis Serology (VDRL)4. Antinuclear Antibody (ANA)5. Nerve conduction velocities6. Electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction studies7. Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to rule out central nervous system disorders8. Cold stimulation test done to check for Raynaud phenomenonImaging Studies:1. X-Ray of affected limb2. Angiogram (a test that uses x-rays and a special dye to see inside the blood vessels)3. CT angiogram4. CT scan of the headTissue and Immunological Studies:1. Nerve biopsy2. Muscle biopsy3. Serum immunoelectrophoresisTreatment:Treatment will depend on the likely cause of the numbness and tingling.Certain exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome or low back painVitamin supplementsAnti-inflammatory medicines for painAntidepressant medicationsWear clothes and shoes that are loose-fittingStretching or massaging the affected limb can decrease the tinglingTABLE OF CONTENTIntroductionChapter 1 Numbness and TinglingChapter 2 CauseChapter 3 SymptomsChapter 4 DiagnosisChapter 5 TreatmentChapter 6...