Causes of numbness and weakness?

Numbness and weakness often go hand in hand and can be caused by many different things. Identifying a specific reason can be tricky without a comprehensive medical diagnosis, and a lot also depends on where, exactly, the symptoms occur. One of the most common causes of temporary or sporadic weakness and numbness is pinching or nerve damage, which itself can be caused by a number of different things; everything from a problem with the positioning of the bones or the anatomy of the spine to an awkward posture or uncomfortable sitting position. Injury is another common cause. More intense symptoms may have a degenerative condition like multiple sclerosis to blame, and associated problems may also be caused by diabetes and hormonal imbalances. When symptoms are limited to the hands and wrists, carpal tunnel syndrome is a common explanation. In general, anyone concerned about tingling, weakness, or numbness they feel should seek the advice of a qualified physician to obtain an individualized diagnosis.

Understand the condition in general

Weakness is usually defined as a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles. Numbness is an unusual sensation, or more accurately, lack of sensation, in a particular part of the body. Both can be limited to particular parts of the body or more generalized and can be fleeting or long-lasting. Sometimes, the explanation is simple; many people find that they get a pins and needles sensation and temporary weakness when they have been crossing their legs for too long or when they put stress on certain muscle groups. This usually goes away on its own as circulation is restored and is usually nothing to worry about. When numbness and weakness last for a significant amount of time, however, individually or together, it could be the result of a medical condition that requires treatment.

Stress or nerve damage

Nerve problems are one of the most common causes of numbness, and weakness often follows in many cases. A pinched nerve occurs when nerves are damaged or injured by compression, constriction, or pressure. Numbness and weakness resulting from pinched nerves tend to be located in the area where the nerves are damaged. Sometimes medications can successfully relieve symptoms, but in others, surgery is needed to free up the nerve and restore feeling and movement.

Mental or environmental triggers

Panic attacks — the sudden onset of extreme fear, anxiety, or panic — can in some cases be extreme enough to cause physical symptoms. The weakness associated with a panic attack is in the legs and is sometimes referred to as “jelly legs”. Numbness can occur in the hands and feet when a person experiencing a panic attack hyperventilates.

wound
Nerve and tissue damage from accidents or injuries are also common explanations. In these cases, a person’s nerve receptors have usually been distorted or damaged to the point where they register signals and synapses incorrectly or out of proportion to their true strength. People recovering from serious injuries often experience a period of weakness and numbness that will lessen as the tissues heal, but physical therapy is often required to regain full strength, and some lasting symptoms may never fully go away.

degenerative conditions

A number of degenerative conditions can also affect nerve function and sensation, perhaps none as profoundly as multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is the result of a damaged myelin sheath, the part of the cellular anatomy that coats and protects nerve fibers. When the nerve fiber protectors are damaged, nerve impulses slow down or stop altogether. The nerve damage associated with multiple sclerosis is progressive, and people with the disease may have symptoms that affect different parts of the body at different times.
As a symptom of diabetes

One of the hallmarks of diabetes is the inability to produce enough insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar. As a result of this insulin deficiency, people with diabetes have high blood sugar, which can lead to generalized weakness. When blood sugar levels aren’t consistently controlled, the result is often diabetic neuropathy, which can cause localized weakness and numbness in the legs and arms. This is especially concerning because the numbness prevents diabetics from feeling pain in those areas, and they may not realize they have an injury that needs treatment until it’s too late to fix it.

Hypothyroidism, the result of a deficiency of
thyroid
hormones
, is connected. This condition causes the body’s metabolism to slow down. Associated weakness is usually generalized, while numbness is typically localized to the hands and feet.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist is compressed in an area known as the carpal tunnel. This can happen as a result of repetitive motion activities involving the wrists and hands. One of the most common culprits is computer use, especially the keyboard and mouse. Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause pain, numbness, and weakness severe enough to require surgery if less invasive treatments don’t work.

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