The word “tingle” It is very appropriate to describe the sensations that we perceive when “we fell asleep” some extremity, because we really feel that hundreds of ants are crawling on our arm or on our leg. But they are not insects, what is happening is that we are suffering from what is known as a temporary paresthesia attack.
Usually this unpleasant feeling is harmless and it ends up disappearing after a while, but there are cases in which it can be something more serious. When the intensity and frequency of this “tingle”, then we can be facing a case of chronic paresthesia and then it is necessary to receive medical advice.
The temporary or transient paresthesia It usually happens when we have been sitting cross-legged for a long time or when we have lay down with the weight of our head on our arm. These strange postures cause let’s pinch a nerve and that we put continuous pressure on it, which translates into this “tingling” sensation that we talked about at the beginning. But this is not always the case. There is other possible causes for which paresthesia could appear:
Carpal tunnel syndrome
The Repetitive movements performed with the fingers cause the carpal tunnel canal to become inflamed. When the nerve gets stuck in the tunnel of the wrist, this tingling occurs in the hands. Is a fairly common condition in programmers, writers, musicians, etc.
tennis elbow
Like carpal tunnel, tennis elbow is suffered more by people whose activities make them use their elbow repetitively. The inflammation and strain on the tendon results in paraesthesia in the hand or arm.
Migraine
Around 15% of people who suffer from migraine they tend to get this tickle when they experience a crisis. It is a tingling sensation that usually starts in one hand and moves up the arm and face. In some cases It can even be painful.
Cerebrovascular conditions
Are the most dangerous cause by which parasthesia could manifest. Usually one of the symptoms that we are going to suffer a strokealthough it does not appear alone. It is usually accompanied by confusion, speech and vision disorders, headache, etc. In these cases it is better to act quickly and go to an emergency center as soon as possible.
Alterations in blood circulation
A weak blood supply makes paresthesia more likely. In these cases it is convenient to exercise, maintain a balanced diet and reduce stress, as well as avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption; what are the most common controllable causes of circulation problems.
Brachial plexus neuralgia
Is a inflammation of the surrounding tissue to the brachial plexus, which is the network of nerves that is responsible for sending signals from the spinal cord to the upper extremities. This inflammation can cause severe pain followed by numbness and tingling in the hands. It is advisable in these cases to try to Keep moving in the area.
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