Numbness

Numbness is when you lose feeling in an area of the body. It usually means there’s a problem with a nerve. The symptom can show up from any number of causes. At RHBNeuro in Dallas, Texas, Randi Baculi, MD, and Sanam Zaidi, PA-C, use advanced diagnostic testing to find the cause of your numbness and provide the most effective care. Call the RHBNeuro office or schedule your numbness consultation online.

What is numbness?

Numbness is a symptom that means you have a loss of sensation. It’s an abnormal sensation that can affect any part of your body.

It’s not unusual to experience temporary numbness after sitting or sleeping in the same position for an extended period. However, chronic numbness or numbness that happens frequently can be a sign of an underlying health condition that would benefit from an evaluation at RHBNeuro.

What causes numbness?

Numbness happens when you have a problem with one or more nerves that deliver messages to and from the brain. The problem often arises if you’ve suffered nerve damage (neuropathy) or a particular nerve is irritated or compressed (herniated disc pressing on a spinal nerve).

These problems can be caused by an underlying medical condition like:

• Diabetes
• Nerve injury
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Herniated disc
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Poor circulation (peripheral artery disease [PAD] or chronic venous insufficiency) 
• Infection
• Shingles
• Seizures
• Stroke
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
• Hypothyroidism

The use of some medications can also cause numbness.

If you have abnormal sensations in any part of your body, RHBNeuro can help find the affected nerve and provide the right treatment.

What happens during a numbness evaluation?

RHBNeuro takes a patient-centered and detail-oriented approach to care. They ask about your symptoms, medical history, and family history and then complete physical and neurological exams.

They may use the TMFlow testing system, which assesses the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which controls involuntary functions like breathing. They might also do nerve conduction studies (NCS) to find the nerve causing the numbness.

How is numbness treated?

How your numbness is treated depends on what’s causing it. The board-certified neurologist at RHBNeuro personalizes your treatment plan to ease your symptoms and prevent further nerve damage.

Treatment can include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Disease-specific medication
• Medication to control nerve pain
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Use of splints or braces
• Nutritional supplements

In some cases, your provider at RHBNeuro will recommend surgery to treat the root cause of your numbness. For example, carpal release surgery treats carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). CTS is compression or pinching of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist.

Call RHBNeuro or schedule an appointment online for professional numbness care.