Parasthesia

Parasthesia is also known by the name of pins and needles. This is a condition where a person experiences tingling, pricking as well as burning sensation on the legs as well as arms.

Parasthesia can be temporary or chronic.

Temporary Parasthesia

Almost all the people have the temporary Parasthesia. A person develops temporary condition of Parasthesia when the nerves which are present in the area affected do not receive any blood supply. This occurs due to the application of weight on that area. One may experience this condition while you sit in a specific position or while kneeling down.

Chronic Parasthesia

The condition of chronic Parasthesia can be experienced in a person with frequent attacks for a long span of time. Chronic pins and needles are found in a person who has some severe medical conditions like diabetes or multiple sclerosis.

The treatment for chronic parasthesia is determined by analysing the underlying reason for experiencing this condition. Sometimes, only change in the lifestyle will be required. But in extreme cases, the person may have to undergo medication for a long time or even surgery.

Symptoms

The parasthesia will generally be felt on the rams, hands, feet as well as legs. But there are certain other places where one may experience this condition. They are the neck as well as the mouth.

The following are a few symptoms which characterise the presence of pins and needles in a person – Experiencing a cold sensation of a burning and warm sensation on the area which is affected. But there will not be any pain associated with this sensation. The affected areas develop numbness. The presence of tingling and pricking sensation as well as presence of itchiness or pruritis.

A person who experiences these symptoms in case of temporary parasthesia will be relived once the pressure causing the condition is removed from the area which has been affected.

But those who suffer from chronic parasthesia are subjected to frequent attacks of these symptoms over a long span of time. A person must consult a doctor if the condition persists for more than two months as it can be the symptoms of some other critical condition.

Causes

Temporary parasthesia

A person experiences temporary parasthesia when he applies pressure to nerves of the areas getting affected. This leads to a restricted blood supply to the area, causing the prevention of vital signals being sent to brain.

Chronic parasthesia

The presence of chronic parasthesia may be an indication of some other critical medical conditions or diseases like disorders related to the central nervous system like brain tumour, stroke, brain abscess, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis as well as transient ischemic attacks. Diseases related to the conjunctive tissue like Sjogren’s syndrome or arthritis. Nerve entrapment syndrome like sciatica as well as carpet tunnel syndrome. Presence of any metabolic disorder like diabetes as well as hypothyroidism and cardiovascular diseases like arteriosclerosis.

The other factors triggering this condition are exposure to toxic materials, chemotherapy, malnutrition, cancer and misuse of alcohol.

Treatment

The temporary parasthesia does not need any medications. Only the pressure causing the condition must be removed.

The treatment for chronic parasthesia depends on relieving the underlying conditions like diabetes.