Undoubtedly, you’ve experienced an arm or leg that has “fallen asleep.” This temporary condition is a universal issue that has affected everyone at one point or another. The technical name for this numbness and tingling is known as paresthesia.
In this article, we will review the issue of paresthesia and show how chiropractic care can help with this tricky ailment.
Temporary Paresthesia
In the introduction of this article, we hinted at the issue of temporary tingling and numbness that results from an arm or leg “falling asleep.”
Essentially, this happens when we fall into a position that restricts blood flow to our extremities. Specifically, the issue is because the nerves supplying these areas aren’t getting enough blood or when the nerves themselves are compressed.
For example, many students have experienced this after falling asleep on their desks while in class. The easiest way to get comfortable in this position is to have the arm extended and the head resting on the biceps. In this posture, however, it is difficult for the heart to pump blood to the nerves of the hand. Therefore, a portion of the limb will often go numb in this position.
Another common example is when a foot falls asleep.
Many times, our feet can fall asleep when we are seated on the toilet for a long period of time. Not to be indelicate, but this is a common issue many people experience after a prolonged trip to the restroom. Because of the position of the toilet, the arteries leading to the legs are unable to properly guide the blood to their nerves and other targets. As a result, the feet become numb.
Luckily, these conditions are temporary, and they resolve within minutes once the person starts using the limb again.
Chronic Paresthesia
In the previous section, we provided an overview of acute, or temporary paresthesia. Now, in this section, we’ll dive into the topic of chronic paresthesia.
Paresthesia that doesn’t go away can happen for many different reasons. Let’s take a look at some specific paresthesia causes.
Strokes and Brain Injuries
Some of the most common causes of numbness and tingling are injuries to the brain and strokes.
These conditions disrupt the centers of the brain that control sensation. As a result, many people who’ve had strokes or brain injuries have to endure chronic numbness in one or more areas.
Peripheral Nerve Injuries
Sometimes, people will suffer permanent paresthesia due to a peripheral nerve injury. This can occur when someone accidentally cuts their finger while preparing a meal, or due to other, similar circumstances.
Living with Chronic Paresthesia
People who have long-term numbness often have to make significant modifications to their lifestyles.
For instance, if someone has a permanently numb hand, they need to learn to use their eyes and other cues to keep their hands from getting burned or frozen in applicable situations. Alternatively, someone with permanent numbness in their feet will usually need to wear very thick-soled shoes to prevent injuries due to stepping on a nail or other sharp object.
Many of these modifications may be necessary and helpful for these individuals. Also, chiropractic care can help people improve their sensation and decrease symptoms associated with their paresthetic condition.
Chiropractors help patients achieve perfect alignment in their spine. In doing so, nerve function is often improved. In some cases, spinal manipulations can even help patients recover most or all of the sensations they lost.
Are you dealing with chronic or recurrent paresthesia? If so, you may benefit from chiropractic treatment. The team at Keystone Chiropractic, the best chiropractors in Plano, TX, are well-versed in these conditions and can help you get back on track. Book your appointment today.
