Ok, try to imagine the following situation: After spending almost an hour sitting on the floor, you’re getting ready to stand up, but as soon as you try to do so.. “Adoi!” Your legs suddenly feel numb and itchy for no reason, macam ada banyak pins and needles poking them tiba tiba. Ha! mesti ada yang dah pernah rasa, kan?
Relax. There’s an official term for that kind of agonising condition: paresthesia. Dan almost everyone will come across it occasionally. Tapi nasib baik benda ni happens temporarily, so there’s no need to raise the alarm… yet.
Sebenarnya there are certain circumstances where paresthesia could indicate a much more serious health issue. Chop, jangan risau! We’re here to tell you more, and to help keep you informed.
Why lah this kind of thing occur?
Paresthesia may happen for several reasons. Tapi selalunya lah, it only happens temporarily simply because one of your nerves gets compressed based on your sitting or standing position (changing your body posture should be more than enough to alleviate it). However, at the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s chronic paresthesia, which tends to last a lot longer. Yang ini kita kena hati-hati. Why? Because it may be the result of damaged nerves due to injuries, stroke, a pressurised sciatic nerve, or nerve root compression.
Eh, some people are more prone to this condition ke?
Of course lah! You’re at a much higher risk of suffering from paresthesia if you’re subjected to chemotherapy medications. It’s also more likely to happen if you already have certain pre-existing medical problems, including:
- HIV
- Brain tumor
- Multiple sclerosis
- Kidney or liver disease
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2)
Bila dah kena, what will happen?
Paresthesia comes with several symptoms, most of which include:
- Itchiness
- Tingling or pins-and-needles-like discomfort
- Numbness
It may happen in your hands, feet, fingers, toes, or back. It can sometimes spread to other parts of your body. Kadang-kadang you may also experience trembling hands or rapid breathing.
Is there any way to detect it?
Mestilah! There are some scientific methods that can be utilised to diagnose the disease. Through electromyography (EMG) and conduction studies, doctors would be able to determine how well your nerve impulses and muscles are before deciding on what kind of treatment suits you best. Bukan tu je, sebab an ultrasound scan may be performed to determine whether a nerve is damaged or compressed.
Alamak, what can we do to recover?
Jangan takut! Luckily, lots of short-term solutions for paresthesia are available. Macam kita cakap tadi, you can simply adjust your body posture to destress your nerves and unblock your blood circulation. Simply shake your hands, legs, or even your head to achieve this, depending on where the pain is felt. Sometimes, certain medications will be given if the nerve pain gets worse.
However, it’s better to seek other treatments too to prevent it from happening in the future. To ease the tension and improve blood flow in your muscles, how about going for a massage? That sounds wonderful and relaxing, kan? If you don’t like being touched by strangers, then yoga should be a decent alternative. Sementara tu if you happen to suffer from diabetes, please be mindful of your daily food intake by minimising your blood sugar level since that could also trigger paresthesia.
Of course, aside from the above tips, you are more than welcome to consult your doctor should you wish to find out more about paresthesia.
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Disclaimer: Our content is strictly for educational and informational purposes only. Healthlah.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
