Numbness refers to a strange sensation in which people cannot feel certain body parts. Numbness can affect the hands, legs, arms or feet. Sometimes, problems in the brain or spinal cord can lead to numbness in different parts of the body. Fortunately, the causes of numbness have available treatment options.
Transient Ischemic Attack
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is also known as a mini-stroke. One of three people affected by TIA eventually suffer from a stroke, says the Mayo Clinic.
Specific symptoms of a TIA include sudden weakness or numbness of one side of the body. A TIA also causes slurred speech, double vision, blindness in one or both eyes, unsteadiness and a lack of coordination. Typically, these symptoms last for a few minutes and should resolve within one hour.
A TIA is typically due to an obstruction of the blood vessels in the brain. The Mayo Clinic says that the blockage of the blood clot is transient, unlike a stroke. Specifically, cholesterol builds up the brain's blood vessels and forms plaques.
Treatment for a TIA involves taking anti-platelet medications such as clopidogrel to prevent platelets from clogging the blood vessels. Also, anticoagulant medications such as heparin or warfarin can be used to prevent the blood from clotting.
Surgery can also be used to open up the narrowed blood vessels.
Syringomyelia
Syringomyelia is a condition in which fluid fills certain areas of the spinal cord. According to MedlinePlus, symptoms of syringomyelia include numbness of the neck, shoulders and upper part of the arms. Muscle wasting, muscle weakness, rashes, a lack of coordination and muscle spasms also indicate syringomyelia.
Spinal cord tumors, trauma, or birth defects such as a chiari malformation in which the brain stem pushes down into the spinal cord, all may cause syringomyelia.
Surgery is necessary to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord and physical therapy can be utilized to strengthen the muscles with exercises.
Wallenburg's Syndrome
The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) says that Wallenburg's syndrome is a condition that results from a stroke in certain blood vessels of the brain called the vertebral or posterior inferior cerebellar artery of the brain stem.
Symptoms of Wallenburg syndrome include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, problems swallowing, problems walking and involuntary eye movements (nystagmus). Sometimes, Wallenburg syndrome sufferers have a lack of feeling on one side of the face. Wallenburg syndrome can also lead to uncontrollable hiccups and a loss of taste in certain parts of the tongue.
The NINDS says that treatment for Wallenburg's syndrome involves treating the individual symptoms. Medications such as gabapantin can be prescribed for the pain. In some cases, speech or swallowing therapy may be needed to treat Wallenburg's syndrome.
