In Chinese medicine, numbness and paresthesia are caused by a lack of blood flow to the skin. The skin relies on a constant supply of blood to maintain its elasticity and sensitivity. When blood flow is inadequate or blocked by a pathogen, numbness and paresthesia can occur. In general, numbness is caused by a pathogen blocking the blood flow, while tingling and pins and needles are caused by a deficiency in blood flow. However, in practice, various degrees of numbness and tingling may be seen together.
In biomedicine, there are two main causes of numbness and paresthesia: mechanical compression or damage to a sensory nerve, or nerve damage from metabolic issues, ischemia, autoimmune disorders, infections, or nutritional deficiencies.
Numbness and Paresthesia - Patterns of Disharmony
Signs and symptoms
Numbness and a feeling of thickness or woodenness in discrete areas. Numbness can occur anywhere, however mostly appears in patches on the trunk or large muscles of the thighs and upper arm.
mild fever and chills, hot and cold sensations
aversion to wind and sudden change of temperature
sweating and clamminess with mild exertion
dry, itchy skin, worse during cold, dry weather
T thin, white tongue coat
Healing approach
Dispel wind from the exterior
Balance nutritive and protective qi
Signs and symptoms
Numbness, tingling and cold in the hands and feet (to the wrist and ankle), aggravated or initiated by exposure to cold. Fingers and toes may blanch white or purple when exposed to cold. The affected limb or limbs may be pale or purplish and discolored, and feel icy cold, rough and dry to the touch. Once cold, the hands and feet are slow to warm up even when covered in gloves or socks or exposed to a heat source.
T pale or bluish with a white coat
Healing approach
Warm the channels and collaterals and disperse cold
Nourish blood and unblock blood vessels
Signs and symptoms
Progressive numbness, tingling and heaviness in the arms, legs, hands and feet. Sensory deficit starts at the tips of the extremities, gradually progressing to a 'stocking and glove' distribution. When severe, numbness can make walking and using the hands difficult. The limbs feel firm and cold to the touch.
dizziness or vertigo; foggy or heavy head, difficulty con-centrating; stifling sensation in the chest
may be blurred vision or double vision
symptoms often worse in damp or humid weather
T normal color, or slightly pale and swollen with thick, white, greasy coat
Healing approach
Transform phlegm, promote qi movement
Tonify qi and unblock the collaterals
Signs and symptoms
Numbness, insensitivity and a wooden feeling in a limb that is discolored and with thickened, dry, scaly skin. Purple, congested veins, varicosities, or spider nevi are evident in the affected area. The limbs are generally cool to the touch, and may ache.
vascular congestion or venous ulceration
left iliac fossa pressure pain
T mauve or purple with stasis spots; dark, congested sublingual veins
Healing approach
Invigorate blood and disperse static blood
Open up the channels and collaterals
Warm and dispel cold
Signs and symptoms
Numbness with complete loss of sensation. The numbness may be anywhere in the body, although the extremities are most affected. When the lower limb is affected, walking is difficult.
weakness in the extremities; cold extremities
dark skin discoloration or congested veins and spider nevi over or near the affected area
T mauve or purple, or with brown or purple stasis spots; may be a thick or greasy coat; sublingual veins congested and dark
Healing approach
Invigorate blood and disperse blood stasis
Transform and eliminate phlegm
Signs and symptoms
Acute or gradual and progressive onset of numbness in the extremities or head, accompanied by aching and stiffness of muscles and joints. The numbness is worse during or preceding cold or wet weather or increasing humidity.
Numbness and aching may be relieved by warmth.
T normal or pale, with a thin, white or greasy coat
Healing approach
Dispel wind-dampness
Open up flow of qi and blood through the channels and collaterals
Signs and symptoms
Numbness, heaviness, tingling and paresthesia of the feet and lower legs, with mild edema. May also be aching or weakness. The limbs feel warm to the touch. Numbness or a burning sensation begin in the soles of the feet and gradually progress up the leg. Symptoms can develop gradually or quickly. These patients are heat intolerant, and feel worse in warm weather or with ho baths. A low-grade afternoon fever or contained fever is often Present, and night sweats may be a problem.
heaviness, lethargy
flushed complexion; greasy skin
stifling sensation in the chest
abdominal distention
may be lymphadenopathy
T red with a greasy, yellow coat
Healing approach
Clear damp-heat from collaterals and muscles
Invigorate circulation of qi and blood
Signs and symptoms
Numbness and paresthesia, mostly in the hands and feet. There may be heaviness, a feeling as if walking on cotton wool, and mild edema. These patients are pale, clammy, easily breathless with exertion and speak softly.
fatigue, weakness
frequent colds and flu
loss of appetite, abdominal distention, loose stools Tpale, swollen and scalloped with a thin, white coat
Healing approach
Tonify qi to lead the blood
Secure and fortify protective qi
Signs and symptoms
Numbness or complete loss of sensation, with mild weakness or loss of function. Some degree of facial paralysis or hemiplegia evident, with mild vascular congestion or discoloration over the affected region. Usually one side of the body or the face is affected. These patients are pale, clammy, easily breathless and fatigued. Numbness may be worse when energy is lowest.
loss of appetite; loose stools; palpitations
frequent urination or incontinence of urine
T mauve, pale or purplish body with a white coat
Healing approach
Tonify qi to lead the blood
Secure and fortify protective qi
Signs and symptoms
Numbness of the hands and feet, fingertips and toes, or paches of skin anywhere on the body. The skin in general iple, thin, dry, cracked or scaly: Numbnessis often None at night and may contribute to sleep loss. These people are pale and sallow, with pale, lusterless lips, nails and conjunctivae. Postural dizziness is common, and there may be insomnia with difficulty falling asleep.
dry eyes and visual weakness or spots before eyes
palpitations
fatigue, tiredness worse at the end of the day
dry stools or constipation
light menstrual periods or amenorrhea
T pale, thin and dry
Healing approach
Nourish and tonify blood
Invigorate blood and open up blood flow in the collaterals
Signs and symptoms
Numbness in the limbs. When the lower limbs are elevated there may also be weakness or wasting of the limbs tal upper limbs, there may be muscle spasms, tics or tenors. The skin may be pale or have a purplish hue. These patients are generally weak, with aching lower back and legs, and an inability to sit for very long. They tend to run hot, with facial flushing, low-grade fever rising in the afternoon and evening, and night sweats.
fatigue, weakness, exhaustion
blurred or weakening vision, cataracts
insomnia; waking feeling hot or anxious
dizziness and tinnitus
hair loss, premature graying of the hair
dry mouth and throat
may be a tremor
irregular menses, scanty menstruation, amenorrhea
T red and dry with little or no coat
Healing approach
Tonify and strengthen the Liver and Kidneys
Support the sinews and bones
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