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Diseases & Conditions
4 reasons for tingling or numbness in the arms and legs
- By Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Nerve or artery problems are often behind the symptoms.
Temporary pins and needles sensations or numbness are common when you’ve held the same position too long: this can put pressure on a nerve or compromise blood flow to the nerve. However, some conditions can cause these same symptoms to be persistent, even constant. Here are four of the most common reasons for such longer-lasting symptoms.
1. Peripheral neuropathy
This condition involves damage to nerve fibers that run throughout the body. Most often, the symptoms start gradually, first in the limbs, particularly the toes. The symptoms include a reduced ability to sense something touching the skin, tingling, burning, or itching, as well as weakness, twitching, or shrinkage of the muscles.
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Healing Leg Pain
The conditions that contribute to leg pain can range from fractures, muscle tears, and sprains, to long-term problems caused by osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, and vascular disease. This Special Health Report is designed to help you resolve both the pain and the problem. Healing Leg Pain will take you from symptoms to source to solution. You’ll find how to accelerate treatment, avoid recurrence, and assure renewed leg strength and wellness.
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