| Helping to reduce numbness
Question
: MY mum feels numbness in her left hand which she finds uncomfortable
and disturbing. I'm worried that this may be a symptom of bad blood
circulation or some other health problem. What is your advice?
Answer : NUMBNESS is caused by altered sensory nerve functions. It
can occur anywhere in the body, but is often felt in the hands, feet, arms
or legs. It usually involves both the loss in the ability to move a
particular area and sensations. These sensations, which occur without any
associated stimulus, are called paresthesias. Other types of paresthesias
include feelings of cold, warmth, burning, itching and skin crawling.
Your mum may need to check with a doctor to find out the underlying
causes of her numbness which can be due to a lack of blood supply to the
affected area, a vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes, hypothyroidism,
malnutrition, central nervous system disturbances and nerve injury.
Vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium and other nutrients may improve nerve
function. The B vitamins are one of the most important nutrients for nerve
health maintenance. They help increase the ability to repair body damage or
injury. Calcium is beneficial in alleviating muscle cramps, pain and
numbness in neck, shoulders, arms and legs. Magnesium also helps in reducing
numbness and tingling symptoms.
Ginkgo has long been used to stimulate blood circulation and alleviate
numbness. Self-massaging with an essential oil may be beneficial too.
Stretching and exercising may improve the blood circulation. She should
avoid doing a repetitive task for too long.
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