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Paresthesia is a feeling of tingling, burning, pricking, or numbness of the skin with no apparent physical cause. Some people call it a feeling of "pins and needles."
Paresthesia that comes and goes (transient paresthesia) is usually caused by pressure on a nerve, and it disappears gradually as the pressure is relieved. Other kinds of paresthesia can be chronic and painful and are often a symptom of underlying nerve damage or disease.
Comparing the affected area with an unaffected area will determine whether paresthesia is present.
Treatment for paresthesia depends on what is causing the problem.
Current as of: October 6, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor MD - Emergency Medicine
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