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What Do Numbness And Tingling Sensation On The Arms And Legs Suggest?
Question: My friend had a strange attack that upset me. He had numbness and tingling in the areas of his arms and legs.He said that they felt like they were falling asleep. His fingers clamped and locked. he said his diaphragm tightened and he lost his motor skills. also he said that he felt like rubber bands were snapping on his heart. His lips puckered and his face looked like it was frozen. It took us 3 hours to get home as it happened in the car last time (3 mos ago) and it happened again today. He wont let me take him to the doctor. I thought if I told you, he might believe that he needs to see a doctor. Just FYI, he used to have anxiety and believes its an anxiety attack, however, I am concerned with the locked legs and arms and he looked almost paralyzed.
Brief Answer:
Anxiety seems to be the cause, but still should see a doctor.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I appreciate your concern about your friend.
Looking at that description I have to say that he looks to be right though, that episode does seem indeed to be in the setting of anxiety. I am saying it as the combination of those symptoms does not seem to correlate with one anatomic region, do not correspond to dysfunction to a brain area or to the spinal cord. Such lesions would also cause persistent symptoms, at least longer than some hours.
A seizure seems unlikely as well, both from the prolonged duration of the episode as well as he doesn't seem to have lost consciousness.
That being said that doesn't mean that he doesn't need to see a doctor. Some routine blood tests are necessary to exclude some metabolic conditions which can rarely cause similar manifestations, in particular a full electrolyte panel and thyroid function.
Even if everything else is excluded and anxiety is confirmed he still would benefit from medical help, not only in the form of antianxiety medications but also through psychotherapy which would teach him relaxation methods in order to prevent or better handle similar attacks in the future.
I hope to have been of help.
Anxiety seems to be the cause, but still should see a doctor.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I appreciate your concern about your friend.
Looking at that description I have to say that he looks to be right though, that episode does seem indeed to be in the setting of anxiety. I am saying it as the combination of those symptoms does not seem to correlate with one anatomic region, do not correspond to dysfunction to a brain area or to the spinal cord. Such lesions would also cause persistent symptoms, at least longer than some hours.
A seizure seems unlikely as well, both from the prolonged duration of the episode as well as he doesn't seem to have lost consciousness.
That being said that doesn't mean that he doesn't need to see a doctor. Some routine blood tests are necessary to exclude some metabolic conditions which can rarely cause similar manifestations, in particular a full electrolyte panel and thyroid function.
Even if everything else is excluded and anxiety is confirmed he still would benefit from medical help, not only in the form of antianxiety medications but also through psychotherapy which would teach him relaxation methods in order to prevent or better handle similar attacks in the future.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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