Tingling extremities can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'troubling' to 'life-threatening'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose tingling extremities, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Fluorosis | 90% | Confirm |
Magnesium Need | 30% | Unlikely |
Hypoglycemia | 22% | Unlikely |
Selenium Need | 2% | Ruled out |
Metal Toxicity | 2% | Ruled out |
EFA 3 Need | 1% | Ruled out |
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity | 0% | Ruled out |
Diabetes II | 0% | Ruled out |
Do you have any numbness, burning, or tingling of the extremities (toes or fingers)?
Possible responses:
→ No / don't know→ Yes, a little on one hand or foot only → Yes, severe on one hand or foot only → Yes, a little on two or more hands/feet → Yes, severe on two or more hands/feet |
Dehydration can cause an electrolyte imbalance. Sodium is an electrolyte involved in nerve signaling, so an imbalance can cause numbness, burning, or tingling sensations.
Symptoms generally begin in the patient's feet, hands or face, spread to the legs or arms, and increase in intensity as they move towards the center of the body. They generally appear on both left and right sides of the body. However, GBS is unpredictable, and cases have been reported in which this "glove and stocking" pattern is not followed. Instead, motor symptoms or disruptions in the autonomous system may be observed. GBS may also affect an arm or a leg alone, without spreading to the rest of the body.
For some individuals burning may become so bad that they feel like the area is on fire, exacerbated by certain movements and activities.
If vitamin B12 deficiency becomes pronounced, the nervous system can be affected, causing progressive peripheral neuropathy (tingling of the fingers and toes), muscle weakness, staggering, tenderness in the calves, confusion.