Numbness & Tingling Treatment

Neurological diseases, infections, nerve compression and metabolic disorders can cause numbness and tingling. These symptoms, called paresthesia, may respond to treatment without addressing the underlying cause.

An accurate diagnosis will determine if the cause is minor inflammation or a life-threatening metabolic disorder.

Vitamins

• According to the Merck Medical Library, doctors use vitamin B12 to treat numbness and tingling associated with pernicious anemia and liver disorders. Vitamin B12 injections also treat a spinal cord condition called subacute combined degeneration.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications

• Paresthesia associated with inflamed blood vessels, osteoarthritis and nerve compression may respond well to anti-inflammatory medications, if numbness and tingling is mild. Ask about corticosteroids if nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, prove ineffective.

Immunosuppressant Medications

• Tingling and numbness caused by autoimmune disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis, might ease with immunosuppressant medications. Consider asking your doctor about this class of medications if you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Physical Therapy

• The doctor may suggest gentle exercise, like walking. A combination of specific physical therapy exercises, antiseizure medications or antidepressants treats paresthesia associated with fibromyalgia and nerve compression.

Surgery

• An unstable spinal column can cause numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. Surgery may be necessary, fusing unstable vertebrae together to limit movement. If the spinal canal has narrowed, a surgeon may perform a laminectomy, or removal of part of a vertebra.