Numbness is caused by damage, irritation or compression of nerves. A single nerve branch or several nerves may be affected. Examples include a slipped disk in the back or carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist. Certain diseases such as diabetes or toxins such as chemotherapy or alcohol can damage the longer, more-sensitive nerve fibers. These include the nerve fibers that go to the feet. The damage can cause numbness.
Numbness commonly affects nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. When these nerves are affected, it can cause a lack of feeling in the arms, legs, hands and feet.
Numbness alone, or numbness associated with pain or other unpleasant sensations, isn't usually due to life-threatening disorders such as strokes or tumors.
Your doctor needs detailed information about your symptoms to diagnose the cause of your numbness. A variety of tests may be needed to confirm the cause before treatment can begin.
Possible causes of numbness include:
Brain and nervous system conditions
- Acoustic neuroma
- Brain aneurysm
- Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation)
- Brain tumor
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Herniated disk
- Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system
- Peripheral nerve injuries
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal cord tumor
- Stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Transverse myelitis
Trauma or overuse injuries
- Brachial plexus injury
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Frostbite
Chronic conditions
- Alcohol use disorder
- Amyloidosis
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
- Diabetes
- Fabry's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Porphyria
- Raynaud's disease
- Sjogren's syndrome
Infectious diseases
- Leprosy
- Lyme disease
- Shingles
- Syphilis
Treatment side effects
- Side effects of chemotherapy or anti-HIV drugs
Other causes
- Heavy metal exposure
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Vasculitis
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
May 04, 2023
- Numbness. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/symptoms-of-neurologic-disorders/numbness#. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/stroke#. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Jankovic J, et al., eds. Disorders of peripheral nerves. In: Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Raynaud's phenomenon. American College of Rheumatology. https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Raynauds-Phenomenon. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Numbness or tingling. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Numbness. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Neuropathy. American Diabetes Association. https://diabetes.org/diabetes/neuropathy. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Cerebral aneurysms. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/cerebral-aneurysms?search-term=cerebral%20aneurysm#. Accessed March 31, 2023
- Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/arteriovenous-malformations-avms?search-term=arteriovenous#. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Briemberg HR, et al. Approach to the patient with sensory loss. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 30, 2023.
- Park JK, et al. Vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Amyloidosis. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/endocrine-and-metabolic-disorders/amyloidosis/amyloidosis?query=amyloidosis#. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Brain tumor. Cancer.Net. https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/brain-tumor/view-all. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Spinal trauma. Merck Manual Professional Version. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/injuries_poisoning/spinal_trauma/spinal_trauma.html. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Spinal tumors. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Spinal-Tumors/. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Brachial plexus injuries. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/brachial-plexus-injuries. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Ferri FF. Frostbite. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2023. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Symptoms overview. National Fabry Disease Foundation. https://www.fabrydisease.org/index.php/about-fabry-disease/fabry-disease-symptoms-overview. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Fabry disease. National Kidney Foundation. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/fabry. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Shingles. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/shingles#:~:text=Most%20cases%20of%20shingles%20last,a%20red%20rash%20will%20appear. Accessed March 31, 2023.
- Burke CR. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of thoracic aortic aneurysm. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 31, 2023.