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( Paresthesia)
Paresthesia (pron. /?p???s'?i??/; paraesthesia in British English, pron. /?pæ??s'?i??/) is a sensation of tingling, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect. It is more generally known as the feeling of "pins and needles" or of a limb being "asleep" (although this is not directly related to the phenomenon of sleep). The manifestation of parasthesia may be transient or chronic. Paresthesia of the mouth, hands, and feet are common, transient symptoms of the related conditions of hyperventilation syndrome and panic attacks. It may also occur when pressure is put on a nerve. In the case of the latter, removing the pressure will gradually relieve the "pins and needles" feeling. Pressure placed on a limb can also squeeze arteries, preventing them from carrying nutrients.[1] Chronic paresthesia indicates a problem with the functioning of neurons. In older individuals, paresthesia is often the result of poor circulation in the limbs (such as in peripheral vascular disease), which may be caused by atherosclerosis, the build up of plaque on artery walls. Without a proper supply of blood and nutrients, nerve cells can no longer adequately send signals to the brain. Because of this, paresthesia can also be a symptom of vitamin deficiency and malnutrition, as well as metabolic disorders like diabetes, hypothyroidism, and hypoparathyroidism.
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