What Does Tingling in the Back of Your Head Mean
People with numbness may be unable to feel light touch, pain, temperature, or vibration or to know where parts of their body are (position sense). When people do not know where parts of their body are, they have problems with balance and coordination.
Many people mistakenly use the term numbness when they have abnormal sensations such as tingling, prickling, or a pins-and-needles sensation or when a limb feels weak or is paralyzed—perhaps partly because people with numbness often also have such abnormal sensations and symptoms. The presence of other symptoms depends on what is causing numbness.
If numbness has been present a long time, particularly in the feet, it can lead to other problems. People may have difficulty walking and driving and may be more likely to fall. They may not notice infections, foot sores (ulcers), and injuries because they cannot sense pain as well. In such cases, treatment may be delayed.
For a person to feel sensations normally, sensory receptors (specialized ends of sensory nerve fibers in the skin) must detect information in and around the body. These receptors must then send a signal along the following pathway:
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Through sensory nerves (nerves from the skin to the spinal cord)
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Up the spinal cord
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Through the brain stem
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To the part of the brain that perceives and interprets these signals (in the cerebrum)
For some parts of the body, the pathway includes a plexus or the cauda equina.
Numbness results when one part of the pathway for sensation malfunctions, usually because of a disorder or drug.
Many conditions can cause numbness in various ways. For example, they may
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Damage part of the pathway for sensation, as may result from injuries Injuries of the Spinal Cord and Vertebrae Most spinal cord injuries result from motor vehicle crashes, falls, assaults, and sports injuries. Symptoms, such as loss of sensation, loss of muscle strength, and loss of bowel, bladder, and... read more
or from hereditary disorders that affect nerves Hereditary Neuropathies Hereditary neuropathies affect the peripheral nerves, causing subtle symptoms that worsen gradually. (See also Overview of the Peripheral Nervous System.) Hereditary neuropathies may affect... read more (neuropathies), such as Friedreich ataxia Friedreich ataxia Coordination disorders often result from malfunction of the cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates voluntary movements and controls balance. The cerebellum malfunctions, causing... read more -
Put pressure on (compress) part of the pathway
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Cause metabolic abnormalities, which may occur in diabetes Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high. Urination and thirst are... read more , vitamin B12 deficiency Vitamin B12 Deficiency Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in vegans who do not take supplements or as a result of an absorption disorder. Anemia develops, causing paleness, weakness, fatigue, and, if severe, shortness... read more , or poisoning due to heavy metals (such as lead) or another toxin or when chemotherapy drugs are used
Because so many disorders can cause numbness, doctors ask questions systematically, focusing on more likely causes.
In people with numbness, the following symptoms are cause for concern:
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Numbness that begins suddenly (within minutes or hours)
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Weakness that begins suddenly or rapidly (within hours or days)
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Numbness or weakness that rapidly spreads up or down the body, involving more and more parts of the body
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Difficulty breathing
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Numbness in the thighs, buttocks, genitals, and the area between them (saddle area) and loss of bladder and bowel control (incontinence)
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Numbness on both sides below a specific level of the body (such as below the midchest)
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Numbness of an entire leg or arm
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Loss of sensation in the face and torso
People who have warning signs should go to a hospital immediately. People without warning signs should call their doctor. The doctor can decide how rapidly they need to be seen based on their symptoms.
Doctors begin by asking which body parts are affected. The pattern of body parts affected by numbness often indicates which part of the nerve pathway is malfunctioning:
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Part of a limb: Peripheral nerve or sometimes spinal nerve root malfunction
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Arm and leg on the same side of the body: Brain malfunction
Doctors ask the person to describe the numbness. Then doctors may ask specific questions:
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When numbness began
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How quickly it began
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Whether the person also has other symptoms such as abnormal sensations, weakness or paralysis, loss of bowel or bladder control, retention of urine, vision problems, difficulty swallowing, or deterioration of mental function
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Whether any event, such as pressure on a limb, an injury, sleeping in an awkward position, or an infection, triggered the symptoms
Knowing how quickly numbness and other symptoms began helps doctors determine the type of disorder.
The person is asked about symptoms that may suggest a cause. For example, back and/or neck pain suggests osteoarthritis, a ruptured disk, or another disorder that puts pressure on the spinal cord.
Doctors also ask whether the person has had a disorder that can cause numbness, particularly diabetes, chronic kidney disease, infections (such as HIV infection or Lyme disease), a stroke, or arthritis. Doctors may ask whether any family members have had similar symptoms or have a hereditary disorder that affects the nervous system. They ask the person about use of drugs, including recreational drugs, and about possible exposure to toxins.
Testing is not needed if the diagnosis is obvious and treatment involves only general measures (such as rest or a splint)—for example, in some cases of carpal tunnel syndrome.
In other cases, tests are done based on where doctors think the problem is:
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For sensory nerves, plexuses, or spinal nerve roots: Nerve conduction studies and electromyography
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For plexuses: Nerve conduction studies and electromyography and sometimes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after a contrast agent is injected into a vein
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For the brain or spinal cord: MRI or, if MRI is not readily available, computed tomography (CT)
Other tests are then done to identify the specific disorder. For example, if results suggest a polyneuropathy, doctors do blood tests to check for its various causes (such as diabetes, kidney disorders, or vitamin deficiencies).
The condition causing numbness is corrected or treated when possible.
General measures can help relieve symptoms and prevent additional problems. Precautions to prevent injury are needed because people with numbness are less likely to feel discomfort. If their feet are numb, particularly if circulation is impaired, they should wear socks and shoes that fit well and should check their shoes for pebbles or other foreign material before putting their shoes on. People should inspect their feet frequently for sores and signs of infection, such as redness. If hands or fingers are numb, people should be careful when handling objects that could be hot or sharp.
People should be aware that they may have problems driving, and if they do, they should talk to their doctor about the problems.
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Numbness refers to partial or complete loss of sensation and is often accompanied by abnormal sensations, such as tingling.
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Numbness, which has many causes, occurs when one part of the pathway from sensory receptors in the skin to the brain malfunctions.
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Telling doctors which parts of the body are affected and how quickly symptoms develop helps doctors identify the location and cause of the malfunction.
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Testing usually starts with nerve conduction studies and electromyography if the sensory nerves, plexuses, or spinal nerve roots are thought to be affected or with MRI if the brain or spinal cord is thought to be affected.
What Does Tingling in the Back of Your Head Mean
Source: https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/symptoms-of-brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders/numbness