A sudden tingling sensation overtaking your hands, feet or face is a fairly common complaint reported by lots of people nowadays. It may be a result of  sleeping for prolonged hours on either of your limbs or sitting in the same position when reading, writing or typing.

A tingling sensation is medically termed as paresthesia and is usually an outcome of trauma or injury to the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS is a component of the nervous system that connects the brain to the various organs of the body through a network of nerve fibers. It transmits information back and forth in the form of nerve impulses or signals. When a nerve is compressed, the transfer of signals may be delayed, slowed or hampered, affecting the brain’s capacity to interpret signals and send back responses.

In order to cope with this phenomenon, the brain responds by associating the sensation to numbness and tingling. These are the first symptoms of a nerve injury. A mild or temporary tingling marked by a “feeling of pins and needles” can be relieved as soon as the pressure on the associated nerve is relieved.

Tingling may be caused by:

• Dehydration;

• Improper circulation of blood;

• Vitamin B6 deficiency;

• Malnutrition in chronic alcoholics;

• Severe anxiety and panic attacks;

• Oxidative stress and inflammations;

• Certain medications;

• Medical conditions related to the nervous system, such as:

stroke; autoimmune disorder; a tumor or vascular lesion putting pressure on the brain or spinal cord.

Signs and symptoms

Tingling is marked by the following:

• Characteristic numbness and tingling sensation on the affected parts of the body;

• Skin sensitivity over the affected region;

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• Accompanied with pain;

• Weakness, cold and clumsiness;

Mild conditions are generally harmless, involving little or no pain, and tend to resolve spontaneously. However, patients with severe conditions riddled with pain need to seek professional help. To ascertain the exact cause, your physician may prescribe MRI or CT scan if the suspected cause is a stroke or blood tests if an underlying illness is the cause.

The treatment for paresthesia will solely rely on diagnosing the cause of your condition. Once the perimeters surrounding the affected region do not suggest any severe damage or underlying conditions, corticosteroids may be prescribed to reduce the tingling sensation.

Some natural ways that may stop your tingling include:

Vitamin B6 supplementation: A deficiency in Vitamin B6 has been associated with nerve damage and tingling. Although our dietary intake is sufficient to care of our Vitamin B6 needs; and its deficiency is rare, some people are prone to a deficiency of B6. Adult individuals deficient in Vitamin B6 may experience tingling in the hands, legs, and even on the face. Since the body is unable to synthesise B6, supplementation of this vitamin becomes imperative. You may consider 200 mg of Vitamin B6 daily, if you are experiencing tingling.

Golden milk: Turmeric is bestowed with a polyphenol called curcumin that can help resolve  tingling in any part of the body, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. What the curcumin does is to help reduce the production of molecules that trigger inflammation. Its antioxidant activity can help combat the oxidative stress that causes the pain, tingling, and numbness in mechanically compressed nerves.

To make the golden milk, you just need two items-turmeric and tiger nuts: Add ½ to 1-inch piece of turmeric to a pan’ Add about 250 mls of tiger nut milk to the pan containing turmeric; Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes; Strain the milk and drink one cup of it daily.

Stachytapheta indica (vervain): This is considered a powerful nerve tonic that works wonders in strengthening and “feeding” the nervous system. In cases of nervous debility, this help will strengthen and restore the tissues directly.

Fleurya aestuans (local stinging nettle, agbara ubi-Igbo): Not only will its juice and infusion help relieve inflammation and sore muscles, it will also strengthen the nervous system. Drinking the infusion in divided doses throughout the day will also help you feel calmer and more relaxed and rejuvenate your nervous system.

Take daily over a period of weeks.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA): Given its strong ability to neutralise the damaging effects of oxidative stress, ALA prevents free radical damage to the neurological system. It is able to pass easily through the brain and reach all parts of a nerve cell. Experimental studies have shown that Alpha lipoic acid reduced brain damage after a stroke, and that those experimented upon who received lipoic acid had a survival rate three times more than those who did not.

Our bodies produce ALA in minute quantities, but most of it comes from your diet. Some good natural sources include brewer’s yeast, broccoli, potatoes, peas and spinach. You can get ALA supplements from health stores.

Vitamins:  Pain after nerve injury may be alleviated using vitamins A & C together, which are known to decrease oxidation in nerve cells, thereby improving nerve function.

Lavender essential oil: With carrier oil like olive, it is one of my best massage oils for tingling. This mix possesses strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can relieve nerve pain and repair damaged nerves. Add about 15 drops of lavender to 30 mL of olive oil, shake and massage this mixture to affected parts.

Water: Drinking plenty of water helps the body in many ways and needless to add, aids in the proper functioning of the entire nervous system.