The Adjustment

Causes of Numbness

Numbness can have several different causes. In fact, on one site they list 475 causes of numbness. That’s a lot! That tells us several things. One, we can’t really use numbness as a way to diagnose anything. Meaning, numbness as a symptom, doesn’t mean very much all by itself. It means that diagnosing numbness can take some work. Also, if there are 475 causes to numbness there are probably a lot of people who experience numbness. Thus, understanding what causes numbness and how to eliminate it can be quite valuable.

To simplify numbness I classify those 475 causes into three categories. Category number one is where a person has the pain, burning and numbness that is due to a nerve being compressed somewhere in their body. I should also point out that compressive lesions are far more common in the arms and legs than they are in the spine. If someone has a condition where a nerve is actually being compressed this is identified by atrophy in the distal musculature innervated by that nerve. For example, the Median nerve is a nerve that originates in the neck, travels by the shoulder, down the arm and eventually into the hand. If this nerve is compressed somewhere in it’s course we will first see atrophy, or a withering of the muscles in the hands. An easy place to notice this is in the that meaty area below the thumb when looking at the palm.

Another thing to make clear is that your doctor may have said “you’ve got a pinched nerve” – when you really don’t. Often times we doctors will use this analogy as a simple way of explaining this complicated process.

Category number two is where the cause is related to a disease process. An example of this is the numbness and burning associated with diabetes.
To be honest I typically don’t see people with this cause of numbness because in those instances I’m not the first place someone will go.

Category number three is what is numbness that has a central cause. By central I mean brain or spinal cord. For example, have you ever spoken to someone who has lost one of their extremities? If so, ask them if their missing leg or foot ever hurts. It’s called phantom pain. The foot isn’t there but the part of the brain and spinal cord that would control that foot is still intact. So if the area of the brain or spinal cord that represents the foot has a problem the person may FEEL pain, numbness or burning in their foot – even when it’s not there. The same thing happens in numbness. For example, when someone wears a cast after breaking a bone what is that body part like when the cast comes off? It’s smaller, weaker, and kind of shriveled. It’s called atrophy and that’s what happens when any body part doesn’t receive adequate stimulation. Well the same thing can happen in your brain. If a part of your brain fails to receive adequate input from your body it gets weaker and the part of the body that it controls can experience pain, numbness and burning.

As a neurologically trained chiropractor I have discovered diagnosis & treatment measures that are highly effective in permanently eliminating numbness due to causes in the first and third categories.

If you or someone you know experiences numbness and you would like to find a solution please visit www.AskDrNed.com where you can watch videos on numbness, listen to podcasts, read my blog, see me on facebook, follow me on twitter and subscribe to my newsletter.

If you would like to schedule a complimentary visit with me call or text my office at 801-225-1311

Dr Ned's 13 Rules To Better Sleep

Most of these I consider to be common sense, but actually doing them consistently will help many people with sleep problems. So, here, in no particular order, are Dr Ned's 13 rules to better sleep.


1. Exercise in the morning or early afternoon. You’ll feel better the rest of the day and you’ll sleep better.

2. Stop eating before bed. Eating heavy foods may cause you fall asleep, but when your blood sugar drops you're likely to wake up. Improve your health and your sleep by learning to not eat at all at least two hours before bed.

3. Eat at regular intervals during the day. This will keep more alert all day and ready to sleep at night. This will also help you avoid over indulgence at night.

4. Write it out. Before bed write down all your thoughts in a journal without judgment. This helps clear your mind of all the things you have attention (conscious or unconscious) on.

5. Go to the dark side. Our brains need the time in the dark. Wear a sleep mask if necessary.

6. Sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. This will help your body get into a rhythm.

7. Don't oversleep. Too much of a good thing can actually make you feel more tired. Also, don’t go back to sleep. If you’re awake – GET UP! Oversleeping and go back to sleep in the morning can foul up your sleep cycles so you end up feeling less rested.

8. Get comfortable. Temperature, sheets, mattress, pillow, clothing, etc. What’s comfortable for you?

9. Plan to sleep 7.5 hours every night. Some research suggest that during sleep we go through a 1.5 hr cycle and waking up at the top of that cycle helps us feel more rested

10. Nap wisely. Not so much that it keeps you up at night, but if you’re able to a nap is great.

11. Avoid stimulants. This includes caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. Alcohol may help you fall asleep but it is likely to cause to wake up in the middle of the night.

12. Have mom read you a bed time story. Add white noise to your sleeping environment.
Ive developed the habit of listening to an easy listening audio book to fall asleep to. Some people use a fan.

13. Rule out medications. If you are taking medication, ask your doctor if it could be affecting your sleep.

If you've been struggling with sleep problems for several weeks or more than your whole sleep system may be malfunctioning. If so, consider a complementary consultation with me, Dr Ned McArthur.

Sleep deprivation interferes with your body's ability to heal, it fouls up your ability to think, it messes up your emotions and can lead to other chronic health problems.

AskDrNed.com
801-225-1311