Numbness in the hands and feet: Suspect a complication

The natural affinity and adaptability of our body are beyond imagination. This capability applies unfailingly even to disease. It often happens that we suddenly feel numbness or a sensation like paralysis in our hands or feet, and this symptom is one of those cases. Winter corresponds to Water (水) in the Five Elements (五行), which has a strong tendency to gather and condense rather than disperse, and it also suppresses Fire (火) energy (火氣).

Fire energy (Hwa-gi, 火氣) is deeply connected to the cardiovascular system, promotes warmth throughout the body, and drives the circulation of vital energy and blood (Qi and Blood). Numbness symptoms vary widely, sometimes causing a person to wake up because an arm is tingling during sleep, or only affecting a specific part of the foot. The numbness or pain in the hands and feet, whether acute or chronic, can range from a mild tingling sensation to severe stiffness in the extremities, not only disturbing sleep but also becoming severe enough to prevent work.

This symptom is frequently observed in middle-aged individuals actively working in their 40s and 50s, particularly women. This is because women tend to be more sedentary and possess rich emotional activity compared to men, which often leads to the stagnation of vital energy (Qi). These symptoms are especially prone to appear in cases of obesity, sensitivity combined with excessive ambition, hormonal imbalance due to menstruation, pregnancy, or childbirth, or during menopause when decreased estrogen secretion leads to elevated cholesterol levels.

Numbness caused by temporary poor circulation or muscle stiffness can often be improved with a warm bath, hot compresses, or physical therapy.

However, if you suffer from frequent numbness, or if the tingling symptoms persist for several months or longer, you must suspect other serious underlying conditions. You should check if it is a complication of various adult diseases, such as diabetes or arteriosclerosis, or if it is a precursor symptom of a stroke or a neurological disorder.

Numbness caused by cervical or lumbar disc herniation (disc) occurs because the nerve connecting to the hand or foot is compressed, resulting in a sensation that stretches down from the neck to the arm, or from the lower back to the foot. The affected area becomes painful and numb when bending or extending the neck or lower back. In the case of spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), one experiences pain and a paralyzing sensation (sensory abnormality) across the lower back, buttocks, and legs after walking, with symptoms being alleviated when bending forward or squatting. Numbness in the hands and feet can also result from conditions like cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction (stroke), encephalitis, brain tumors, or arteriosclerosis of the cerebral blood vessels. In these instances, the simple numbness may be accompanied by symptoms such as slurred speech or loss of strength (weakness).

In addition, numbness in the hands and feet can also appear when a person has digestive disorders, decreased vitality (stamina), or suffers from severe unreleased stress.

Since many cases of numbness occur due to vasoconstriction caused by stress and the accumulation of waste products from overwork, you should relieve stress with moderate exercise and hobbies at least once or twice a week, and avoid working through the night.

Smoking to relieve stress is a shortcut to worsening hand and foot numbness. This is because nicotine constricts peripheral blood vessels and increases the risk of developing serious conditions like angina pectoris or myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Skipping breakfast is also strictly forbidden. Going without breakfast increases platelets, making the blood viscous. When the blood is sticky, its flow naturally slows, and cholesterol or blood clots can easily adhere to the vessel walls, causing circulatory problems.

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to a thiamine deficiency, which may also cause numbness.

Finally, it is advisable to avoid poor postures, as they cause muscle stiffness and lead to spinal imbalance. These include continuous computer use, forcefully wringing out laundry, using a high pillow, maintaining a forward-head posture, or sitting with crossed legs.

You may find improvement in numbness symptoms by making a tea with dried ginger (생강, 生姜, shēngjiāng) powder and cinnamon (계피,桂皮, guìpí) powder (mixed at a 5:1 ratio), or by boiling and drinking ginkgo leaf tea (은행잎차, 銀杏葉茶) or Ogapicha (Acanthopanax) tea (오가피차, 五加皮茶).

It is also worth trying methods like bathing with mugwort, citrus peels, or citron added to the tub, or alternately soaking only the hands and feet in hot and cold water.

With winter almost over, how about taking this chance to try to enjoy the remaining cold weather while remembering the heat of summer?

Photo by Anna Keibalo on Unsplash