Sensory Disturbance

The symptoms of sensory disturbance vary depending on the cause and affected body part. Common symptoms include:

• paraesthesia (numbness and tingling/pins and needles)

• burning

• itching

• prickling

• aches

• pain

Temporary sensory disturbances often occur when you sit or fall asleep on a part of your body. This is because the blood supply to the nerve is cut off, but it quickly returns when you take the weight off of it.

Persistent sensory disturbances that get worse or don’t go away can have a wide range of medical causes. These include:

• a trapped or damaged nerve

• dehydration

• carpal tunnel syndrome

• Raynaud’s syndrome

• diabetes

• migraine

• hyperventilation

• seizures

• thyroid issues

• vitamin B deficiencies

• autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis (MS)

• infectious diseases such as meningitis or Lyme disease

• head injuries

• stroke

At Welbeck, you’ll see your neurologist for an initial consultation. 

Your treatment will be based on the underlying cause of your symptoms, so the first step is to diagnose this. To do this, your neurologist will ask you about your medical history, the symptoms you’re experiencing, and carry out a physical examination. 

They’ll likely also run some neurophysiological tests, which may include:

• nerve conduction studies (NCS) 

• electromyography (EMG) 

• imaging of your brain and spinal cord

• blood tests

If there’s an underlying cause behind your sensory disturbance, you won’t be able to prevent it without first treating the cause. 

There are things you can do to help reduce unusual or unpleasant feelings if your sensory disturbance is mild, temporary, or not due to an underlying condition. 

You can try to:

• avoid making repetitive movements with the affected body part

• change position when you feel the sensation come on

• eat a balanced diet which contains foods high in B vitamins

• limit alcohol

If you have a temporary sensory disturbance and it doesn’t come back, it’s not likely to lead to further complications.

However, some of the causes of persistent sensory disturbances can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening if not treated. You may also be at risk of irreversible changes if your sensory disturbance remains untreated. 

Although some causes aren’t life-threatening, they can still impact your quality of life if you don’t treat or manage them.

Your neurologist will recommend the best treatment for you once they know what’s causing your sensory disturbance. 

Depending on the underlying cause, they may suggest:

• oral medications

• topical creams

• injections 

• supplements 

• physiotherapy

• surgery 

At Welbeck, our neurologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.