Numbness & Tingling Carrollton, TX
- Pins & Needles Evaluated
- Trace the Nerve Path
- Decompression-Based Care
Numbness and tingling are symptoms of various diseases. Most often, they are symptoms of conditions affecting the spine, where a compressed disc creates a pinched nerve. Dr. Hoa Nguyen of Dallas Spine Center will trace your symptoms to your spine, as a pinched nerve changes the messages that the nerve sends to your legs, feet, hands, or arms.
The exact spots where you feel the pins and needles would tell Dr. Nguyen where the problem starts. And this page will explain how to read the pattern. You’ll also find the symptoms that require emergency care first and how to treat the pressure on the nerve without surgery.
When Tingling and Numbness Require Emergency Care First
Numbness from a compressed disc is one of the main reasons our patients come in to see Dr. Nguyen. However, if your symptoms are new or sudden, it can indicate a more serious issue. You must see a medical doctor first if your numbness is accompanied by the following:
- New weakness in your arms or legs
- Loss of balance, difficulty walking, or poor coordination
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Severe headaches or persistent dizziness
- Facial weakness, vision changes, or speech difficulty
Dr. Nguyen will screen every patient before creating a plan. If he suspects a spinal cord injury, a concussion, or a significant neurological deficit, he will refer you immediately to a specialist. This kind of issue can’t be treated with chiropractic care.
Numbness and Tingling in Your Arms and Hands vs. Your Legs and Feet
The numbness and tingling in your arms and hands can be traced to the nerves that serve your arms, originating in the spine in the neck. The nerves that serve your legs originate in the lower back. This is why the location of your symptom is vital to Dr. Nguyen. It points to the part of the spine he needs to look into closely, even before any imaging is done.
Arms, Hands, and FingersWhen a disc in your neck is compressed because of a herniated or bulging disc, it can press the nerve and cause shooting pain that travels from the neck to the arms and fingers. Numbness and tingling travel along this same path. Many of our patients also notice weakness in their arm or hand. To better understand this pattern, please check our neck pain page.
Legs, Feet, and ToesDisc compression in the lower back typically affects L4, L5, or L5-S1. Your symptoms can run from the lower back through your glutes, down to your thigh, then toward your knee. The pain also travels to your lower leg, big toe, or pinky toe. This pattern is known as sciatica.
What Causes the Pressure on the Nerve?
The cause is usually a disc. Discs act like a cushion in your spine. When one of them is compressed, it can bulge outward or break through its outer wall, called the annulus fibrosus. Bulging outward or breaking through the wall can press on a nerve where it exits. These disc problems are most often the cause of numbness and tingling:
- A herniated disc
- A bulging disc from aging
- Degenerative disc disease
- A protruding disc after trauma
A bulging disc is typically a slow change where the disc pushes out without breaking through. If a disc breaks through that wall, it’s called a herniated disc. Protruding discs often arise after a slip and fall or an auto accident. Degenerative disc disease thins the disc until you experience neurological symptoms.
How Dr. Nguyen Traces Numbness to Its Main Source
Dr. Nguyen traces numbness by asking you questions during your initial consultation with him. He’ll ask you where you feel the symptoms, whether they come with pain or weakness. You also need to tell him when it started, how long it has lasted, and the treatment and imaging you’ve already had. Your answers will help him trace the nerve involved and where along the spine it is likely compressed.
Next, you’ll undergo an orthopedic exam. If you didn’t bring your recent imaging, we’ll take your digital X-rays in the office. The X-rays will show Dr. Nguyen how compressed the discs are. If they are pressing on the nerve, the imaging will tell how much they’re causing the issue. But if you were hurt in a car accident, Dr. Nguyen will follow a separate process that documents your injury before you undergo any treatment.
How to Take the Pressure Off the Nerve in Carrollton, TX
The main method that we use here at Dallas Spine Center to take the pressure off the nerve is spinal decompression on the DRX9000. This treatment pulls the vertebrae apart to lower the pressure in the disc. It also draws in water, nutrients, and oxygen. The pulling process helps the disc retract off the nerve. Your treatment can start on your first visit if your condition is related to the discs.
Dr. Nguyen follows the research protocol of 20 to 28 sessions. Each session lasts 28 to 30 minutes. In addition to spinal decompression, our chiropractor may add shockwave therapy, Hako-Med, a TENS unit, and infrared. They can all help manage your pain during your main treatment. If your numbness isn’t improving as expected, Dr. Nguyen may order an MRI, refer you to another specialist, or recommend another option.
Decompression is only ideal if you have bulging or herniated discs that have not worn down to bone-on-bone. This is the reason it’s ideal for patients who are in their mid-30s to their 80s. Some patients feel a dull muscle soreness for a few days. This is normal, and most patients find the sessions relaxing enough that they drift off to sleep.
Numbness and Tingling FAQs
Why do my hands go numb?
Hand numbness has several possible causes. The most common cause of hand numbness that Dr. Nguyen sees is a compressed disc in the neck, pinching a nerve running to the arm and hand. Usually, it comes with tingling and sometimes weakness. If numbness appears suddenly with facial weakness, vision changes, or difficulty speaking, you must go to an emergency room.
What causes tingling in your feet?
The tingling in your feet can come from many sources. If your tingling travels from the lower back to your leg and toes, then the typical source is a disc that presses on a nerve at L4, L5, or L5-S1. Dr. Nguyen will order an exam and X-rays. They can show whether your spine is the cause.
Can tingling in your hands come from neck muscles?
Tingling in your hands usually points to a nerve being compressed. It’s most often caused by a bulging or herniated disc in the neck. This is the reason the exam focuses on the disc and the nerve, instead of stopping at the muscles.
Is tingling in your hands serious?
Tingling in your hands can be serious. That’s why it’s worth getting it checked if it keeps coming back. Tingling from a compressed disc is a common reason patients visit Dr. Nguyen. However, if your tingling is accompanied by the warning signs listed above, you need medical attention immediately. Getting the tingling evaluated early will rule those problems out before your treatment even starts.
Find Out Where Your Numbness Starts
The $47 new patient special includes a consultation with Dr. Nguyen, an orthopedic exam, and digital x-rays in the office. If a compressed disc is behind your symptoms, decompression can start on your first visit.
Dallas Spine Center, 3730 N Josey Ln #122, Carrollton, TX 75007. Serving Lewisville, Plano, Frisco, North Dallas, Addison, Farmers Branch, Coppell, Highland Village, The Colony, and Little Elm.