Numbness is one of the symptoms that occurs after a stroke
Although numbness, which is constant while awake, is an unpleasant sensation, it is not a visible symptom, and many people find it difficult to understand the discomfort and pain it causes
Pain and numbness are symptoms that are easily confused, and in some cases you may only feel numbness, while in other cases you may not know whether it is pain or numbness
First of all, the fundamental cause of numbness is that there is a problem somewhere in the pathway of the sensory nerves
This time, we will explain about numbness as a sequela of cerebral infarction
table of contents
Causes of numbness in cerebral infarction
When a person touches something, they sense the sensation through sensors in their skin called "tactile receptors."
The sensation is converted into chemical signals that travel through the spinal cord via sensory nerves, then through a relay point in the brain called the thalamus, before reaching a part of the brain called the somatosensory cortex
Ultimately, the mechanism by which information is received in this somatosensory cortex allows us to correctly recognize what the sensation is
This series of pathways is called the "sensory pathway."
Even if there is no problem with the skin, and even if the sensory nerves are properly transmitting information to the brain, if a stroke damages the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, or sensory pathways within the brain, the information cannot be properly recognized
This causes a persistent tingling, numbing sensation even when you are not touching anything, or a strong, uncomfortable tingling sensation every time you touch something
The right brain is responsible for the sensations of the left limbs, and the left brain is responsible for the sensations of the right limbs,
- In the case of right cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage: left limbs
- In the case of left cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage: right limbs
This means that numbness may occur in the affected area (in the case of the face, it will occur on the same side)
If the stroke involves a large artery, it will inevitably affect the sensory cortex, and the thalamus is known to be a region prone to bleeding, accounting for about 30% of intracerebral hemorrhages
Numbness due to cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage is a relatively common symptom
Conversely, even if the infarction is widespread or there are multiple infarcted areas, numbness will not occur if the somatosensory cortex, thalamus, or sensory pathways are not affected
Even if numbness occurs immediately after the onset of a stroke, it is not uncommon for the numbness to lessen or disappear as blood flow resumes, brain function recovers, and symptoms become alleviated through treatment and progress
Impact on daily life
Numbness can cause problems in your daily life
The situations in which numbness causes problems will vary depending on the area where the numbness occurs, but some examples are summarized below
Examples of problems caused by numbness in daily life
Eating: Dropping chopsticks or a spoon or having trouble grasping food
Numbness around the mouth makes it difficult to move, and you bite your lips or tongue
Changing clothes: When I take off or put on clothes, I feel a tingling sensation when my hands and feet touch them, which makes me feel uncomfortable every time
Cooking: It takes longer to cook because it is difficult to hold a knife and you have to be careful
Fine motor skills: Numbness in the fingertips makes it difficult to perform fine manual tasks
Writing: Difficulty grasping a pen, frequent need to readjust grip, and difficulty writing well
Walking: Numbness in the soles of the feet makes it difficult to sense sensation, making it difficult to walk and making it easier to fall
I feel uneasy going up and down stairs without a handrail
Sleep: Numbness in the hands and feet bothers me and makes it difficult to sleep
Social life: It becomes difficult to eat, so people refrain from eating out
My mouth is numb and it's difficult to talk, so I feel reluctant to speak in public or socialize
Avoid going outside on cold days as numbness is more noticeable
Other: Painful tingling sensations every time caregivers touch
When you look at it, you can see that although it doesn't mean you can't carry out daily activities, it does have some noticeable inconveniences, such as taking time and effort, posing safety issues, and causing you to refrain from your usual habits
Chronic numbness increases psychological burden
Furthermore, inconveniences arise in all aspects of daily life, which inevitably leads to a decline in life satisfaction. Some people have even said, "It's a feeling that's hard to describe, and just thinking that this will continue for the rest of my life makes me feel depressed."
The core of the problem is that the numbness or pain that accompanies it can be a concern no matter what you do, which can decrease motivation for daily life and limit your range of activities. This can also have a psychological impact, causing depression and making you more introverted than before
Numbness Treatment Methods
To date, there have been almost no established treatments for numbness, and symptomatic treatments such as medication for the pain and depression associated with numbness have been the norm
However, in 2022, a treatment using a special type of electrical stimulation called "numbness-synchronized TENS," developed by the School of Life and Medical Sciences (Health Sciences) at Nagasaki University and the Neurorehabilitation Research Center at Kio University, has begun to be offered at some medical institutions
It is still not a common treatment and only a limited number of medical institutions can use numbness-synchronized TENS, but let's take a look at this electrical stimulation therapy and traditional symptomatic treatment
Numbness Synchronized TENS (Synchronized Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
To begin with, "TENS" is a low-frequency therapeutic device that has been commonly used in medical settings to relieve pain and numbness, but its effectiveness in improving numbness has been limited
An improved version of that TENS is this numbness-synchronized TENS
Specifically, the method involves "synchronizing" the electrical stimulation to the same strength and frequency as the actual numbness sensation, but the exact principle behind how this improves numbness has not yet been elucidated
When it was first developed, research was conducted on patients with spinal cord injuries, but research was later conducted on stroke patients, proving its effectiveness
This method is gaining attention as a new rehabilitation method for numbness, as it has the unique features of continuing to be effective not only during the electrical stimulation but also the following day and improving sensory disorders other than numbness. This is good news for those who suffer from numbness or who have tried various folk remedies without success, but as mentioned above, it is not a treatment method that is widely available nationwide, so there are only a limited number of medical institutions that can provide it
drug therapy
This is a treatment method using medicine. It may be prescribed to relieve numbness, or it may be chosen to ease the pain associated with numbness to make daily life easier or to alleviate depression
Vitamin supplements can be effective for numbness caused by peripheral nerves, but caution is required when it comes to numbness caused by the aftereffects of cerebral infarction, as the effectiveness of medications, including vitamin supplements, has not been proven
painkillers
It is a painkiller and may be used when numbness and pain are mixed
antidepressants
It may be used when numbness causes a worsening state of depression (depression) and interferes with daily life
herbal medicine
Different Chinese herbal medicines will be prescribed depending on the area, such as numbness in the hands and feet or tongue
heat therapy
Since numbness often worsens when the temperature drops or the hands and feet become cold, there are also heat therapies that use hot baths and hot packs
It seems that in many cases pain accompanied by numbness improves, but the effect on the numbness itself varies from person to person and the effect does not last, so it is best to use it only as a way to deal with numbness when your body is cold and you are concerned about it
rehabilitation
In rehabilitation settings, there are times when interventions are made to treat numbness, such as massage or the aforementioned electrical treatment called TENS
Massage can loosen muscles and improve blood circulation, which can help alleviate pain, just like heat therapy. The same can be said for TENS, but the reality is that it has little effect on numbness
summary
When a stroke occurs, attention is focused on "enabling the patient to live as independently as possible" and active intervention is undertaken, but the reality is that little care is given to numbness and the resulting decline in quality of life
In the future, we hope that as the treatment mechanism is clarified, systematic treatments for numbness will be developed
In addition, regenerative medicine using stem cells etc.A treatment method that has been proven effective in the field of stroke preventionis.
Research and clinical trials are still ongoing, but regenerative medicine such as stem cells is still used as a treatment method. In the future, it will be developed as a more familiar treatment. We hope that you will take this opportunity to develop an interest in regenerative medicine, acquire knowledge about it, and actually consider treatment.
Omotesando Helene Clinic specializes in regenerative medicine that does not place a burden on the body, and provides pre-counseling for those who cannot immediately start treatment.
"I'm curious, but I can't decide if prevention is really necessary now." You may be at risk of wandering life and death without realizing it, so Please feel free to contact us.
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