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What Is Causing The Numbness In Hand, Foot, Toe And Ear? Is It Due To Vitamin Deficiency?
Question: I am having persistent numbness (without tingling) in my left hand (I am left handed), left foot & toes and left ear (just the ear not head or cheek)
Causes?
I am a white female (5'8", normal build) & based on the hand and foot I assumed it was just a circulation problem, but now when I touch my left ear, I find it to be numb, too.
So... maybe a vitamin deficiency?
Is there an over-the-counter supplement I could buy to see if that will alleviate my symptoms?
Causes?
I am a white female (5'8", normal build) & based on the hand and foot I assumed it was just a circulation problem, but now when I touch my left ear, I find it to be numb, too.
So... maybe a vitamin deficiency?
Is there an over-the-counter supplement I could buy to see if that will alleviate my symptoms?
Hi there,
Thank you for writing in.
I am a medical specialist with an additional degree in cardiology. I read your mail with diligence. It is good that your disease is not a disabling one that gives one luxury of planning to look into possible causes of the problem and investigate.
Yes, vitamin deficiency can be the cause but we have to exclude some more common causes of this ailment of yours. These are:
1.Alcohol Withdrawal
2.Alcoholism
3.Diabetes
4.Migraine Headache
5.Endemic Goiter
6.Nicotine Withdrawal
7.Peripheral Neuropathy
8.Spinal Subluxation
First two can be excluded by you being non alcoholic. If in your last physical examination Fasting blood sugar was normal that excludes diabetes but if it was not done this year I will suggest to get it done. No swelling in the neck and normal thyroid function tests will exclude thyroid problem. A physical examination by a doctor, of your spine will exclude spinal subluxation, your being non smoker will exclude nicotine withdrawal. That will leave us with peripheral neuropathy, of which vitamin deficiency is one of the main cause. You can take multivitamin preparations available OTC and see their effect on you first but all the causes need to be looked into with some seriousness and excluded or included in. You can plan how you want to go about it. Good luck.
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover,
Medical Specialist & Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Thank you for writing in.
I am a medical specialist with an additional degree in cardiology. I read your mail with diligence. It is good that your disease is not a disabling one that gives one luxury of planning to look into possible causes of the problem and investigate.
Yes, vitamin deficiency can be the cause but we have to exclude some more common causes of this ailment of yours. These are:
1.Alcohol Withdrawal
2.Alcoholism
3.Diabetes
4.Migraine Headache
5.Endemic Goiter
6.Nicotine Withdrawal
7.Peripheral Neuropathy
8.Spinal Subluxation
First two can be excluded by you being non alcoholic. If in your last physical examination Fasting blood sugar was normal that excludes diabetes but if it was not done this year I will suggest to get it done. No swelling in the neck and normal thyroid function tests will exclude thyroid problem. A physical examination by a doctor, of your spine will exclude spinal subluxation, your being non smoker will exclude nicotine withdrawal. That will leave us with peripheral neuropathy, of which vitamin deficiency is one of the main cause. You can take multivitamin preparations available OTC and see their effect on you first but all the causes need to be looked into with some seriousness and excluded or included in. You can plan how you want to go about it. Good luck.
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover,
Medical Specialist & Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Okay, I appreciate the feedback, but since you agree a vitamin deficiency could be causing my symptoms, I was hoping you would have recommended a good OTC vitamin I could take. Or, at least, let me know which vitamin I may be deficient in...
I haven't checked, but I think Walmart would have a vast selection of vitamins, so if you could name a specific vitamin, then I could go purchase it today and maybe start alleviating this pesky numbness.
Thank you.
I haven't checked, but I think Walmart would have a vast selection of vitamins, so if you could name a specific vitamin, then I could go purchase it today and maybe start alleviating this pesky numbness.
Thank you.
Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
It was silly on my part not mention the specific vitamins associated with neuropathy.
I am afraid the trade name you will have check for OTC medicines as these vary from country to country. But content wise a Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 is an ideal solution. There are several types of B vitamins including thiamine (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6), biotin (B-7), folic acid (B-9) and cobalamin (B-12). Each of these vitamins play a different role in your body. Since there are several types of B vitamins, it may be easier for you to purchase a vitamin B complex that combines all of them.
These are water soluble vitamins and excess is excreted out of body in 24 hours, thus allowing you the luxury of taking once a day dose which is usually optimal in a single preparation but excess taking two preparation or taking more than 2 times a day can cause problems. Normal Intakes
Since B vitamins and B complex are a group of vitamins that are water soluble your body excretes the excess amount it does not use, instead of storing it. You need 1.1 to 1.2 mg of B-1, 1.1 to 1.3 mg of B-2, 14 to 16 mg of B-3, 5 mg of B-5, 1.3 to 1.7 mg of B-6, 30 mcg of B-7, 400 mcg of B-9 and 2.4 to 2.6 mcg of vitamin B-12, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center.
I hope this information would suffice.
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover,
Medical Specialist & Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Thank you for your reply.
It was silly on my part not mention the specific vitamins associated with neuropathy.
I am afraid the trade name you will have check for OTC medicines as these vary from country to country. But content wise a Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 is an ideal solution. There are several types of B vitamins including thiamine (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6), biotin (B-7), folic acid (B-9) and cobalamin (B-12). Each of these vitamins play a different role in your body. Since there are several types of B vitamins, it may be easier for you to purchase a vitamin B complex that combines all of them.
These are water soluble vitamins and excess is excreted out of body in 24 hours, thus allowing you the luxury of taking once a day dose which is usually optimal in a single preparation but excess taking two preparation or taking more than 2 times a day can cause problems. Normal Intakes
Since B vitamins and B complex are a group of vitamins that are water soluble your body excretes the excess amount it does not use, instead of storing it. You need 1.1 to 1.2 mg of B-1, 1.1 to 1.3 mg of B-2, 14 to 16 mg of B-3, 5 mg of B-5, 1.3 to 1.7 mg of B-6, 30 mcg of B-7, 400 mcg of B-9 and 2.4 to 2.6 mcg of vitamin B-12, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center.
I hope this information would suffice.
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover,
Medical Specialist & Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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