Numbness is a reduced sensation or feeling in any part of the body. Hands, legs, toes, fingers, face, head and lips are particularly susceptible. The reasons for numbness are numerous. Arm numbness or unilateral numbness occurs when the person’s arm on one side becomes completely numb and senseless.

Listed below are a few causative factors for arm numbness:

• Deficiency of Vitamin B12: This water-soluble vitamin is required for proper maintenance and functioning of numerous enzymes in the body. It is primarily responsible for maturation and development of red blood cells. Deficiency of vitamin B12 will cause pernicious anemia. This will lead to fatigue, decreased work output and numbness of arms and legs due to decreased oxygen circulation in the muscles. Other neurological symptoms are dizziness, irritability and loss of memory.
• Stroke: Narrowing of small arteries located in the brain leads to formation of dead tissue. This causes lacunar stroke and results in sudden unilateral numbness of face, arm or leg. The person also experiences irritability, deliriums, severe headache and vision problems.
• Chemicals: Consumption of medications and prescription drugs for a prolonged period of time leads to unilateral numbness of hands in some cases. Over exposure to pollution, excess consumption of alcohol, coffee, nicotine, consuming foods infested with pesticides can also cause numbness of arms.

Other causes include migraine, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury or abnormality, diabetic neuropathy and mononeuritis multiplex.

Irrespective of the cause, if you have experienced a sudden numbness of arms or a persistent numb and tingling sensation on one side of your body, you should get a medical examination performed immediately to diagnose and treat the condition.

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