Often when we experience a tingle in our bodies, our first thought is that it’s something innocuous — like we slept on our arm wrong or our foot fell asleep — and that’s if we think about it at all. But according to Moffitt Cancer Center, numbness and tingling could also be a warning sign of a brain tumor.
Because the brain is responsible for allowing us to feel sensations throughout the body, when a tumor blocks signals sent by sensory receptors from traveling through neural pathways, numbness and tingling in the face, arms, hands, legs and feet can occur. In these situations, symptoms tend to affect only one side of the body, depending on where in the brain the tumor is located.
Other possible causes of numbness and tingling
Moffitt Cancer Center emphasizes that numbness and tingling “aren’t always a cause for immediate concern.” Such symptoms can result from other conditions, including:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Insect bites
- Migraines
- Spinal injuries (including herniated discs, spinal tumors and sciatic nerve compression)
- Vitamin B12 deficiencies
In any case, it is recommended that anyone experiencing lasting numbness and tingling get checked by a doctor, especially if these symptoms are accompanied by other signs of a brain tumor.
