Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Numbness is a loss of feeling in a part of the body. Numbness also describes other changes in sensation, such as burning, tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling. Numbness can happen along a single nerve on one side of the body. Or numbness may happen on both sides of the body. Weakness, which is usually caused by other conditions, is often mistaken for numbness.

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Oct. 31, 2025

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