November 12, 2009

Reasons for Numbness in Chest

Posted in Category : Common Ailments

Numbness in the chest could indicate any type of problem but if the general understanding of numbness of parasthesia is followed then, the feeling of numbness could be associated with a vitamin deficiency. Numbness, though a disorder of the nerves, does not indicate deficient nerve function, which could cause difficulty when breathing.

The vitamin deficiencies that can cause feelings of parasthesia are vitamin B5 and B12 deficiencies. Both of these vitamins are so fundamental that their deficiencies could take one a step closer to fatal diseases. Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid is a crucial element in the body that is required in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fat. It is in fact very crucial to raising the levels of triglycerides in the body and also for the elimination of Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL, which is responsible for cholesterol. Apart from improving the lipid profile of the blood, vitamin B5 is also responsible for the healing process in the body. Some of the other reasons for numbness in chest can also be the action of some drugs that are ingested. Vitamin B12 is an equally important component of cellular function. This vitamin is one of the most difficult to acquire especially from dietary sources. Some of the rich dietary sources of vitamin B12 are from diary and meat products, making this vitamin especially hard to acquire for vegans and vegetarians who are lactose intolerant. Vitamin B12 deficiency is usually manifest in a host of other symptoms as well like white spots on the body. This is because a vitamin B12 deficiency affects the cells of the body and the reason for the white spots occurring is that the pigment cells cannot function because of the lack of the vitamin.

Treating numbness of any part of the body including the chest requires that you immediately increase the amount of vitamin B in your system. As mentioned earlier, acquiring vitamin B is extremely difficult from dietary sources and requires continuous effort. Therefore, it makes more sense to purchase over the counter vitamin B supplements. These should be had in the evenings as studies have indicated a maximum absorption during this period of the day. Another alternative therapy for nervous system aberrations is indulging in acupuncture and acupressure therapies. These have no formal sets of evidence for efficacy in modern medicine but many that have taken these forms of therapy have stated their satisfaction with the form of therapy.