Paresthesia

Paresthesia is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and can arise from any process that damages myelin. Numbness protects against pain but also reduces contact with life, intimacy, and belonging. Drama can become a way to feel alive when numbness blocks ordinary emotional contact. People who seek attention through drama may be unable to receive that attention because vulnerability can expose the pain being avoided. Cervical myelopathy from B12 deficiency can cause urinary retention through disruption of nerve pathways controlling bladder function. Numbness can create separation from self, others, and the world, leading to loneliness and isolation.