(Greek: para- + aisthesis, "sensation")

Symptom occurring in neurological disorders, consisting in tingling, prickling or numb sensation in the skin in the operative zone of a particular nerve.

Paresthesias can occur as the result of pressure on a nerve, i.e. in the case of a prolapsed discus or carpal tunnel syndrome. They may also be associated with inflammation or metabolic change in a nerve. Patients suffering from neuritis often present with paresthesia.

Otherwise healthy individuals may experience transient paresthesia in the form of a "pins and needles" sensation in an extremity, usually as the result of having slept on an arm or a leg. Paresthesia of the legs may occur as the result of sitting on a hard surface for too long.