What Might Cause Numbness on the Left Side of My Stomach?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Numbness on the left side of your stomach might be due to issues with the nerves, such as nerve entrapment or nerve damage that affects the skin or even gut movement.

Explanation

One possible cause is abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome. This happens when nerves just under the skin become compressed or irritated. When these nerves are squeezed, they might make you feel numb or even cause pain in the affected area. Another possibility is related to neuropathy, where the nerves do not function properly. For example, research has shown that patients with gastrointestinal dysmotility may have a reduction in tiny nerve fibers in the skin. This change in nerve health can sometimes lead to unusual sensations including numbness. In some rare cases, a condition like chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which affects the protective covering of nerves, can also cause symptoms that might involve both the gut and the skin. It is important to talk with a healthcare provider so they can check your symptoms and health history to decide what might be causing your numbness and how best to help you.

(References)

Ohlsson B, Dahlin LB, Englund E, Veress B. Autonomic and peripheral neuropathy with reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber density can be observed in patients with gastrointestinal dysmotility. Clin Case Rep. 2019 Dec 4;8(1):142-148. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.2575. PMID: 31998505; PMCID: PMC6982522.
Kanakarajan S, Dharmavaram S, Tadros A, Pushparaj H, Rose A. Abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome: A cross sectional survey of treatment outcomes. Br J Pain. 2022 Oct;16(5):538-545. doi: 10.1177/20494637221101719. Epub 2022 May 20. PMID: 36389004; PMCID: PMC9644107.
Wang L, Yuan XZ, Zhao XM, Wang FY, Wang Y. Incomplete intestinal obstruction as an initial and persistent presentation in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018 Dec;97(49):e13538. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000013538. PMID: 30544461; PMCID: PMC6310579.

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