Numbness is the inability to feel anything when your skin is touched. It may feel like the part you touch does not belong to you. Tingling (paresthesia) is a pins-and-needles sensation, like when your foot falls asleep.

It is normal to have mild, temporary changes in feeling after an injury or when you have swelling. Home treatment may help relieve swelling, which can cause numbness or tingling. Once the swelling is gone, normal feeling returns.

Numbness and tingling may mean nerves have been injured, stretched, or pinched or that swelling is putting pressure on nerves. This can occur from:

• An overuse injury. Hip symptoms from an overuse injury usually begin gradually.
• An acute (sudden) injury, such as a severe sprain, fracture, dislocation, or penetrating injury (for example, a gunshot or stab wound). Symptoms usually begin immediately following the injury.
• Arthritis or other conditions, such as a snapping hip or sciatica.

Numbness and tingling are more serious when you have:

• A complete loss of feeling.
• Symptoms of impaired blood flow (pale, white, blue, or cold skin).
• Symptoms in both legs rather than just one leg.
• Muscle weakness (not just because of pain).

Contact your health professional for an evaluation if your symptoms continue, get progressively worse, or keep coming back.