Definition of Paresthesia

Paresthesia: An abnormal sensation of the skin, such as numbness, tingling, pricking, burning, or creeping on the skin that has no objective cause. Paresthesia is the usual American spelling and paraesthesia the preferred English spelling.

Pronounced par·es·the·sia. From the Greek para- (abnormal) + esthesis (feeling) = an abnormal feeling.

Last Editorial Review: 7/29/2001

Common Misspellings: parasthesia, parathesia

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