The loss of pain and/or temperature sensation can accompany any condition that damages the nerve pathways responsible for receiving, transmitting, or processing external stimuli. Therefore, problems with the peripheral nerves in the body as well as conditions affecting the brain or spinal cord may result in the loss of temperature sensation. A wide variety of conditions, ranging from tumors to chronic diseases to infections, can cause damage to the nerves that results in loss of sensation. When loss of sensation occurs in the setting of peripheral neuropathy (damage to the peripheral nerves in the body), antidepressant and antiseizure medications are sometimes used for relief.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.
Pictures, Images, Illustrations & Quizzes
-
Diabetic Neuropathy Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
Diabetic neuropathy is serious. Take this quiz to get the facts....
-
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Symptoms and Treatment
Learn about multiple sclerosis (MS) causes, symptoms, and treatment for this autoimmune disease that attacks the nerves of the...
-
Picture of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis may be single or multiple and may range from mild to severe in intensity and short to long in...
-
Stroke Causes, Symptoms, and Recovery
What is a stroke? Learn about stroke symptoms like sudden numbness or weakness, confusion, vision problems, or problems with...
Causes of Loss of Temperature Sensation
-
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as...
-
Brain Tumor (Symptoms, Signs, Types, Causes, Survival Rates)
A brain tumor can be either non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant), primary, or secondary. Common symptoms of a primary...
-
Burns (First Aid)
Burn types are based on their severity: first-degree burns, second-degree burns, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns are...
-
Cauda Equina Syndrome
Cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency condition that is caused by the uncommon compression of the nerves at the end of the...
-
Diabetic Neuropathy (Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment)
Diabetic neuropathy a condition in which nerve damage has occurred as a complication of diabetes. The pain from the nerve...
-
Drug Abuse
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and...
-
Fabry Disease (Symptoms and Life Expectancy)
Fabry disease (Fabry's disease, alpha-galactosidase-A) is a genetic disorder with symptoms such as burning sensations in...
-
Frostbite (Frostnip)
There are two categories to cold weather-related injuries. 1) no freezing of body tissue (trench foot and chilblains), and 2)...
-
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is an autoimmune disease of the nervous system due to damage to the myelin sheath around nerves....
-
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc may be caused by injury or degeneration from age. Symptoms depend on the location of the herniation and whether...
-
Kidney Failure (Symptoms, Signs, Stages, Causes, Treatment, and Life Expectancy)
Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss,...
-
Leprosy
Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a disfiguring disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. The disease is spread...
-
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar stenosis can be caused by degenerative arthritis (the most common cause), tumor, infection, or metabolic disorders...
-
Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE)
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of body tissues caused by autoimmune disease....
-
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Life Expectancy
Multiple sclerosis or MS is an autoimmune disorder in which brain and spinal cord nerve cells become demyelinated. This damage...
-
Polio
A polio infection causes symptoms and signs such as paralysis, limb deformities, and even death. There is no curative treatment...
-
Seizure (Epilepsy)
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are...
-
Sjogren's Syndrome
Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease involving the abnormal production of extra antibodies that attack the glands and...
-
Stroke (Signs, Symptoms, Warning Signs)
A stroke is an interruption of the blood supply to part of the brain caused by either a blood clot (ischemic) or bleeding...
-
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA, Mini-Stroke)
When a portion of the brain loses blood supply, through a blood clot or embolus, a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke)...
Other Causes of Loss of Temperature Sensation
- Decompression Sickness
- Drugs/Toxins
- Friedrich's Ataxia
- Myelitis
- Myelopathy
- Paralysis
- Poisoning
- Radiation Therapy
- Radicular Neuropathy
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Cord Tumors
- Syringomyelia
- Trauma to Spinal Cord
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Examples of Medications for Loss of Temperature Sensation
Subscribe to MedicineNet's Arthritis Newsletter
By clicking "Submit," I agree to the MedicineNet Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. I also agree to receive emails from MedicineNet and I understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet subscriptions at any time.