Pts. use “numbness” to mean everything from tingling to paralysis. Ask about pain, paresthesias, hyperpathia. Look for dermatomal or individual nerve distributions, distal vs. proximal differences, spinal cord level, spared modalities, graphesthesia, stereognosis, neglect to bilateral simultaneous stimulation. Associated signs: weakness, skin changes, cranial nerve abnormalities. For hysterical numbness, see p. 104.