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Benzodiazepine and Paraesthesia

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs with sedative, muscle-relaxant, anxiety reducing, anticonvulsant and memory loss effects. They are prescribed for anxiety, seizures, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal and other conditions. Benzodiazepines are also used recreationally. They are physically addictive and have very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, including paraesthesia.

  1. Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

    • Benzodiazepines have some of the worst withdrawal symptoms of any drug, resulting in death in extreme cases. The most serious reactions mostly occur when quitting cold turkey after a long period of intense usage. This is not recommended due to the possibility of seizures, coma, psychosis or suicide. Even with gradual withdrawal, most patients experience anxiety, restlessness, dizziness, headaches, muscle pain, flu-like symptoms, depression, light sensitivity, nausea and appetite loss. A wide range of less common symptoms can also occur, including paraesthesia.

    Paraesthesia

    • Most of us have experienced short-term paresthesia; the more common term is a body part -- say, a foot -- falling asleep. More generally, paraesthesia is the sensation of tingling, prickling or numbness with no obvious physical cause. A study published in the British Medical Journal tracked the symptoms of 16 patients experiencing benzodiazepine withdrawal. Five of the patients experienced paraesthesia.

    Duration of Symptoms

    • Benzodiazepine withdrawal usually lasts for two months or less, but approximately 10 percent of patients experience "protracted withdrawal syndrome." Symptoms are less extreme after two months but can last up to six months or a year. For more information and help quitting benzodiazepines, see the links in the Resources section.

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