Definition of Paresthesia

QUESTION: What does a doctor mean when he uses the term "paresthesia"? I
have tried to look up the word in my dictionary, but I can't find it. Then
again, it is just a small volume. Can you please provide the definition, in
words I might understand?
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ANSWER: You are right. It isn't in my small Merriam-Webster either. But
then again, I have some bigger tomes, in which the word is included.
According to Stedman's Medical Dictionary a "paresthesia" is "an abnormal
spontaneous sensation, such as burning, pricking, numbness etc". It is
"spontaneous" because it is felt without any provocation by an outside
stimulus, "abnormal" in that the description by the patient does not reflect
the actual situation, and because it signals that something is amiss. There
are a number of conditions in which paresthesias occur, including
fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome, depression, diabetic neuropathy, and
many more. When a physician uses the term, it is an indication that there is
no apparent reason for the complaints by the patient about sensations and
feelings. And that is a flashing warning light that further investigations
are necessary to find a diagnosis.