Which condition is indicated by unilateral numbness, weakness, or tingling?

Unilateral numbness, weakness, or tingling is indicative of a problem affecting one side of the body, which is typically associated with a central nervous system event such as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), commonly known as a stroke. In the case of a hemorrhagic CVA, there is a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, which leads to bleeding and can cause localized damage to brain tissue. This damage can disrupt normal neural function and result in symptoms such as unilateral weakness, numbness, or tingling, particularly in the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body.

In contrast, spinal cord injuries can lead to a variety of symptoms depending on the location and severity of the injury, including bilateral symptoms, and often involve loss of sensation and motor function below the injury level rather than just unilateral symptoms. A pneumothorax affects the lungs and typically presents with respiratory distress and potential pleuritic chest pain, rather than specific unilateral neurological deficits. A cardiac contusion results from blunt trauma to the chest and can lead to cardiovascular symptoms, but does not typically cause unilateral sensory or motor deficits.

Thus, the presence of unilateral numbness, weakness, or tingling is most closely associated with a hemorrhagic