Conditions that may have pins and needles as a symptom

Q: What does pins and needles indicate?

Its a sign that a nerve is irritated and sending extra signals. Think of that pins and needles feeling as a traffic jam in your nervous system. When traffic is running smoothly, tiny electrical impulses move along the nerves that run from your spine to your arms and legs.

Table of Contents Show

Paresthesia
When to see a doctor
From Mayo Clinic to your inbox
Risk factors
Complications
Manage underlying conditions
Make healthy lifestyle choices
What illness causes pins and needles?
When should I be concerned about pins and needles?
What does pins and needles indicate?
Why do random parts of my body get pins and needles?

Paresthesia

What research is being done?

The NINDS supports research on disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves that can cause paresthesia. The goals of this research are to increase scientific understanding of these disorders and to find ways to prevent, treat, and cure them.

Information from the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus
Numbness and tingling

Definition

Paresthesia refers to a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body. The sensation, which happens without warning, is usually painless and described as tingling or numbness, skin crawling, or itching.

Most people have experienced temporary paresthesia -- a feeling of "pins and needles" -- at some time in their lives when they have sat with legs crossed for too long, or fallen asleep with an arm crooked under their head. It happens when sustained pressure is placed on a nerve. The feeling quickly goes away once the pressure is relieved.

Chronic paresthesia is often a symptom of an underlying neurological disease or traumatic nerve damage. Paresthesia can be caused by disorders affecting the central nervous system, such as stroke and transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes), multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, and encephalitis. A tumor or vascular lesion pressed up against the brain or spinal cord can also cause paresthesia. Nerve entrapment syndromes, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can damage peripheral nerves and cause paresthesia accompanied by pain. Diagnostic evaluation is based on determining the underlying condition causing the paresthetic sensations. An individual's medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests are essential for the diagnosis. Physicians may order additional tests depending on the suspected cause of the paresthesia.

Overview

Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It can also affect other areas and body functions including digestion, urination and circulation.

Your peripheral nervous system sends information from your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) to the rest of your body. The peripheral nerves also send sensory information to the central nervous system.

Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes is diabetes.

People with peripheral neuropathy generally describe the pain as stabbing, burning or tingling. In many cases, symptoms improve, especially if caused by a treatable condition. Medications can reduce the pain of peripheral neuropathy.

Symptoms

Every nerve in your peripheral system has a specific function, so symptoms depend on the type of nerves affected. Nerves are classified into:

Sensory nerves that receive sensation, such as temperature, pain, vibration or touch, from the skin
Motor nerves that control muscle movement
Autonomic nerves that control functions such as blood pressure, perspiration, heart rate, digestion and bladder function

Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy might include:

Gradual onset of numbness, prickling or tingling in your feet or hands, which can spread upward into your legs and arms
Sharp, jabbing, throbbing or burning pain
Extreme sensitivity to touch
Pain during activities that shouldn't cause pain, such as pain in your feet when putting weight on them or when they're under a blanket
Lack of coordination and falling
Muscle weakness
Feeling as if you're wearing gloves or socks when you're not
Paralysis if motor nerves are affected

If autonomic nerves are affected, signs and symptoms might include:

Heat intolerance
Excessive sweating or not being able to sweat
Bowel, bladder or digestive problems
Drops in blood pressure, causing dizziness or lightheadedness

Peripheral neuropathy can affect one nerve (mononeuropathy), two or more nerves in different areas (multiple mononeuropathy), or many nerves (polyneuropathy). Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of mononeuropathy. Most people with peripheral neuropathy have polyneuropathy.

When to see a doctor

Seek medical care right away if you notice unusual tingling, weakness or pain in your hands or feet. Early diagnosis and treatment offer the best chance for controlling your symptoms and preventing further damage to your peripheral nerves.

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Causes

Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage caused by a number of different conditions. Health conditions that can cause peripheral neuropathy include:

Autoimmune diseases. These include Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and vasculitis.
Diabetes. This is the most common cause. Among people with diabetes, more than halfwill develop some type of neuropathy.
Infections. These include certain viral or bacterial infections, including Lyme disease, shingles, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B and C, leprosy, diphtheria, and HIV.
Inherited disorders. Disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease are hereditary types of neuropathy.
Tumors. Growths, cancerous (malignant) and noncancerous (benign), can develop on the nerves or press on nerves. Also, polyneuropathy can arise as a result of some cancers related to the body's immune response. These are a form of a degenerative disorder called paraneoplastic syndrome.
Bone marrow disorders. These include an abnormal protein in the blood (monoclonal gammopathies), a form of bone cancer (myeloma), lymphoma and the rare disease amyloidosis.
Other diseases. These include kidney disease, liver disease, connective tissue disorders and an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Other causes of neuropathies include:

Alcoholism. Poor dietary choices made by people with alcoholism can lead to vitamin deficiencies.
Exposure to poisons. Toxic substances include industrial chemicals and heavy metals such as lead and mercury.
Medications. Certain medications, especially those used to treat cancer (chemotherapy), can cause peripheral neuropathy.
Injury or pressure on the nerve. Injuries, such as from motor vehicle accidents, falls or sports injuries, can sever or damage peripheral nerves. Nerve pressure can result from having a cast or using crutches or repeating a motion such as typing many times.
Vitamin deficiencies. B vitamins — including B-1, B-6 and B-12 — vitamin E and niacin are crucial to nerve health.

In a number of cases, no cause can be identified (idiopathic).

Risk factors

Peripheral neuropathy risk factors include:

Diabetes, especially if your sugar levels are poorly controlled
Alcohol misuse
Vitamin deficiencies, particularly B vitamins
Infections, such as Lyme disease, shingles, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B and C, and HIV
Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, in which your immune system attacks your own tissues
Kidney, liver or thyroid disorders
Exposure to toxins
Repetitive motion, such as those performed for certain jobs
Family history of neuropathy

Complications

Complications of peripheral neuropathy can include:

Burns and skin injuries. You might not feel temperature changes or pain on parts of your body that are numb.
Infection. Your feet and other areas lacking sensation can become injured without your knowing. Check these areas regularly and treat minor injuries before they become infected, especially if you have diabetes.
Falls. Weakness and loss of sensation may be associated with lack of balance and falling.

Prevention

Manage underlying conditions

The best way to prevent peripheral neuropathy is to manage medical conditions that put you at risk, such as diabetes, alcoholism or rheumatoid arthritis.

Make healthy lifestyle choices

These habits support your nerve health:

Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein to keep nerves healthy. Protect against vitamin B-12 deficiency by eating meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy foods and fortified cereals. If you're vegetarian or vegan, fortified cereals are a good source of vitamin B-12, but talk to your doctor about B-12 supplements.
Exercise regularly. With your doctor's OK, try to get at least 30 minutes to one hour of exercise at least three times a week.
Avoid factors that may cause nerve damage, including repetitive motions, cramped positions that put pressure on nerves, exposure to toxic chemicals, smoking and overindulging in alcohol.

Aug. 11, 2022

What illness causes pins and needles?

Paresthesia can be caused by disorders affecting the central nervous system, such as stroke and transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes), multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, and encephalitis. A tumor or vascular lesion pressed up against the brain or spinal cord can also cause paresthesia.

When should I be concerned about pins and needles?

Persistent pins and needles may be symptomatic of more serious conditions, such as nerve injury or inflammation. Always see your doctor if you experience persistent or frequent episodes of pins and needles.

What does pins and needles indicate?

It's a sign that a nerve is irritated and sending extra signals. Think of that pins and needles feeling as a traffic jam in your nervous system. When traffic is running smoothly, tiny electrical impulses move along the nerves that run from your spine to your arms and legs.

Why do random parts of my body get pins and needles?

Pressure on peripheral nerves from enlarged blood vessels, tumors, scar tissue, or infection. Shingles or herpes zoster infection. Other infections such as HIV/AIDS, leprosy, syphilis, or tuberculosis. Lack of blood supply to an area, such as from hardening of the arteries, frostbite, or vessel inflammation.