Collaborative Post
Tingling in your hands and feet, often called pins and needles, is very common and almost everybody has experienced it at least once. Often, it happens if you sit at an awkward angle and cut off the blood supply to your arms and legs. When you try to move again, you’ll notice a tingling sensation or sometimes, a loss of feeling altogether. If it happens occasionally, you don’t need to worry. But what if it happens all of the time when you are just going about your normal daily activities?
In some cases, it might be caused by something serious so you shouldn’t ignore it. On the other hand, you don’t need to panic just yet because it could be something fairly minor. So, why do you keep getting pins and needles in your hands and feet?
Circulation Issues
The tingling sensation is often caused by a lack of blood to the area. For example, when your legs and arms are tucked in an uncomfortable position and you cut off the blood supply (by putting pressure on the veins), it can take a few minutes for the blood to start flowing again. However, if you have poor circulation, you will experience this more often, even if you don’t cut off the blood flow. Your heart simply isn’t pumping hard enough to get blood to the extremities of your body. Poor circulation could be a sign of heart issues, so make sure that you get yourself checked. You should also take steps to improve your heart health and boost circulation, like exercising more regularly.
Spinal Tumours
Another possible cause of tingling hands and feet is a spinal tumour, especially if it’s in the upper back. A spinal cord tumour could compress your spinal cord or even block off the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid surrounds your brain and spine. The compression can also cause pins and needles because it interrupts nerve signals between your brain and body. If you can’t find any other cause for your pins and needles, you should see a spinal specialist (like this one at ispine.com.au) for an assessment. In some cases, you may need some minor surgery to correct the problem and remove the tumour. However, a specialist may find that you have problems with your spinal alignment, rather than a tumour.
Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash
Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamin B deficiencies are another possible cause of pins and needles in your hands and feet. The most common vitamin for this type of deficiency is B12, which plays an important role in nerve function. You can get Vitamin B12 from animal products or supplements. If you suspect that you might have a Vitamin B deficiency, it’s best to go see your doctor for some tests.
Trapped Nerve Syndromes
One of the most serious causes of pins and needles is a trapped or compressed nerve. It can happen if you injure your wrist or hand, for example, and some of the nerves get trapped beneath the surrounding tissues. If they remain like that for an extended period of time, it can lead to permanent numbness and tingling because those nerves simply aren’t working at 100%. If you have sustained an injury and you notice that you are getting pins and needles a lot, speak to a doctor right away.
A lot of the time, pins and needles is just something that happens and you don’t need to worry. However, it could be caused by something more serious, so don’t ignore it.