Pins and needles feels like pricking, tingling or numbness on the skin.
Pins and needles is usually temporary. But contact a GP if you keep getting pins and needles and do not know the cause.
Possible causes of pins and needles
Pins and needles can happen when the blood supply to nerves is reduced.
A common cause is pressure on a part of your body or nerve. Pins and needles usually stops when blood supply returns to the nerves.
Common places to get pins and needles include:
- arms
- hands
- legs
- feet
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if
your pins and needles:
- does not go away
- keeps coming back
- lasts a long time
Conditions that cause pins and needles
Having pins and needles usually does not mean you have a serious condition.
But pins and needles can be a symptom of certain conditions, such as:
- hyperventilation - you breathe quickly and have pins and needles around your hands, feet or mouth
- sciatica - you have pins and needles and pain that travels from your back to your leg and foot
- multiple sclerosis - you have pins and needles in different parts of your body
- diabetes - you have pins and needles, pain or numbness in your hands and feet
- Raynaud's - your fingers or toes turn white or grey and you have pins and needles
Other causes of pins and needles
Other causes of long-lasting pins and needles include:
- treatments - such as chemotherapy
- some medicines - such as HIV medicine, medicine to prevent seizures or some antibiotics
- toxic substances - such as lead or radiation
- poor diet - such as vitamin B12 deficiency
- nerve damage - after an injury or illness
- drinking too much alcohol
Treatment for pins and needles
If you have temporary pins and needles, you can:
- take pressure off the affected area
- change position
- walk or move the affected area
- do gentle stretches
If you contact a GP for pins and needles, your GP may:
- do a blood test to check your blood sugar, calcium and vitamin B12 levels
- refer you for nerve conduction studies - the test measures how electrical signals move through your nerves
Treatment for long-lasting pins and needles depends on the cause. For example, if the cause is diabetes, treatment focuses on controlling your blood glucose levels.
