Tingling In The Hands And Feet – Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment

Everyone has felt tingling in the hands and feet for a short time. The temporary feeling of pins and needles can occur when you sit cross leg or fall asleep in your arms for a long time. In medical terms, you call it paresthesia. It describes the prickling or burning sensation. Due to the pins and needles, you feel weakness, numbness, and pain in or around the areas of the feet and hands. Is it a worrisome problem? Do you need medical treatment for the condition? You may have so many doubts regarding paresthesia.

You feel pins and needles in the hands as well as feet due to a wide variety of problems. From simple factors to suffering from severe conditions, several issues can lead to the sensation. You need to observe your body for other symptoms and take the right step to deal with it. Here are some of the potential causes of the condition and its treatment available:

Common Causes Linked To Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Some common factors can trigger numbness and prickling sensation in your hands and feet. You need to see a doctor for such a condition as it can escalate into something serious. To avoid such complications, you need early intervention and management.

Diabetic Neuropathy

Neuropathy refers to the condition causing damage to the nerve. Due to the nerve damage, people can feel numbness, tingling, or prickling sensation. While there are many types of neuropathy, the pins and needles sensation in the legs and hands occurs with peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy refers to nerve damage occurring due to high blood sugar in your bloodstream. So, it damages the nerves along with the blood vessels supplying blood to the nerves. When the nerve fails to receive oxygenated blood, it will not function properly. It usually affects your legs, feet, arms, and hand. According to studies from around the world, around half of the people suffering from diabetes have peripheral neuropathy.

Treatment For Diabetic Neuropathy

Managing diabetes is the best method to prevent pins and needles sensation. Keeping the blood sugar within the targeted range helps prevent or delay nerve damage. When you manage blood sugar, it also improves the current symptoms. You need to talk to your doctor regarding the right range based on your age, overall health, and the duration of suffering from diabetes. To treat pain, your doctor prescribes anti-seizure drugs and anti-depressants.

Vitamin Deficiency Causing Tingling In The Hands And Feet

You need to include a well-balanced diet will all the vitamins and minerals. When you fail to get a specific vitamin from your diet, it results in vitamin deficiency. It can also occur when you suffer from a condition resulting in insufficient absorption of the vitamin. Certain vitamins are essential to maintain the health of your nerves. The deficiency of the vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 can result in tingling in the hands and feet:

Treatment For Vitamin Deficiency

To treat vitamin deficiency, you need to make changes in the diet and take supplements to overcome the problem. Depending on the deficiency and the severity of the problem, you need treatment for a short time or continue it lifelong.

Pinched Nerve

You develop pinched nerve when you suffer from excess pressure on a nerve. The pressure develops on the nerve from the tissue surrounding the nerves. You suffer from pinched nerves when you develop an inflammatory condition, repetitive movements, or injury. While pinched nerve can occur anywhere in the body, you feel numbness, tingling, or pain when you develop it on your feet or hands. Developing a pinched nerve in the lower spine can lead to pins and needles radiating down the back of your leg and into the foot.

Treatment For Pinched Nerve

Rest is the first line of treatment suggested for a pinched nerve. Based on the location of the pinched nerve, you need a splint or braces to immobilize the region. Pain medication, physical therapy, and surgery can manage the condition.

Carpal Tunnel

It is a common condition occurring due to compression of the median nerve while it moves through the wrist. It develops due to repetitive motions, injury, or inflammatory conditions.

Treatment For Carpal Tunnel

For mild cases, you can use compress, rest, and splint to manage the problem. Doctors prescribe medications to alleviate pain. In severe cases, you need surgery to treat the condition.

Kidney Failure

Severe kidney diseases can result in the failure of the organ. So, it fails to function properly. Underlying issues like hypertension or severe diabetes can lead to kidney failure. Due to kidney failure, waste products start to accumulate. It leads to nerve damage and subsequent tingling in your legs or feet.

Treatment For Kidney Failure

You need to undergo dialysis to remove the toxic waste from your body. In severe cases, you require a kidney transplant to overcome the problem.

Pregnancy Causing Tingling In The Hands And Feet

When you are pregnant, it causes severe hormone fluctuations. It results in swelling throughout the body, which puts pressure on nerves.

Treatment

It has no specific treatment as these signs disappear after you give birth.

Use Of Medication

Using certain medications can result in nerve damage. The medication can trigger a tingling sensation in the hands and feet. The medications causing such issue are:

• • Cancer medication (chemotherapy)
  • Anti-infection drugs

 

• Blood pressure or heart medications
• Anticonvulsants

Treatment

Peripheral neuropathy triggered due to medication will go away after changing or discontinuing the medication. Dose reduction also manages the problem. But, consult a doctor for discontinuing, changing, or reducing the dose. Never take the decision yourself.

Autoimmune Disorders Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

In normal cases, your immune system protects the body from foreign invaders. But, due to an autoimmune disorder, the immune system starts attacking the cells and tissues of the body by mistake.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Causing Tinging In The Hands

Rheumatoid arthritis refers to an autoimmune disorder causing swelling and pain in the joints. It affects wrists and hands commonly. But, other parts like feet and ankles can also bear the brunt. Due to the condition, you develop inflammation, which puts pressure on the nerves, leading to tingling.

Treatment For Rheumatoid Arthritis

You have no cure for the condition. Early intervention and treatment with DMARDs (Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) can slow the progression. Pain killers also offer relief from pain. You need physical therapy or surgery in severe cases.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis anatomical vector illustration diagram, medical scheme with affected area icons and damaged neuron bio anatomy.

MS is an autoimmune disease attacking the myelin (protective cover of nerves), which results in nerve damage. So, it can trigger a tingling sensation in the face, legs, and arms.

Treatment For Multiple Sclerosis

No cure currently exists for MS. Treatments like taking corticosteroids and plasma exchange focuses on healing from attacks, managing the symptoms, and slowing the progression of the disease.

Lupus Resulting In Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. So, it results in your immune system to attack the tissue of the body. It also affects the nervous system. You can also experience tingling in the hands and feet due to the swelling or inflammation of the nearby nerves due to lupus.

Treatment For Lupus

It is an incurable condition and the treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and prevent flare-ups. Medications are prescribed to manage the symptoms.

Celiac Disease Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Celiac disease refers to the autoimmune disease affecting the small intestine. The reaction occurs when the affected person ingests gluten. Some people suffering from celiac disease also suffer from signs of neuropathy. These signs can occur without any gastrointestinal symptoms.

Treatment For Celiac Disease

There is no cure for the disease. The treatment involves including a gluten-free diet to manage signs and promote healing of your small intestine.

Infections Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Infections develop when a harmful pathogen attacks your body. The disease-causing organism can weaken the immune system and trigger several symptoms. So, you can suffer from infections due to an attack from a virus, bacteria, or fungus.

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease refers to the bacterial infection transmitted through the infected tick bite. When you ignore the problem, the infection starts affecting your nervous system. Due to the attack on the nervous system, you can develop a tingling sensation in the hands as well as feet.

Treatment For Lyme’s Disease

With early diagnosis and treatment, you can prevent complications. Antibiotics are used to treat the condition. You recover completely with early treatment. The doctor can prescribe oral antibiotics or provide intravenous antibiotics.

Shingles Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Shingles is the painful rash developing due to the reactivation of the varicella-zoster. In normal cases, the virus remains dormant in the nerves of people who have suffered from chickenpox. Usually, shingles affect only a small part of the body. It normally develops only one side of the body. The usual parts affected by shingles are:

• Feet
• Legs
• Arms
• Hands
• Numbness or tingling can develop in the affected area.

Treatment For Shingles Causing Tingling In The Hands And Feet

As soon as the rash appears, you need to take antiviral medications to reduce the severity and duration of the condition. Your doctor can prescribe over-the-counter or prescription pain medications to relieve pain. You can apply calamine lotion to manage the itching caused due to the rash.

Hepatitis B and C

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C cause live inflammation. It occurs due to a virus attacking the liver. It can lead to severe complications like cirrhosis or the presence of malignant cells in the liver without getting treatment. In some people, hepatitis C causes peripheral neuropathy. Why you develop nerve problems due to hepatitis C remains unclear. Some people suffering from hepatitis B and C infection also develop a condition referred to as cryoglobulinemia. Due to the condition, certain protein in your blood starts to clump together during cold weather. Therefore, it causes inflammation and results in a tingling sensation in your hands as well as feet.

Treating Hepatitis B And C

In some cases, the condition can get better without treatment after a few months. When you suffer from chronic cases of hepatitis B or C infection, your doctor treats it with antiviral medications. For severe cases, you need a liver transplant as the organ gets badly damaged.

HIV/AIDS Causing Tingling In Hands And Feet

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus attacks the cells of your immune system. So, it increases the risk of developing serious infections or cancers. Without treatment, the infection starts to progress to the last stage, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Due to the problem, you suffer from severe damage to the immune system. As HIV can affect your nervous system, it can cause damage to the nerves in the feet and hands. So, you will feel pain, numbness, and tingling.

Treatment For HIV/AIDS

You need to understand HIV/AIDS has no permanent cure. Once you develop the infection, the body cannot get rid of it. But, with early intervention, you can control HIV and prevent any complications. The medication used to manage the infection is referred to as ART (antiretroviral therapy). So, people who are diagnosed with HIV must start immediately on ART, irrespective of the stage of the infection or the complications they suffer.

Hansen’s disease (Leprosy)

Hansen’s disease is a bacterial infection affecting your skin, nerves, and respiratory tract. Earlier known as leprosy, the condition can affect your nervous system. So, you can feel a tingling sensation or numbness in the affected area of the body. It can include your feet or hands.

Treatment For Hansen’s Disease

The condition is treated with a combination of antibiotics. It is known as multidrug therapy as two or three antibiotics are used at the same time to treat the problem.

Other Causes Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Apart from the above-mentioned conditions, other problems can also trigger the tingling in the hands and feet. The main underlying causes associated with the problem are:

Hypothyroidism Causing Tingling In The Hands And Feet

When you suffer from a thyroid disorder, it can result in several problems. When the thyroid gland fails to produce the necessary thyroid hormone, it leads to a condition known as hypothyroidism. While it is not common, untreated and severe hypothyroidism can damage the nerves. It causes numbing or tingling sensations. The mechanism or why it happens remains unclear.

Treating Hypothyroidism

Your doctor prescribes synthetic thyroid hormone medication to treat the problem. The daily use of levothyroxine orally restores the necessary hormone levels to reverse the symptoms and signs associated with hypothyroidism.

Toxin Exposure

Different chemicals and toxins come under the group of neurotoxins. It means they can harm your nervous system. Such exposure can trigger various signs, including tingling or numbing feeling in the feet or hands. Some of the toxins triggering such issues are:

• Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury
• Ethylene glycol found in antifreeze
• Acrylamide (the chemical used for different industrial purposes)
• Hexacarbons (you can find it in some glues or solvents)

Treatment For Toxin Exposure

If you are exposed to such toxins, then see a doctor. The doctor prescribes over-the-counter medication to manage mild pain. For severe pain, you need prescription drugs used to deal with peripheral neuropathy. You need to take it regularly. At nighttime, the symptoms become severe, so never wait until then to take the medications. Try to eliminate exposure to toxins from your environment or occupation to prevent further damage. Always follow the safety precaution when you are working with toxins to avoid loss of sensation.

Fibromyalgia Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Fibromyalgia is a common condition affecting the muscles and bones. The symptoms mimic many other underlying problems. So, it is often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. When you suffer from the condition, it triggers the following symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Widespread muscle pain
• Changes in mood

Some people with the condition can experience other problems like gastrointestinal issues, headaches, and tingling sensations. The exact reason for developing the condition remains unclear.

Treatment For Fibromyalgia

For treating the pain triggering due to the condition, the doctor prescribes over-the-counter pain medication. To treat severe pain, you need a stronger dose, prescription medication like opioids are not suggested as you can become dependent on them. Regular moderate exercises are good for controlling fibromyalgia.

Ganglion Cyst

The ganglion cyst refers to the fluid-filled lump occurring mostly in your joints. The wrist is the most common area affected by the cyst. When the cyst develops, it applies pressure to the nearby nerves. While the cyst may not cause pain, it can lead to a tingling sensation in the fingers or hands.

Treatment

Your doctor suggests immobilization, aspiration, and surgery for treating the condition.

Cervical Spondylosis

Age-related changes can different parts of the body, including the spine. When you suffer from the changes in the cervical spine, it can cause osteoarthritis, herniation, and degeneration.

Sometimes these changes can put pressure on the spinal cord, which can lead to worsening neck pain as well as symptoms like tingling or numbness in the arms and legs.

Treatment

Medications, therapy, and surgery can manage the condition.

Raynaud’s phenomenon

It is the reaction developing as a result of extreme stress or cold weather. Therefore, the condition affects the blood flow to the arms and legs resulting in the tingling in the fingers as well as toes.

Treatment For Raynaud’s phenomenon

The affected people prescribe medications to widen the blood vessels and increase the blood flow. In severe cases, injections and surgery are suggested to manage the problem.

Alcohol-Related Neuropathy

Misuse of alcohol for a long time can result in neuropathy. It results in a tingling sensation. The condition progresses gradually and can affect your daily routine.

Treatment For Alcohol-Related Neuropathy

You need to avoid drinking alcohol. If you have trouble kicking the habit, then seek medical assistance.

Rare Factors Causing Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Pins and needles can develop due to rare cases. It is not common, but some people can experience it. Here are some of the causes leading to the condition:

Vasculitis Triggering Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Vasculitis refers to the inflammation of the blood vessels, which causes changes in the blood flow to the affected area. Restriction of blood can trigger nerve problems like numbness, tingling, and weakness.

Treatment For Vasculitis

Treatment for the condition focuses on controlling the inflammation and managing the underlying problems. So, the doctor prescribes corticosteroids to alleviate inflammation. In some cases, the doctor suggests surgery to prevent the aneurysm from rupturing.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

It is a rare disease affecting the nervous system. Due to the nervous system disorder, your immune system starts attacking a part of the nervous system. The exact reason for developing the condition remains unknown. But, Guillain-Barre syndrome can develop after an illness.

Treatment For Guillain-Barre Syndrome

IVIG (Intravenous immunoglobulin) is the common treatment for the condition. Donated blood containing healthy antibodies provided will help deal with the harmful antibodies.

Diagnosing Tingling In The Hands And Feet

Most of the time, people ignore the pins and needles feeling. But, when it starts affecting daily life, you need to make an appointment with the doctor. The doctor can diagnose the problem by asking you to undergo certain tests. Here are the variety of tests to diagnose the condition:

Physical Examination

When you make an appointment with the doctor, the medical professional performs a thorough physical assessment. Some people can suffer from the condition due to some health conditions. So, during the test, the doctor asks if you suffer from additional signs, which indicates the health issue. The doctor will also collect information on different aspects of your life like:

• Family history of suffering from neurological issues
• Use of tobacco products
• Consumption of alcohol
• Your increased risk of exposure to toxins
• Suffer from the risk of infectious diseases

Depending on the assessment, your doctor can suggest additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Blood Tests

A blood test is helpful in determining diverse health issues. The blood sample is analyzed in the lab by a technician to check underlying health issues. Therefore, the blood sample you provide can shed light on the different problems like:

• Diabetes
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Kidney problems
• Liver dysfunction
• Metabolic disorder
• Abnormal immune system activity

So, the blood tests can help uncover the actual cause of triggering or prickling sensation in your feet and hands.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Evaluation

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a colorless and clear fluid. It surrounds your brain as well as the spinal cord. Examining your CSF can offer evidence of peripheral neuropathy, which can cause tingling in the hands and feet. The CSF fluid is drawn using a lumbar puncture or spinal tap method. If the test detects a change in the color of the CSF, then it points to a neurological disorder.

Electromyogram (EMG)

An electromyogram is suggested when the doctor suspects something wrong with the nerves. The diagnostic test offers a clear picture and helps make a proper diagnosis. The test measures the response of your muscles or the electrical activity during the stimulation of nerves. The diagnostic test is ideal for detecting any neuromuscular abnormalities. The doctor can measure the electrical activities of the muscle, while resting, slight contraction, or forceful contraction.

Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV)

NCV refers to the test used to detect nerve damage in the body. The test stimulates your nerve directly using an electrical current. Then, the doctor measures the reaction to detect any problems. Therefore, the test is helpful in determining a diverse range of muscular and neuromuscular conditions.

Computed Tomography (CT)

Your doctor can suggest an imaging test to detect the problems of the nerves. CT scan has a series of x-ray images to detect the exact cause of the nerve problem. It is usually suggested when the doctor suspects issues like compressed nerve, pinched nerve, or other issues causing a tingling sensation.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

It is a more advanced imaging test used to produce images using a strong magnetic field and sound waves. Using the diagnostic test, the doctor can see nerve images. It is usually suggested for nerve root compression problems.

Nerve Biopsy

The test is suggested by the doctor to detect inflammatory neuropathy. It is the sophisticated test used to determine the difference between myelin damage, also known as demyelination (the damage to the nerve sheath), and axon degeneration (it is the damage occurring to the axonal portion of the nerve cell).

Skin Biopsy

The doctor checks the nerve fiber ends using the skin punch biopsy. It is the diagnostic test used to assess the extent of nerve damage. It is also used to measure nerve fiber density. A reduced level indicates a condition like small fiber neuropathy.

Lifestyle Changes To Manage Tingling In The Hands And Feet

In most cases, a good lifestyle can help avoid tingling in the hands and feet. Making some small yet effective changes in your routine can reduce the risk of nerve problems. Therefore, you can follow the tips suggested below to overcome the problem:

Manage Your Weight

You need to keep the weight under control. Maintaining an ideal weight according to the BMI can help prevent problems like diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Diabetes is one of the common problems triggering tinging. Include a balanced diet providing all necessary nutrients to boost your immune system. Therefore, good nutrition and eliminating processed foods prevent the accumulation of fat. Also, include exercise in your routine. Exercising increases blood circulation and avoids the accumulation of fat.

Avoid Bad Habits

Smoking is injurious to health. Cigarette smoke constricts your blood vessels. So, it results in a lack of adequate blood to the peripheral nerves. The lack of blood circulation can deprive the nerves of necessary nutrients. So, it can lead to a tingling sensation. Similarly, excess consumption of alcohol can affect the nerves. To avoid such problems, quit smoking and avoid excess consumption of alcohol.

Conclusion

Several underlying causes can trigger tingling in the hands and feet. Diabetes is a common problem causing the problem. But, several other issues can also lead to the tingling sensation. It is important to seek medical assistance to detect the underlying problem. With early diagnosis and medication, you can overcome the problem. Therefore, addressing the symptoms can prevent further nerve damage from affecting your life.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/tingling-in-hands-and-feet

https://www.medicinenet.com/tingling_in_hands_and_feet/symptoms.htm

https://www.webmd.com/brain/tingling-in-hands-and-feet#1