Burning, tingling, numbness, feeling of needles or "running creeps" in the hands and feet are usually explained by simple and easily eliminated causes. However, if these sensations occur regularly, they may be the first symptoms of a disease.
Record content:
- 1 Physiological tingling
- 2 Pathological tingling sensations
- 3 Psychological reasons
-
4 Possible causes of tingling
- 4.1 Tingling in the hands
- 4.2 In the left hand
- 4.3 At the feet
- 4.4 In arms and legs at the same time
- 5 Tingling sensations during pregnancy
- 6 Diagnostic methods
- 7 When to see a doctor
-
8 Treatment methods
- 8.1 Medications
- 8.2 Traditional methods
- 8.3 Other methods
- 9 Video about the causes of tingling
Physiological tingling
Across the surface of the skin, there are many nerve receptors that are activated upon contact with an object and transmit tactile signals to the brain. Depending on their intensity, a person can experience the entire palette of sensations: from light touch to severe pain.
But sometimes, for a reason:
- mechanical pressure on nerve endings;
- violations of blood supply to any part of the body;
- diseases of the spine, leading to incorrect transmission of nerve impulses.
The brain can receive false tactile signals. This phenomenon is called paresthesia or sensory disorder. It is manifested by phantom tingling, burning, numbness.
Physiological tingling sensations can be felt for the following reasons:
- prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position;
- too tight shoes, uncomfortable clothes that cut into the skin, or the presence of accessories that exert strong pressure on the body;
- freezing of hands or feet: subsequently, when warmed, a person may experience a strong tingling and burning sensation;
- impacts and injuries that cause tissue edema and nerve compression;
- dehydration, in which discomfort is the result of the loss, along with moisture, of the minerals necessary for the body, which are responsible for the proper functioning of the nervous system;
- insufficient oxygen supply to the cells and impaired blood flow. Heavy smokers are familiar with the tingling sensation in the limbs due to this reason.
Pathological tingling sensations
Tingling sensations in the hands and feet like needles can be chronic. As a rule, they are a symptom of the disease that caused the nerve damage.
Pathological causes of paresthesias are divided into 2 groups:
| Radiculopathy | Neuropathy |
| Radicular syndrome. This group includes factors that cause compression (squeezing) of the roots of the spinal nerves, through which the signal is transmitted from the limbs to the spinal cord, and then to the brain. This is:
|
Diseases in which peripheral nerve fibers are affected, leading to damage and malfunction. These are, in particular:
|
Neuropathy and paresthesia, as one of its symptoms, can also cause:
- some medications;
- toxins;
- vitamin deficiency (lack of vitamin B, vitamin E);
- an excess of vitamin D.
Psychological reasons
This group of reasons includes factors that are not associated with mechanical action on the nerve fibers, but cause excessive stress on the nervous system. This leads to malfunctions in her work, which can manifest itself as a persistent tingling sensation.
These include:
- depression, severe stress, anxiety;
- obsessive-cumulative disorder, in which the patient is haunted by obsessive thoughts or ideas of performing any action;
- psychosis is a serious mental illness, which is characterized by the presence of hallucinations, including tactile ones.
Possible causes of tingling
Tingling sensations in the hands and feet like needles occur for no apparent (physiological) reason. However, this symptom is a significant reason for going to a doctor, since it may indicate the development of a serious pathology. Based on the location of paresthesias, the doctor can determine a possible disease and prescribe the optimal diagnostic method.
Tingling in the hands
Such sensations can be caused by a number of diseases and conditions.
If the cause is serious, then paresthesia is accompanied by other symptoms:
- Migraine.
- Change in skin color (pallor or flushing).
- Pain localized in a specific part of the arm.
A tingling sensation that covers the entire arm may indicate:
- The development of atherosclerosis, in which the deposits of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels reduce their lumen, as a result of which the blood circulation of the hands is impaired. This causes a tingling sensation, numbness, and weakness, which are worse when you try to raise your arm.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, which causes disturbances in the transmission of impulses that regulate the work of the hands, and a deficiency in their blood supply. With osteochondrosis, tingling and numbness cover the entire arm from hand to shoulder.
- Neoplasms located in the upper spine. Gradually increasing in size, they begin to press on the nerve endings and blood vessels, causing a feeling of numbness, tingling, burning.
Sometimes the feeling of tingling and numbness is localized in a certain part of the arm, which may indicate the following problems:
| Problem | Possible reason |
| Paresthesias in the fingers | Occur when:
|
| Numbness and tingling in the thumb | This is a sign of diseases of the respiratory system or digestive organs. If it also covers the index finger, then one of the possible causes is the displacement of the intervertebral discs. |
| Tingling in the palms | This is an alarming signal that indicates the incorrect functioning of the endocrine or nervous system. In addition, such sensations can be a symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. |
| Tingling and pain covering fingers and palms | One of the early signs of tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the tendons are inflamed and the nerve fibers are compressed by the resulting edema. This disease is also characterized by:
|
| Tingling in the forearm | May indicate osteochondrosis or diseases that cause insufficient blood supply to brain cells. |
In the left hand
Chronic paresthesias in the left hand can occur for the same reasons as in the right. However, there are a number of extremely dangerous conditions in which a tingling sensation, accompanied by numbness and soreness, is localized on the left, without affecting the right side of the trunk.
This could be:
| Disease | Description |
| Pre-stroke condition | It is characterized by impaired blood circulation in the brain and the appearance, in addition to paresthesias in the left hand, of the following symptoms:
|
| Myocardial infarction | Dying off of a portion of the heart muscle due to insufficient blood circulation. One of the symptoms of the disease is tingling and numbness in the left arm, accompanied by severe pain radiating to the scapula. Pain relievers are usually ineffective for heart pain. |
| Angina attack | Usually occurs with increased physical or emotional stress. It manifests itself:
|
At the feet
The persistent feeling of needles in the legs cannot be ignored. Especially in cases where tingling is accompanied by other symptoms: a feeling of numbness, burning, itching, the appearance of vascular "asterisks".
A similar set of symptoms may indicate:
- Varicose veins, manifested in the early stages by tingling in the legs and numbness of the feet.
- Heart disease: in this case, paresthesias are accompanied by itching and swelling.
- Diabetes. With this disease, the tingling sensation can affect the whole body, it is most intensely manifested in the area of \ u200b \ u200bthe feet.
- Arthritis, arthrosis and associated inflammatory processes in the joints, which affect nearby vessels, blocking the flow of blood to the nerve endings.
- Deformities of the lower spine, causing compression of blood vessels and nerve roots.
- Fungal lesions of the feet. In this case, tingling is accompanied by many other symptoms that indicate the presence of a fungus: an unpleasant odor, itching, cracking and peeling of the skin, brittle nails.
- Dehydration. As a rule, tingling is accompanied by cramps that involve the muscles of the lower leg.
- Leg injuries resulting in nerve damage.
In arms and legs at the same time
Tingling sensations in the hands and feet like needles that occur for no apparent reason sometimes indicate the presence of a disease that affects the entire nervous system or a sufficiently large part of it.
This could be:
- Poisoning with toxic substances, in particular arsenic, thallium, mercury. Among the first symptoms of intoxication is a tingling sensation, which is most pronounced in the legs, but can also cover the hands.
- Alcoholic neuropathy. Severe damage to the peripheral nervous system, which occurs against the background of chronic alcoholism, in which metabolic processes occurring in the nerve fibers are disrupted. This leads to their incorrect work and the appearance of false tactile sensations, in particular, tingling, which accompanied by other symptoms: increased sweating, swelling of the hands and feet, discoloration of the skin, disorders breathing.
- A state of severe anxiety, stress. When a person is in a similar state, under the influence of adrenaline entering the blood in huge quantities, his breathing becomes more frequent, which leads to an imbalance in the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The work of nerve receptors is disrupted, and they begin to send false signals to the brain.
-
Multiple sclerosis. An autoimmune disease that affects the sheath of nerve fibers and manifests itself in the early stages of numbness in the arms and legs and a tingling sensation. Later, other symptoms appear: visual impairment, difficulty maintaining balance, cognitive disorders.
- Medicinesused in the treatment of cancer, epilepsy, AIDS, heart disease. They can have the side effect of tingling and a slight feeling of numbness in the limbs.
There are other causes of false tactile sensations, including:
- infections (jaundice, shingles, leprosy);
- kidney disease (failure);
- diseases affecting large veins and arteries that supply the limbs with blood;
- some autoimmune diseases.
Tingling sensations during pregnancy
In the early stages, the cause of autonomic disorders, manifested by tingling in the hands, feet or other parts of the body, usually becomes a neurosis of pregnant women, arising as a reaction to a sharp change in hormonal background.
Other symptoms of neurosis will be:
- depression;
- the appearance of phobias;
- apathy.
Later, when the developing baby's body needs an increased amount of calcium to build the skeleton, the expectant mother may feel tingling in the legs, accompanied by cramps in the legs - a sign of a deficiency of this mineral.
By about the middle of the term, a pregnant woman may notice that her hands are numb, and tingling is felt in her fingers - this is caused by tunnel syndrome. Its development is due to the action of hormones that support pregnancy.
They provoke swelling of the tendons located next to the carpal tunnel, a large nerve that provides mobility of the fingers. Tissue compresses the nerve and interferes with its normal function.
In late pregnancy, the most common cause of tingling sensation in the legs is pressure the enlarged uterus on the adjacent vessels and nerve fibers, which leads to disturbances in their work. Paresthesias are usually intense in the feet and are accompanied by swelling.
Most of the causes of paresthesia during gestation are not dangerous and will disappear after childbirth. However, it is necessary to consult a doctor, as a tingling sensation may indicate and diseases that previously did not manifest themselves in any way, but began to develop intensively against the background pregnancy.
Diagnostic methods
First, the doctor conducts an oral conversation with the patient, during which he clarifies:
- type of false tactile sensations;
- the part of the body where they appear most intensely;
- the nature of paresthesias;
- accompanying symptoms.
Further, the patient's medical history is studied and it turns out whether he is taking medication.
Based on these data, further diagnostic methods are determined:
- If the tingling sensation is most intense in the hands, accompanied by a feeling of numbness, spreading to the neck (head), then the patient is assigned an X-ray of the cervical spine.
- With paresthesia in the legs, the lumbar region is examined.
- To obtain more accurate results, the patient can be assigned an MRI of the problem area of the spine and, if necessary, an MRI of the brain. The method can also be used to diagnose cancer.
MRI of the head. What shows is normal - If an initial stage of arthritis or arthrosis is suspected, an X-ray of the joints.
- If you suspect varicose veins and to diagnose other vascular diseases, manifested by tingling and numbness of the extremities, Doppler sonography is performed. This is a type of ultrasound, aimed at examining the circulatory system.
- An electrocardiogram and ultrasound of the heart muscle is performed to identify pathologies of the cardiovascular system that can manifest as paresthesias.
As part of the diagnosis, the patient is also assigned laboratory blood and urine tests:
- A general blood test will show the level of erythrocytes and platelets, as well as an increase in ESR, which can be used to judge the presence / absence of an inflammatory process in the body.
- A biochemical blood test, which detects an elevated cholesterol level, is prescribed if there is a suspicion of atherosclerotic changes in the vessels.
- A blood sugar test is done to diagnose diabetes.
- A general urine test - to determine the level of protein, which may be overestimated in kidney disease.
- Serologic testing is prescribed to detect rheumatoid factor in suspected joint disease.
When to see a doctor
Tingling sensations like needles in the hands and feet that occur from time to time as a result of external mechanical compression nerve endings or vessels that provide blood supply to the site is a physiological norm and does not require treatment.
Seeing a doctor is necessary when paresthesia:
- appear too brightly, creating discomfort, interfering with the performance of professional duties;
- cover not only the limbs, but also other parts of the body;
- are chronic, occur regularly for no apparent reason;
- accompanied by other symptoms that indicate trouble.
Particularly noteworthy are cases when a tingling sensation occurs against the background:
- taking medications;
- pregnancy;
- suspected poisoning;
- the appearance of spider veins on the skin of the legs;
- long-term healing of the smallest damage to the skin;
- cardiological diseases.
These circumstances require immediate medical attention.
Depending on the cause of paresthesias, they are treated by:
- therapist - with radiculopathy;
- neurologist, neuropathologist - with neuralgia;
- psychotherapist - if tingling is caused by psychological reasons;
- narcologist - for tingling, as a symptom of alcoholic neuropathy;
- cardiologist - for tingling and numbness, indicating heart problems;
- surgeon, if the cause is a neoplasm pressing on the nerve;
- dermatologist - with paresthesias caused by a fungus.
Treatment methods
Treatment of paresthesias is aimed primarily at eliminating the factor that causes them - the underlying disease, the symptom of which is false tactile sensations. In parallel, drugs are used to alleviate the patient's condition and provide symptomatic treatment.
Medications
With paresthesias arising from diseases of the heart, spine, joints, cancer, medications give anesthetic and sedative effect. Treatment of the underlying disease is performed by other methods: surgery, physiotherapy, exercise therapy.
Tingling sensations in the hands and feet like needles can be caused by other causes.
In this case, the patient can be assigned:
-
Nicergoline. The remedy is used for paresthesias associated with incorrect work of blood vessels.
- Papaverine. Eliminates spasms of muscles and blood vessels, it is prescribed for tingling, accompanied by cramps and pain.
- Pentoxifylline. The drug, which has a vasodilating effect, will eliminate tingling sensations caused by insufficient blood supply to the extremities.
- Ketanov. Eliminates pain and inflammation by easing or eliminating the tingling sensation.
- Supradin, Vitrum. Vitamin complexes are prescribed for paresthesias caused by vitamin deficiency.
- Diazolin, Peritol. They are taken for allergic reactions, manifested by a tingling sensation, itching, redness.
Traditional methods
Traditional medicine methods can weaken paresthesias caused by diseases of the joints, blood vessels or spine, but they cannot eliminate the cause of the disease. They are used as an adjuvant after consulting your doctor.
Among them:
- Infusion of sweet clover: a pinch of dry herb is brewed with boiling water (250 ml) and infused for 1 hour. The infusion must be drunk for 2 days, 3-4 cups daily, until the tingling sensation in the hands and feet disappears.
- Contrast baths. It is necessary to keep your hands (feet) in cold or hot water, then grease them with camphor ointment, to which a few drops of essential eucalyptus oil have been added, and wrap them well. Perform daily, at night, for 10 days.
Other methods
With the ineffectiveness of the use of medications, as well as agents that enhance their effect, various physiotherapy procedures can be used to treat paresthesias.
They are aimed at normalizing blood circulation, eliminating tissue edema and combating diseases of the spine:
- Diadynamic currents. The impact of impulse currents on the problem area will reduce the compression of nerve fibers, improve them nutrition and normalizes blood circulation, due to which the manifestations will weaken and gradually disappear paresthesia.
-
Electrophoresis. Eliminate muscle spasm. The use of electrophoresis with caripain in some cases allows you to avoid surgery for intervertebral hernias and get rid of the tingling sensation caused by them.
- Magnetotherapy. Under the influence of a magnetic field, the work of blood vessels is normalized, due to which an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect is achieved, emotional stress is relieved, and puffiness is eliminated.
- Mud therapy. The combined effect of heat and the ingredients of therapeutic mud will expand blood vessels, accelerate cell metabolism, and improve tissue respiration.
- Massage. An effective way to relieve pain in osteochondrosis, allowing you to eliminate paresthesia (numbness, tingling) in the arms and legs, relieve muscle spasm and restore normal functioning of the nervous roots.
- Acupuncture. Acting directly on the nerve endings, the procedure normalizes their work.
To combat tingling and the feeling of needles in the hands and feet, modern medicine has enough means, and it always ready to help someone who will not ignore unpleasant symptoms, but will try to find out and eliminate them reason.
Video about the causes of tingling
Myasnikov on the causes of numbness in the arms and legs:
