Why does tingling occur in the arms and legs? Goose bumps and tingling in the arms and legs: what does it mean? Treatment for tingling hands and feet

Tingling in the limbs is an uncomfortable sensation that can be the result of compression of nerve endings as a result of a person being in an uncomfortable position for a long time or a symptomatic sign of a developing disease. The normal functioning of organs depends on proper blood circulation, so the presence of tingling in the limbs is an important sign for consulting a doctor.

Tingling occurs as a result of damage to the arms and legs, the degree of which corresponds to the area of the affected nerve tissue. Pathological changes occur in the fibers of the peripheral nerves, spinal cord and brain stem - these are the areas that send abnormal impulses to the arms and legs, resulting in tingling. Abnormal impulses are caused by physical stress and the presence of concomitant disease.

Tingling sensations in the extremities can be divided into groups according to the nature of their manifestation: physiological or pathological.

The physiological nature of tingling refers to the type of tingling sensations that are characterized by minor manifestations and disappear after a few minutes. This type corresponds to a temporary decrease in nerve sensitivity or short-term disruption of blood flow, concentrated in a certain part of the body. Having eliminated the provoking factor, the tingling goes away.

A pathological type of tingling, which occurs suddenly and is accompanied by a feeling of severe pain, affects both pairs of limbs. It is a symptom of pathology in the body. An uncomfortable feeling for a long time, causing a chronic form of pain.

Causes

Tingling in the extremities of the arms and legs have common causes, which can be caused by severe course or progression of diseases. These include:

Features of sensations in the upper limbs

A sign such as tingling in the hands may be a symptom indicating the development of pathological processes in the neck. It is characterized by a concomitant symptomatic picture: headaches, cervical pain. The teasing in the hands occurs in the muscle tissue of the corresponding section.

Also, tartness accompanies changes in ligaments, tendons, compression of soft tissues, and disruption of blood flow in the hand caused by physical impact.

Tingling in the left hand, accompanied by a headache, indicates the occurrence of the causes of ischemic pathology, a violation of the blood supply.

Features of sensations in the lower extremities

Tingling in the lower extremities is the most alarming symptom. This sign may indicate the onset or progression of diseases:

Intervertebral hernia;
Bulging of the intervertebral disc into the spinal canal;
Tumor of the spinal canal;
Atherosclerotic processes;
Circulatory system syndrome.

Type and nature of tingling, reasons for its appearance. The specialist conducts a history and physical examination of the patient. Will be appointed:

Clinical blood tests, biochemical;
Blood to exclude or confirm the presence of diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, abnormal processes in the immune system;
Biopsy of cerebrospinal fluid for indicators of neuropathy;
Biopsy of nerve tissue of the gastrocnemius muscle;
skin;
Electromyogram to evaluate nerve activity in muscle tissue;
X-ray;
Computed Tomography - to exclude abnormal pathologies of the central nervous system;
MRI - to determine deviations in the functional activity of organs.

Additionally, specialist consultations are provided: neurologist, cardiologist, surgeon, psychologist.

Treatment

Therapeutic therapy is prescribed based on the reasons that led to the appearance of a prickly feeling in the limbs:

Physical exercises to improve blood supply to a specific area of the body;
Therapeutic diet;
If tingling is accompanied by allergic processes, then antihistamines are taken;
Relieving symptoms through the cooling effect of ointments, creams, cold showers locally;
Anti-inflammatory drugs are used;
Medicines to improve blood supply to tissues and organs, to reduce blood viscosity;
Vitamin complexes containing microelements;
In the case of a clearly identified cause, treatment is carried out with special therapies to treat the concomitant disease;
Drugs to prevent the progression and occurrence of complications of diseases;
If medications do not bring the desired effect, in some cases surgery is performed.

Physiotherapeutic procedures:

Electrophoresis;
Currents are diadynamic in nature;
Mud treatment;
Acupuncture;
Treatment with high voltage, frequency and strength current;
Magnetotherapy;
Massage;

Also, for the treatment of tingling in the limbs, they are treated with traditional methods:

Infusions of horse chestnut fruits with the addition of parsley leaves;
Infusions of nettle, sweet clover, goldenrod, birch leaves;
Decoctions of willow bark and viburnum berry peel.

All medications, physiotherapeutic methods and methods of traditional medicine can only be prescribed by a doctor; self-medication can worsen the patient’s condition.

Prevention

To eliminate tingling processes in the lower extremities and upper extremities it is necessary:

Lead a healthy lifestyle;
Have an active holiday;
Change body position at least ten times within an hour to avoid the development of stiffness in the muscles;
Wearing loose-fitting clothing;
Wearing comfortable shoes that fit;
Maintain spinal health through gymnastic exercises, maintaining normal posture;
Wearing clothing that supports normal heat exchange to prevent overheating and hypothermia;
Use methods and procedures to improve and strengthen blood supply: massage, swimming, objective physical activity, sports.

It is necessary to exclude factors that cause tingling in the hands and feet, visit a doctor in a timely manner, undergo a full course of treatment, and try to lead a healthy lifestyle, combining it with proper rest.

Video

Numbness in a person's limbs can be a sign of a serious illness. However, on the other hand, paresthesia of the legs and arms does not always indicate some terrible diagnoses. Today we will figure out in which situations you should not worry, and in which you should immediately seek help from a specialist in order to get rid of such unpleasant symptoms and, of course, cure the disease itself.

When should you not worry?

Such unpleasant sensations as tingling in the legs, burning and “pins and needles” in the limbs are called paresthesia in medicine. Often, such symptoms occur as a result of short-term compression of the nerves due to an uncomfortable posture. In this case, paresthesia is most often one-sided, that is, numbness and tingling occurs in the right arm or, for example, the left leg.

For example, a person sits for a long time with his lower limbs bent, or sleeps in an uncomfortable position. As a result, your legs begin to tingle and “goosebumps” appear. Another case: in a crowded transport, a person is forced to hold on to the handrail for a long time with his right or left hand. As a result, numbness of the upper limbs occurs. In this case, numbness and tingling of the left hand, as well as the right, can be eliminated as follows: straighten the hand, change the position of the body and wait a little until the condition returns to normal.

That is, special treatment for paresthesia in this case is not required. But there are situations when such a symptom appears frequently and does not depend on the position of the limbs. Then consultation with a specialist is required. Based on the examination, the doctor prescribes additional research methods, and then adequate treatment.

Spinal problems

Numbness and tingling may indicate serious problems such as osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia.

In the first disease, the cause of paresthesia is growths on the vertebrae that appear as a result of degenerative changes. And these layers can compress the nerve endings, which leads to such consequences.

If a person has an intervertebral hernia, then the cause of discomfort is compression of the nerve. Most often, strangulation occurs on one side, for example, on the left, which is why numbness and tingling of the left hand is observed.

Hemodynamic disturbance

Paresthesia may be one of the first signs of a stroke or vascular problems. These unhealthy conditions are caused mostly by hypertension or atherosclerosis. Tingling in the hands and numbness in the limbs can also be caused by stress or mental stress. In any case, if a person regularly observes such negative manifestations in himself, he should immediately go to the doctor, since the causes of such ailment may be too serious.

Factors of leg numbness

The etiology of paresthesia of the lower extremities of a person can be both diseases of the body and an incorrect lifestyle.

Most often, tingling and numbness in the legs occurs with the following health problems:

Lack of nutrients and vitamins

A very common cause of paresthesia of the limbs is a deficiency of certain substances that are very important for the normal functioning of the body. A lack of vitamin B12, which is responsible for the metabolic processes of the nervous system, can lead to impaired sensitivity of the lower extremities.

Treatment in this case is simple: you need to compensate for the lack of this element and in the future monitor the required content of it in the body.

Pregnancy

Pregnant women often experience tingling and numbness in their legs. However, you should not be scared and look for possible diseases accompanied by such a symptom. This is a normal phenomenon, which is associated with changes occurring in the body of a pregnant woman: excess fluid occurs, as a result of which the limbs may swell. In addition, the heart also works for the baby, blood volume increases, which leads to hemodynamic disturbances. in this case, feels tingling and numbness in the legs at night or after sleep. In such cases, no treatment is required, because everything will go away after childbirth.

Treatment of paresthesia of the lower extremities

Once the cause of the numbness has been identified and an accurate diagnosis has been made, the patient should follow all the doctor’s recommendations. In addition, there is a whole range of measures that relieve leg fatigue, tension in the spine, and eliminate numbness of the limbs. You should remember or even write down these simple techniques that will help overcome paresthesia:

1. Playing sports. Cycling, swimming, regular walking and other types of similar exercise will help get rid of numbness and tingling in the legs and arms, as well as develop the spine.

2. A healthy lifestyle, which includes quitting smoking and alcohol. If a person drinks alcohol or smokes, a spasm of blood vessels occurs in the body. As a result, tingling and numbness in the legs and arms, cramps and other undesirable symptoms appear.

3. Proper nutrition. The main component of the diet should be warm porridge - oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley. Also don't forget about fresh vegetables and fruits.

4. Hypothermia of the body should not be allowed during the cold season.

5. Contrast baths. Daily treatments with hot and cold water will ease the physical condition of your feet. To do this, you need to alternately lower your limbs for half a minute in a container with the heated liquid as much as possible, and then with an ice-cold liquid. The procedure should be carried out in the morning and evening, and after such a bath you should lubricate your feet with turpentine ointment and put on warm socks so as not to get sick.

Now you know that the causes of such unpleasant sensations as tingling and numbness in the legs and arms can be very different. And such symptoms should not always be considered as a sign of some terrible illness. Indeed, often an incorrect posture can be the reason for the appearance of “goosebumps”, and then no treatment is required. However, if tingling and numbness occurs frequently, then a person needs to consult a doctor to find out the cause of such symptoms and overcome the disease in time.

A tingling sensation is a common occurrence that does not always alert a person. This is partly correct, because sometimes such a feeling is physiological in nature and does not threaten anything. The main thing is that it passes quickly. But sometimes the causes of tingling are dangerous diseases. In such cases, this symptom is alarming quite often, which should be a reason to consult a doctor.

Tingling and pain in the legs can be physiological or pathological. If a person takes a horizontal position and raises his legs up, he will feel a slight tingling sensation (this relates to physiology). Often, when wearing too tight shoes or thin boots in severe frost, such symptoms appear. Cold provokes vasoconstriction, which leads to slight cramps, numbness and a feeling of needles in the legs.

Sometimes such a symptom occurs due to destructive changes provoked by a certain pathology. This could be diabetes, problems with the cardiovascular system and other diseases. It happens that this sign is caused by injuries to the lower extremities. Initially, a person experiences a burning sensation, pain, swelling, and then tingling in the feet and soles of the feet.

Character of sensations:

short-term or long-term;
sharp;
weak;
accompanied by severe pain or burning.

Tingling in the arms and legs may occur at the same time. As a rule, this is a symptom that the functioning of certain organs and systems in the body is disrupted. In medicine, the sensation of needles on the body is usually called paresthesia.

What causes discomfort?

The feeling can be triggered by the following factors:

1. staying in an uncomfortable position or immobile position for a long time, when the legs begin to go numb;

2. minor injury or serious bruise of the limbs;

3. muscle strain;

4. the body does not receive enough trace elements, minerals and vitamins (lack of calcium is a common cause of such sensations);

5. taking certain medications (the instructions often indicate that one of the side effects is a tingling sensation in the limbs, numbness);

6. allergies (when allergens enter the body, a person sometimes feels needles in his legs);

7. psycho-emotional state;

8. bad habits (especially smoking);

9. unfavorable environmental conditions that worsen health;

10. dehydration of the body;

11. insect, snake bite.

Often after sleep a person experiences a tingling sensation. The reason is compression of the nerve. In a dream, a person takes an uncomfortable position, and if he sleeps soundly, he does not change it for a long time. And this provokes burning and tingling in the limbs. The symptoms pass quickly, there are no consequences. This also happens in cases where a person sits for a long time and tucks his legs under him. The body puts pressure on the calves, and they cease to be fully filled with blood, which leads to “needles” in the legs. By straightening your legs and waiting a few minutes, the discomfort will go away.

Feeling anxious is another reason. When a person is worried about an upcoming event, he may experience such symptoms. At the same time, sweating increases, and “goosebumps” are felt.

If a person smokes, it causes circulatory problems. After all, damage to the respiratory organs and a decrease in vitamin C reserves (all this is caused by smoking) lead to the fact that cells do not receive enough oxygen. As a result, tingling of the extremities of the legs occurs periodically.

Surgical intervention and any mechanical damage to the legs lead to the fact that a person feels “needles” in the area of injury for some time. These symptoms go away on their own, but they vary from person to person. Some people experience it in a month, while others suffer from this for several years. Sometimes pregnancy can trigger a tingling sensation. A woman gains weight, and this leads to the fact that the lower extremities experience excessive stress, and their vascular system suffers. The expectant mother also feels cramps, which sometimes become very strong.

Possible pathologies

When the feeling of needles piercing your legs occurs frequently, this may indicate serious health problems. Especially if such a symptom is accompanied by other signs: burning, pain, decreased sensitivity of the limbs.

Often the reason lies in the following pathologies:

1. Diabetes mellitus. It is believed that tingling in the toes and feet is the first sign of diabetic neuropathy. These sensations may spread up your legs and throughout your body. Medical statistics show that most people with diabetes are diagnosed with serious forms of nerve damage.

2. Diseases of the joints. The inflammatory process that occurs in the connective tissue affects the condition of the vascular system of the lower extremities. These diseases include: arthrosis, arthritis, rheumatism, gout.

3. Problems with the spine. Compression of the walls of blood vessels, caused by various pathologies of the spine, leads to deterioration of blood circulation. This causes numbness.

4. Disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. These include: atherosclerosis (growing plaques interfere with proper blood circulation), varicose veins of the extremities.

5. Tumor-like process. Neoplasms can compress peripheral nerves and blood vessels.

When to go to the doctor?

Signs that should prompt you to see a doctor:

constant tingling;
the occurrence of other symptoms: burning, pain, decreased sensitivity of the limbs;
impaired coordination of movements.

It is important not to delay visiting the doctor. After all, sometimes these are the first signs of a serious illness, and the sooner it is identified and treatment begins, the better.

How to improve your condition?

If the tingling in the legs like needles is not provoked by any disease, then a person should be able to help himself:

1. change position if he has been sitting or lying motionless for a long time;

2. massage the limbs to improve blood circulation;

3. refuse to wear tight shoes or high heels;

4. adjust your diet, giving priority to foods that contain large amounts of minerals and vitamins;

5. give up bad habits.

As you can see, the causes of numbness and tingling are varied - from harmless to very dangerous. The main thing is that in cases where such signs bother you quite often, consult a doctor. He will help find out the culprit, and if it lies in any disease, he will conduct an examination and begin treatment. Most often, discomfort in the limbs is caused by diabetes.

Often, almost every adult feels a tingling sensation in the fingers and toes. This phenomenon occurs in people of different weights, ages, and genders. Discomfort, “goosebumps” and unpleasant numbness in complete rest are a symptom that causes a certain disease. Only a doctor can identify and cure it.

Types of tingling

Colic in the limbs usually appears after heavy physical exertion, after a long stay in an uncomfortable fixed position, when the nerve endings were subject to a certain pressure. Doctors distinguish several types of tingling in the fingers:

permanent;
temporary;
lasting a couple of seconds.
Unpleasant sensations can be debilitating and long-lasting or barely noticeable and weak. Tingling in the limbs and fingers is the result of a malfunction of some internal organs, especially if they are accompanied by pain and numbness. These may be nerve conduction disorders, hormonal diseases, and vascular damage.

Doctors call tingling in the limbs “paresthesia.” It is characterized by a sensitivity disorder, goosebumps that resemble acupuncture.

Causes of tingling limbs

Compression of blood vessels and nerves. The most common cause of tingling in the fingers is compression of the nerves, which stop sending signals to brain cells, as well as poor circulation. Burning and tingling sensations are felt after sleep, for example in the elbows, or after sitting at the computer for a long time.

Deficiency or excess of vitamins. Sometimes unpleasant symptoms are a sign of a lack of calcium or vitamin B12, or an excess of vitamin B6. The causes can be sought among neurological and endocrine pathologies, for example, hyperglycemia or multiple atherosclerosis.

Circulatory disorders. Often, older people complain of a feeling of numbness and paresthesia. They have poor blood circulation, especially in the lower extremities, sometimes due to a sedentary lifestyle, vascular atherosclerosis, hypothyroidism or metabolic disorders.

Arthritis. The cause of numbness and pins and needles in the fingers is also inflammation of the cells, which interferes with the passage of impulses from the nerves. This phenomenon is characteristic of arthritis, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Alcohol abuse. In patients who abuse alcohol, there is a lack of thiamine, as well as other important minerals and trace elements, which leads to goosebumps and numbness in the limbs. Long-term drinking and large single doses also cause nerve damage.

Toxic substances can also affect nerve endings in the arms and legs. These are chemical compounds, heavy metals, radionuclides, natural toxins, as well as some medications, for example, chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients, strong antibacterial agents and antiviral drugs.

Find out more about the causes of tingling hands -

you can here

Tingling in fingers

Colic in the fingers can appear unilaterally or in both limbs at once. Their reasons are not only incorrect postures. If the symptom does not go away for a long time, an examination by a neurologist is necessary to identify an acute or chronic hidden illness. The main diseases that are characterized by numbness of the fingers and goose bumps: thyroid pathologies;
tissue ruptures in the limbs;
Lyme disease;
overwork;
pulmonary hyperventilation syndrome;
decrease in the amount of electrolytes in the blood;
diseases of the joints, upper spine;
circulatory disorders;
arthritis and osteochondrosis;
Buerger's disease;
excessive excitability;
diabetes (see also - symptoms of diabetes).
Nerve endings can be damaged as a result of injury, or the pathology is not traumatic, but chronic. Numbness and tingling sensations may appear not only in the fingers of the upper extremities, but also in other parts of the body.

Often, old people complain of unpleasant sensations in the hands; with age, blood circulation in the limbs is disrupted and atherosclerotic phenomena appear. Cholesterol plaques partially block the blood flow, interfering with the functioning of not only the circulatory system, but also other organs.

Nervous disorders, the symptom of which is tingling in the extremities, appear with chronic diabetes, as well as hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland. Buerger's disease affects heavy smokers. Excessive saturation of blood cells with nicotine leads to impaired blood supply. The tissues do not receive enough nutrients, and the arms and legs begin to go numb and tingling sensations appear.

You should seek medical help if you experience pain, prolonged cramps, confusion, or fainting.

Among the rare pathologies that cause tingling in the fingers, doctors also identify: Radicular syndrome. It appears if the nerve ending is pinched in the area of the cervical vertebrae. At the same time, people complain of tingling all over their limbs and numbness in their hands, including their fingers. This syndrome is also caused by spina bifida, spondyloarthrosis, osteochondrosis, as well as lateral displacement of the vertebrae, tumors, and infections.
Tunnel syndrome. Characteristic symptoms of this disorder are tingling, short-term cramps and unpleasant numbness of the fingers due to the fact that the median nerve of the carpal tunnel is compressed. This is an occupational disease, typical for people who make the same movements with their hands, for example, pianists, computer technicians, and packers. Tunnel disorder also manifests itself as a result of injuries, tumors, diabetes, articular arthritis, swelling, and disruption of the endocrine organs. The syndrome begins with minor tingling sensations and gradually gains strength, up to serious pain and cramps. If the disease is not given importance, then the muscle tissue of the big toe gradually dies off (see also - what is evidenced by pain in the big toe).
Staircase syndrome. The main nerve endings located in the brachial plexus are compressed. In the upper extremities and in the shoulder area, sharp or aching pain and numbness, muscle laxity and tingling appear, moving to the fingers, especially often to the little finger and thumb. Manifestations intensify when tilting the head down. The cause of the syndrome is trauma and osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae. The nerve roots become overexcited, which leads to muscle spasms. The latter, in turn, compress the subclavian artery and brachial nerve plexus.
Cubital syndrome. Occurs when the ulnar nerve endings are compressed. There is pain, tingling sensations, weakness and a feeling of muscle numbness. The syndrome occurs when frequent awkward postures are taken that negatively affect the elbow nerve. Also, when the nerve fiber thickens, cubital syndrome appears. The nerve does not have enough space between the ligament and the underlying bone, and all the symptoms of the disease appear. Unpleasant symptoms initially appear only after prolonged compression of the nerve and pressure on it. Then he disappears. But if you do not pay attention to the discomfort, the pathology will worsen and become chronic, which leads to atrophy of muscle fibers in the upper extremities.

Unpleasant tingling phenomena in the fingers also appear as a result of stroke, infectious diseases, senile sclerosis, and heart pathologies. Only the help of a specialist, and not self-medication, is necessary for prolonged numbness, cramps and painful tingling in the arms, hands and fingers.

Treatment for numbness and tingling in hands

An examination by a neurologist, consultation with a cardiologist and a good endocrinologist are necessary. In terms of treatment procedures, after a thorough examination, there may be: manual therapy;
normalization of diet;
medications to normalize blood circulation and eliminate pain;
gymnastics;
drugs against bad cholesterol;
massage;
vitamin complexes;
acupuncture;
vacuum therapy;
hirudotherapy.
Serious endocrine pathologies and vascular diseases are often cured only by surgery. After the operation, blood circulation in the limbs and conductivity of nerve endings are restored.

Why do my hands go numb (video)

Numbness and unpleasant goosebumps in the hands are a sign of many pathologies. Let's learn more about the symptoms of complex diseases that manifest themselves in the form of tingling and require medical attention.

When your toes tingle and go numb

“Needles” in the toes can be natural or pathological. The feet cramp and tingle when wearing tight shoes and after heavy physical activity. These are natural causes of an unpleasant symptom that gradually goes away in a short time. Pathology manifests itself if destructive changes are present, for example, sprains, fractures, arthrosis, varicose veins, arthritis.

Pinched nerve tissue is manifested not only by tingling, but also by numbness, burning, deterioration of motor abilities, and pain. If they are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, numbness in one area of the body, problems with vision and speech, urgent hospitalization is necessary.

Tingling in the lower extremities and fingers is a sign of some diseases: diabetes;
avitaminosis;
muscle spasms;
allergy to synthetics;
dermatological problems;
vascular diseases (thrombophlebitis, varicose veins);
arterial infections;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
metabolic disorders;
pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (femoral neuralgia, Roth's disease, radicular spine syndrome).
A reaction in the legs in the form of prolonged tingling occurs after prolonged sitting with crossed legs or in an uncomfortable position. In this case, only the skin becomes numb, little blood and oxygen flow to it, and goosebumps appear.

Pressure on blood flow occurs when wearing uncomfortable clothes or shoes. In this case, removing the compression dilates the blood vessels, and the tingling usually goes away quickly. When working sedentarily, it is recommended to take short breaks, during which you should perform simple exercises to normalize blood circulation in the extremities and prevent congestion.

Among the pathologies leading to impaired blood flow, diabetes mellitus occupies a special place. With such a complex endocrine disease, there is not only numbness and stabbing sensations in the legs and fingers, but also pain and bluish skin on the extremities. A complex of such symptoms is called “diabetic foot” in the medical community.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and gout, which are associated with problems with the immune system and metabolic processes, also complain of tingling on the skin of the extremities. Disturbances in the nerve endings are also typical for quickly excitable people, as well as after serious nervous shocks.

Diagnosis and treatment of tingling in the toes

Several specialists should be involved in determining the cause of the unpleasant phenomenon:

orthopedist;
neurologist;
traumatologist;
neurologist;
endocrinologist;
immunologist-allergist;
rheumatologist;
surgeon;
phlebologist;
psychotherapist.
For the first time, it is better to make an appointment with a regular therapist, who will prescribe basic examinations and further direction of the diagnostic process. This may be an angiogram (vascular examination), MRI, duplex scanning of the arteries, ultrasound, x-ray, blood or urine tests.

Constant drug treatment is necessary for chronic arthrosis, gout and diabetes. Therapy for neurogenic, neurological and vascular pathologies is selected individually.

Vitamin preparations improve the conductivity of nerve tissue. Blood flow is normalized with calcium antagonists or nootropics. Anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids are also prescribed for pain, and tranquilizers and sedatives for nervous disorders. Complex varicose pathologies, blood clots, and hernias in the spinal canals are eliminated surgically.

Tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes is a serious symptom if it occurs frequently and for a long time. Only a doctor can identify the disease that causes such an unpleasant phenomenon and prescribe appropriate treatment. Timely drug therapy can prevent the spread of the disease and serious consequences.

When should you not worry?

or, for example, the left leg.

When should you not worry?

Such unpleasant sensations as tingling and numbness of the fingers and toes, burning and “pins and needles” in the extremities are called paresthesia in medicine. Often, such symptoms occur as a result of short-term compression of the nerves due to an uncomfortable posture. In this case, paresthesia is most often one-sided, that is, numbness and tingling occurs in the right arm or, for example, the left leg.

Spinal problems

Numbness and tingling of the fingers can indicate serious problems such as osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia.

Hemodynamic disturbance

Factors of leg numbness

The etiology of paresthesia of the lower extremities of a person can be both diseases of the body and an incorrect lifestyle.

Most often, tingling and numbness in the legs occurs with the following health problems:

Osteochondrosis. Neuropathy - damage to nerve endings in the lower extremities. Intervertebral hernia. Reine's disease. This disease has been little studied in medicine. During this disease, blood circulation in the lower extremities is weakened. Paresthesia of the legs in this case is accompanied by swelling and spasms. Rheumatoid arthritis is a joint disease in which deformation of the knees occurs and the nerves are compressed. This disease is also accompanied by severe pain and swelling in the legs. Multiple sclerosis, which is characterized by lignification of the tissues of the spinal cord and brain. At the same time, a person develops pain in the legs, the limbs go numb. Atherosclerosis. This diagnosis is most often given to people over 50 years of age. During this disease, tingling and numbness occurs in the legs, and the patient also complains of weakness and fatigue.

Pregnancy

Lack of nutrients and vitamins

Treatment in this case is simple: you need to compensate for the lack of this element and in the future monitor the required content of it in the body.

Pregnancy

Pregnant women often experience tingling and numbness in their legs. However, you should not be scared and look for possible diseases accompanied by such a symptom. This is a normal phenomenon, which is associated with changes occurring in the body of a pregnant woman: excess fluid occurs, as a result of which the limbs may swell. In addition, the heart also works for the baby, blood volume increases, which leads to hemodynamic disturbances. In this case, a pregnant woman experiences tingling and numbness in her legs at night or after sleep. In such cases, no treatment is required, because everything will go away after childbirth.

Treatment of paresthesia of the lower extremities

1. Playing sports. Cycling, swimming, regular walking and other types of similar exercise will help get rid of numbness and tingling in the legs and arms, as well as develop the spine.

3. Proper nutrition. The main component of the diet should be warm porridges - oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley. Also don't forget about fresh vegetables and fruits.

4. Hypothermia of the body should not be allowed during the cold season.

Manifestations of paresthesia - a condition characterized by a feeling of “crawling goosebumps”, tingling with “needles”, numbness of certain parts of the body (for example, fingers) - are probably familiar to everyone. If you have ever had to sit on your leg, then you know what a sensitivity disorder is.

Paresthesia can be transient (short-term) or chronic.

You should not be afraid of passing paresthesia; in most cases, it goes away quite quickly on its own, since it is caused by obvious reasons that are easy to eliminate. We are talking about direct mechanical irritation of a nerve lying close to the surface.

When you sit for a long time or fall asleep in an uncomfortable position that leads to disruption of blood supply to a limb, or receive a sharp blow to the nerve area, numbness and tingling are considered normal reactions of the body. If you change your position or stretch the affected area, literally in a couple of minutes the numbness of the limbs will disappear without a trace. But chronic paresthesia can be symptoms of a number of diseases (from mild to intractable) and most often indicate damage to the nervous system or some of its parts.

The most common causes of chronic sensory loss in the feet, palms, as well as fingers and toes are osteochondrosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and diabetes mellitus.

With osteochondrosis, “needles” are felt for no apparent reason, the tongue and hands may become numb, and certain areas of the skin may lose sensitivity. If, along with chronic paresthesia, headaches and dizziness are observed, as well as characteristic pain in the back or neck, the presence of degenerative changes in the cartilage and vertebral discs should be suspected.

The result of such changes is pinching of the nerve roots. In the human body, the nerve can be compressed by hard parts of the spine for years, gradually losing the ability to fully perform its functions, and it is not always possible to correct the situation even through surgical intervention.

If you work at a computer for a long time and begin to feel numbness in your fingers along with pain, tingling, or a burning sensation, you may be talking about carpal tunnel syndrome, in which discomfort can eventually spread to the palm and the entire arm up to the elbow. The reason is the compression of the median nerve by the inflamed tendons of the wrist muscles: this misfortune often plagues sign language interpreters, pianists, computer typing operators, and artists.

Diabetes mellitus can lead to a noticeable loss of sensitivity in the extremities like “gloves” or “socks”: such numbness is one of the characteristic signs of diabetic neuropathy, in which the affected peripheral blood vessels do not provide the nerve fibers with sufficient nutrition, weakening their functions.

In addition, the reasons for the appearance of “goosebumps” and tingling in the fingers and toes may be:

scars or tumors pressing on peripheral nerves; exacerbation of herpes zoster caused by the herpesvirus Varicella zoster; decreased levels of potassium, sodium, or calcium in the body; disruption of the blood supply to certain areas as a result of frostbite, atherosclerotic changes or vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels); vitamin B12 deficiency; multiple sclerosis; migraine attack; general intoxication of the body after insect bites or poisoning from spoiled food; transient ischemic attack; Raynaud's disease; problems with the thyroid gland.

It should be remembered that sometimes unpleasant tingling in the fingers or toes (“like needles”) occurs not as a manifestation of the disease, but as a side effect of treatment. If you are undergoing a course of conservative treatment and periodically feel tingling in your palms, feet, or toes while taking medications, consult your doctor to stop or change the medication that is causing the paresthesia.

It is not recommended to stop treatment or change the dose of the drug on your own. If your limbs are numb, it is easier to injure them, so until your visit to the clinic, try to reliably protect yourself from accidental cuts, burns and bruises.

A single instance of short-term numbness or tingling caused by an obvious cause (such as injury) is not a reason to panic. But if a symptom recurs or does not go away, and its genesis is not completely clear, it is better to consult a specialist - a therapist or a neurologist.

You should not hesitate, especially if the tingling in the palms or soles of the feet is replaced by pain or is accompanied by frequent urination, the appearance of a rash or swelling, dizziness, muscle spasms or weakness.

If, against the background of a deterioration in the general condition, the patient cannot move and control his limbs, loses consciousness or complains of problems with hearing, vision and speech, it is better to call a doctor at home as an emergency - perhaps we are talking about critical damage to the central nervous system, so action must be taken without delay.

To determine the cause of paresthesia, the doctor will prescribe a series of examinations, including a general blood test, screening for the presence of toxins or heavy metals (if there are prerequisites for this), examination of the condition and functions of the thyroid gland and nervous system, measurement of the level of electrolytes in the blood, liver tests.

If spinal pathology is suspected, additional instrumental studies are prescribed: magnetic resonance or computed tomography, ultrasound of blood vessels (carotid and vertebral arteries), electromyography.

Many people complain of unreasonable tingling in their fingers and toes. The reasons for the appearance of these sensations are damage to nerve endings and impaired peripheral circulation.

Brief description of the pathology

The feeling of many needles under the skin, goosebumps, numbness - this is how patients characterize their symptoms. Unpleasant sensations can occur both during exercise and at rest. These signs are characteristic manifestations of neurological or vascular diseases. Paresthesia- a medical name that summarizes such manifestations.

An accompanying symptom is muscle weakness in the limbs.

Tingling may be felt in the fingers, palms, and feet.

Most often, these symptoms appear when the limbs are in one position for a long time:

during sleep;
when performing monotonous work that requires a fixed position of the limbs.

Symptoms may appear for a short time or be constant. Short-term symptoms are usually mild, and constant tingling causes significant discomfort. High intensity or regular short-term sensations are the basis for a comprehensive examination.

Causes of paresthesia

Paresthesia of the limbs is a consequence of diseases affecting the central nervous system and peripheral nerves, as well as the circulatory system. Under the influence of various factors, compression of the nerve roots occurs, the tone and blood supply of blood vessels decreases. Their insufficient functioning can lead to degeneration of nerves or blood vessels, which leads to paralysis or necrosis of adjacent tissues.

Tingling and other signs of paresthesia of the extremities are pathological and accompanying external influences.

They appear as a result of the following factors:

diseases;
injuries;
influence of external stimuli.

Inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, polyneuropathy of various origins, muscle syndromes, pathological changes in the thyroid gland, cardiovascular disorders are the main causes of paresthesia of the extremities. There are also some congenital pathologies that have similar symptoms. At increased risk are men and women over 30 years of age, leading a sedentary lifestyle, and older people.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system

Inflammation of muscle tissue and degenerative changes localized in the vertebrae, intervertebral discs and joints lead to compression of blood vessels and pinching of nerve fibers. As a result, the intensity of blood flow decreases, the peripheral vessels of the arms and legs cease to receive adequate nutrition, and nerve impulses do not pass through the compressed fibers. Oxygen, metabolic and nutritional deficiency occurs in the tissues, which is accompanied by paresthesia. Unpleasant sensations may indicate the development of the following diseases:

Painful sensations, with a mild degree of damage, are concentrated in the fingertips.

As the disease progresses, the tingling spreads higher, over the entire area of the limbs.

The cause of paresthesia can be congenital defects and diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as joint dysplasia and arthrogryposis.

The manifestation of symptoms depends on the location of the inflammatory process. If the disease affects the cervical or thoracic spine and adjacent tissues, then tingling occurs in the hands and forearms. Inflammation of the lumbar region, hip joints and related muscles is accompanied by tingling, numbness in the fingers and toes.

Polyneuropathy

This disease is characterized by partial or complete damage to the peripheral nerves located in the arms and legs. As a result of toxic damage, or under the influence of impaired metabolic metabolism, partial necrosis of nerve fiber cells occurs. Impulses transmitted through damaged tissues do not reach the nerve endings. This provokes the appearance of convulsive contractions, tingling and numbness.

Polyneuropathy most often affects the nerve endings of the legs.

The main causes of polyneuropathy are poisoning with toxic substances and certain diseases.

The table shows the types of pathology, according to the type of occurrence.

Numbness and tingling in the tips of the toes, which is felt with polyneuropathy, is an alarming symptom.

In acute form, this pathology can cause paralysis of the limbs, and in chronic form it can lead to gangrene.

Additional factors of paresthesia

Symptoms accompanying paresthesia can be divided into two categories. Tingling sensations in the fingers and toes may indicate the development of pathologies that pose an immediate threat to life, or are a consequence of natural external causes.

Numbness and tingling caused by external stimuli are natural and disappear when the external influence ends. The exception is symptoms arising as a result of professional activities.

In the absence of sufficient rest and preventive measures aimed at maintaining joints, blood vessels and peripheral nerves, the development of tunnel and scalene syndromes is possible.

With the rapid development of paresthesia, emergency medical care is necessary.

The sudden onset of paresthesia of the fingers, quickly spreading to all extremities, is the main symptom of ischemic stroke. Additional signs of cerebrovascular accident include confusion, facial asymmetry and speech disorders.

If sensations are concentrated in the fingers of the left hand, this indicates the presence of heart disease or is a sign of a pre-infarction condition.

Any manifestations of paresthesia require diagnostic measures to determine the source of the symptoms. Timely treatment and preventive measures will stop the progressive disease and relieve discomfort.