Have you ever experienced burning, tingling or numbness in certain parts of your body? If so, you may have paresthesias, often called pins and needles. This sensation usually occurs in the arms and legs, but other areas may also be affected.
Feeling tingly in your feet or hands can be frustrating, but there are treatments and other simple ways to ease the feeling. Paresthesias occur when nerves become irritated by excess pressure and start sending extra signals to the body.
While this is a temporary condition that can happen when a body part falls asleep, for some people it can cause permanent problems or be a symptom of a serious health condition.
cause of paresthesia
Some common causes of temporary and chronic paresthesias include:
temporary
- pinched or compressed nerve
- panic attack
- to whip
- dehydration
- Hyperventilation
- epileptic seizure
- repetitive action
- circulation disorder
Chronic
- toxic exposure
- severe infection
- drug
- systemic disease
- genetic disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Nutritional deficiency
You usually feel pins and needles in your hands, legs, or feet, but it can happen anywhere on your body. You may experience itching, burning and stinging, or pins and needles all over your body.
Why do I feel needles?
This sharp feeling is basically a sign that the nerves are being stimulated and sending more signals to the body than usual. If the nerve is pinched or compressed for an extended period of time, it can cause a blockage, preventing it from receiving the energy and oxygen it needs to send signals to the brain.
This constant pressure on the nerves causes a tingling sensation all over the body, mainly affecting the hands and legs. Once the pressure is reduced, this feeling will go away.
You may experience temporary paresthesias at any time – this can happen when you sleep with your arms tucked under the pillow or with your legs crossed.However, chronic paresthesias can persist for a long time and are a sign of an underlying medical condition
Paresthesia Treatment
Treatment options largely depend on the cause. While the temporary will go away on its own after a while, there are ways to reduce pins and needles.
rest
Proper rest is one of the best things you can do for a pinched nerve. Stop all activities that can stress the nerve so it can heal properly.alone with carpal tunnel syndrome A wrist strap can be used to secure his/her wrist.
drug
Certain medicines may also be given to relieve pain and reduce swelling and pinching. Medications can also help reduce inflammation, but should be taken only as prescribed and recommended by your doctor.
physical therapy
Physical therapy can also be effective in relieving symptoms and helping to build muscle strength. Strong, healthy muscles relieve excess stress and prevent it from happening again.
If the above treatment options do not relieve symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery to relieve pressure on the pinched and compressed nerve. Depending on the severity of the problem and symptoms, surgery can include removal of bone spurs or carpal ligaments.