How can i stop tingling in my feet

And what can we do to help make the feeling go away so we can get on with our day? Today, the My FootDr team are sharing the causes, considerations and treatments for pins and needles in the feet, which we medically refer to as paraesthesia — and there may be a lot more to it than you think! Pins and needles are the result of either our nerves or our blood vessels being compressed or damaged. While you may already know that our nerves are responsible for carrying the messages to the brain for anything we touch and feel, our blood vessels are just as important here, as they support the function of the nerves, delivering oxygen and nutrients to them.

Your blood vessels rely on your nerves too — when your blood vessels widen and narrow, which they need to do to complete basic functions like regulating our temperature and giving muscles the right supply of blood they need at different times, they do so with the help of the nerves. This means when either is damaged or impaired, we can experience feelings of pins and needles. There are many potential causes of pins and needles, which our podiatrists have described below.

What you must know is that while some causes are harmless and temporary, other causes of pins and needles that are usually long-lasting may be your first sign that something is wrong, and you need a medical assessment.

You may have been sitting or kneeling on your feet for long periods, crossing your legs, having a child on your lap or be wearing clothes or shoes that are too tight. If your nerves have been damaged or are inflamed, you may experience pins and needles. See a healthcare professional if you think you may have an infection. Drinking heavily on a regular basis can cause alcoholic neuropathy , which is damage to the peripheral nerves due to excessive alcohol consumption. People who develop alcoholic neuropathy may experience tingling in their feet, hands, or limbs that lasts anywhere from a few months to several years.

Alcohol use disorder is also associated with malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. Because of this, determining whether tingling in the feet is due to alcoholic neuropathy or neuropathy caused by nutritional deficiencies can be difficult.

To diagnose alcoholic neuropathy, a healthcare professional may ask you about your history of alcohol consumption. The most important steps in treating alcoholic neuropathy are considering stopping drinking and seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder.

You may also be encouraged to take vitamin supplements. A healthcare professional may prescribe physical therapy or pain medication to manage the tingling and pain in your feet. However, even if a person quits drinking, their symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy may be permanent. As the uterus grows, it can put pressure on the nerves that run down the legs.

Not getting enough of certain vitamins, particularly B vitamins , can cause tingling in the feet. Vitamin deficiency can be the result of an inadequate diet or an underlying health condition. B12 is one of the vitamins associated with peripheral neuropathy. Your doctor will take a medical and family history, complete a physical exam, and draw blood to determine if you have a vitamin deficiency.

You may need supplements or another treatment, depending on the cause of your low vitamin levels. Tingling in the feet can be a side effect of some medications. A pinched nerve in your back can cause tingling in your feet. Pinched nerves may be due to injury or swelling. Your doctor will complete a medical history and physical exam to determine if you have a pinched nerve.

They may also complete an EMG to look at muscle activity or a nerve conduction study. Other tests may include an MRI or ultrasound.

Exposure to certain chemicals and toxins can cause tingling in the feet. Toxin exposure may also cause:. A healthcare professional will take a medical history, including details about your work and home environment, your diet, and any supplements you take.

Treatment may include medications, new safety measures, and changing your environmental exposure to toxins at work or at home.

Hyperventilation occurs when you breathe too deeply and rapidly. It causes a decrease in carbon dioxide in your blood, which can make you feel lightheaded, short of breath, and anxious. They may also give you a physical exam and use blood tests to check for certain conditions, such as infections.

Idiopathic tingling is most common in people over 60 years old. In addition to tingling, you may experience:. A healthcare professional will complete a physical exam and perform a number of tests to rule out anything that could be causing your symptoms. If you experience tingling in your feet accompanied by a severe headache, tingling in your face , or sudden weakness, get immediate medical attention.

These may be signs of a stroke , which can be life threatening. Tingling in the hands and feet can be caused by a number of factors or conditions. Even just sitting in a certain position for too long can lead to…. If peripheral neuropathy causes you to lose feeling in your feet, you may not notice pressure or injuries that lead to blisters and sores. Diabetes can make these wounds difficult to heal and increase the chance of infections. These sores and infections can lead to the loss of a toe, foot, or part of your leg.

Finding and treating foot problems early can lower the chances that you will develop serious infections. This type of diabetes-related nerve damage can also cause changes to the shape of your feet and toes. Peripheral neuropathy can make you more likely to lose your balance and fall, which can increase your chance of fractures and other injuries. The chronic pain of peripheral neuropathy can also lead to grief, anxiety, and depression.

Doctors diagnose peripheral neuropathy based on your symptoms, family and medical history, a physical exam, and tests. A physical exam will include a neurological exam and a foot exam. If you have diabetes, you should get a thorough exam to test how you feel in your feet and legs at least once a year.

During this exam, your doctor will look at your feet for signs of problems and check the blood flow and feeling, or sensation, in your feet by. Your doctor may perform tests to rule out other causes of nerve damage, such as a blood test to check for thyroid problems, kidney disease , or low vitamin B12 levels.

If low B12 levels are found, your doctor will do additional tests to determine the cause. Metformin use is among several causes of low vitamin B12 levels. If B12 deficiency is due to metformin, metformin can be continued with B12 supplementation. You can prevent the problems caused by peripheral neuropathy by managing your diabetes , which means managing your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Staying close to your goal numbers can keep nerve damage from getting worse. If you have diabetes, check your feet for problems every day and take good care of your feet.