Pins and Needles

Pins and needles, or paraesthesia, that doesn’t resolve itself, keeps coming back, or gets worse, may be caused by an underlying medical condition. It’s important to see a neurologist for a diagnosis and treatment.

Neurology

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What are pins and needles?

Pins and needles, or paraesthesia, is an unusual tingling or numb feeling. Most people experience pins and needles at some point in their lives, most commonly in their fingers, hands, arms, legs, or feet.

The feeling is usually mild, temporary, and resolves itself within a few minutes. This is known as transient paraesthesia, and it rarely needs treatment. If it keeps coming back, doesn’t go away, or gets worse, it’s called persistent paraesthesia. Treatment may be necessary for this type of pins and needles, as there’s often an underlying cause.

At Welbeck, our neurologists provide expert care, diagnosis, and treatment for pins and needles in our state-of-the-art Neurology centre.

Paediatrics

We offer appointments to paediatric patients aged 12 to 18. For full information on our paediatrics service, please visit our main Paediatrics page.

More information

The main symptoms of pins and needles are tingling or numbness in 1 or more parts of your body. However, everyone uses slightly different words or phrases to describe the sensation. These often include:

prickling
burning
itching
crawling
as though a limb has ‘gone to sleep’ or is ‘dead’

Pins and needles often occur when the blood supply to 1 or more of your nerves gets cut off. This is especially likely at night when, for example, you might fall asleep with your body weight resting on your arm – you may wake up to a feeling of pins and needles in that arm. Normally, when you stretch your arm out, your blood flow quickly resumes, and the sensation disappears.

Some medical situations, conditions, and lifestyle factors can also cause pins and needles:

an irritated or trapped nerve
nerve damage due to injury or illness
diabetes
poor circulation
thyroid problems
multiple sclerosis (MS)
migraines
hyperventilation
poor diet
dehydration
certain medications
drinking too much alcohol

You’ll have an initial consultation with an experienced neurologist who’ll ask you about your symptoms and medical history. In some cases, they may be able to make a diagnosis based on this information. However, they also may want to run some tests to confirm the diagnosis or determine the cause.

Tests may include:

blood tests
physical examination
neurological examinations
nerve conduction studies (NCS)
electromyography (EMG)
imaging of your brain and spinal cord

Once your neurologist has confirmed your diagnosis, they’ll be able to provide the most effective treatment option for you.

If you have an underlying medical condition that’s causing pins and needles, the best way to prevent it is to treat your condition.

If your pins and needles are temporary or mild, you can try the following to help reduce the sensation:

changing position when you feel the sensation come on
eating a balanced diet
drinking plenty of water

Temporary pins and needles rarely lead to complications.

If your pins and needles are persistent, depending on the cause, it may be dangerous or pose a risk to your life if you don’t get treatment. While many of the underlying causes aren’t life-threatening, they may still impact your quality of life and general wellbeing if left untreated.

Once your neurologist has determined the cause of your pins and needles, they’ll recommend the most effective treatment for you.

Your treatment options may include:

oral medications
topical creams
injections
physiotherapy
surgery

At Welbeck, our neurologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.