Have you ever felt those pins and needles in your feet after sitting for too long or after crossing your legs? I frequently experience this as I tend to sit for long hours when working on my creations. Normally, the tingling sensation will just go away after a few minutes of slowly moving the feet. This kind of condition is just normal and should not cause you any worries.
However, there are cases of tingling feet which do not go away immediately. This kind of condition is more serious as it could be indicative of an underlying ailment. Just like having a strained or sprained foot, any tingling in the feet that has become more than the normal deserves a doctor’s attention.
Among the serious health conditions that send a tingling sensation in the feet are peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage. It is estimated that there are about 20 million Americans suffering from some type of peripheral neuropathy who also suffer from persistent tingling in their feet. The tingling normally occurs daily for no reason, like even if they are not crossing their legs or sitting down for long periods.
But how would you know that the tingling is already serious and medical attention is needed? It is important to know why or we will think that every case of tingling sensation is just normal.
An abnormal tingling sensation is normally accompanied by other symptoms aside from the pins and needles effect. These symptoms include:
- muscle spasms
- changes in vision
- difficulty in walking
- loss of consciousness
- loss of bladder control
- loss of bowel control
There are a variety of underlying conditions that may cause these other symptoms. Aside from peripheral neuropathy, your doctor may also rule out nerve dysfunction or entrapment, poor blood circulation, systemic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and hypothyroidism, injury to the nerve, vitamin deficiency, and hormonal imbalance. In some cases, the occurrence may be a sign of infections like shingles, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, ruptured disc in the spine, diabetes, and stroke. In rare cases, it may also be a sign of Raynaud’s phenomenon and Tarsal tunnel syndrome. Additionally, the tingling may also be a side effect of certain medications you are taking, or an indication that you have been exposed to toxic chemicals. Alcoholism and vitamin deficiency could also bring about the tingling sensation.
Persisting tingling accompanied by other symptoms listed above should never be ignored. And it is important that your doctor is able to diagnose your underlying condition at the earliest time possible so that treatment could also be immediately started. Many of these underlying health conditions are very serious such that early detection and treatment are critical to the life of the patient.
While many of us experience tingling in the feet, that sensation may or may not be normal. If you notice other accompanying symptoms as listed here, see your doctor as soon as possible.