Many things can cause numbness and tingling in your limbs, including sitting with your legs crossed or falling asleep on your arm. These sensations are very common and usually go away within a minute or so.
But what if this uncomfortable “pins and needles” feeling in your feet is more persistent than normal? There’s a chance it could be a symptom of a disease or injury and is worth getting checked out.
The medical term for numbness and tingling in the foot is paresthesia.
These are some possible causes for having these sensations:
- An insect or animal bite
- Toxins found in seafood
- A migraine headache
- Radiation therapy
- An abnormal level of vitamin B-12, potassium, calcium or sodium
- A specific injury, such as an injured nerve in your neck or a herniated disk in your spine
- Pressure on a nerve (Carpal tunnel syndrome, scar tissue, enlarged blood vessels, infection, or a tumor can all place pressure on a nerve)
- Some diseases can cause the “pins and needles” feeling
- Damage to the skin via a rash, inflammation, or injury
So how does your doctor diagnose your numbness and tingling problem? We use leading edge testing to examine small fiber neuropathy called ENFD Testing or Epidermal Nerve Fiber Density.
This in-office procedure takes less than 60 seconds but gives accurate diagnostic and predictive results in order to best formulate the most effective treatment for numb, tingling, pins and needles feeling in your feet.
What are some treatments for this foot problem?
Because of the varied causes of numbness and tingling, your treatment will depend on the reason for your symptoms. Treatment will focus on resolving any underlying medical conditions. (healthline.com)