Here’s What It Means if Your Hands or Feet Are Tingling Too Often

The human body is a complex amalgamation of physical and neurological processes. At times, minor deficiencies can have a snowball effect on overall health. Such is the case for the sensation of tingling or pins and needles in your hands and feet. Paraesthesia is the medical term for this phenomenon and is generally seen as a symptom of a disorder in the nervous system, according to doctors. 

Nicole Andonian, MD, a private practice anesthesiologist in Orange County, California, suggested that vitamin deficiencies in the B vitamins like B12 and B6 are a common cause of paresthesias. In addition, copper, calcium, and magnesium deficiencies can also result in similar symptoms, as per the GoodRx report that was reviewed by Dr. Frank Schwalbe, MD, a board-certified anesthesiologist in North Carolina. Occasional tingling or numbness in the hands or feet can happen when sitting in a fixed position for an extended period. 

However, if these sensations occur more frequently, the doctors insinuate this might be a cause for concern. Parasethesias happens when nerve endings get compressed or damaged, thus, causing the burning or prickling sensation in hands or feet. Chronic paresthesias could be a potential symptom of serious illnesses, ranging from neurological disorders like Guillain-Barre syndrome or spinal cord issues to infections from HIV, herpes, or conditions like diabetes trauma or injuries that may have damaged local nerves. 

On a lighter note, paresthesia may be caused due to poor diets or unhealthy lifestyle choices that result in vitamin deficiencies. It also may occur when the digestive system or gut improperly absorbs a particular nutrient– vitamins or minerals. Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, is needed in a delicate balance because too little or too much can further escalate the problem. People on dialysis, poor diet, and malnutrition, particularly heavy alcohol consumption, can cause this deficiency leading to paresthesia. 

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency can cause paraesthesia in hands and feet simultaneously in addition to vision changes and weaknesses. The victim may be at risk of suffering from anemia because B12 vitamins are essential for making blood cells. Poor food intake and medications like metformin and proton pump inhibitors can affect B12 absorption causing deficiency. Using B12 supplements in oral, nasal, or injectable forms can help reverse the symptoms. 

Inadequate absorption of biotin, a form of B vitamins, in the body, though rare, can cause serious symptoms besides paraesthesia in hands and feet. Hari loss and thinning, hallucinations, seizures, skin infections, and rashes. Chronic alcoholism and deficiency in the biotinidase enzyme are highly linked to health symptoms. It can be treated by ingesting oral supplements. Vitamin E deficiency is another cause of paraesthesia and requires fat absorption along with it. This type of deficiency also causes a clumsy gait (ataxia) and is caused due to genetic disorders and problems with fat absorption like in cystic fibrosis. 

Calcium deficiencies also cause paraesthesia and are directly linked to low levels of Vitamin D, which is crucial for calcium absorption. The tingling sensation or numbness usually occurs around the mouth, hands, or feet in this deficiency, per the report. Other symptoms include muscle cramps, abnormal heart function, confusion, and hallucinations. Poor intake of magnesium and copper in the body can lead to severe symptoms like abnormal heart rhythms, difficulty in walking due to paraesthesia in the legs, weakness, and muscle cramps. Magnesium and copper supplements can cure the symptoms in addition to reducing zinc intake. Copper deficiency is rare and often difficult to reverse despite using supplementation.