Pins and needles
Everyone can get pins and needles but see a GP if you keep getting it or it lasts a long time.
What is pins and needles?
Pins and needles feels like a pricking, tingling or numbness sensation.
It happens when the blood supply to the nerves is cut off. This is usually when you sit or sleep on part of your body. It only lasts a few minutes.
You often get pins and needles in your:
- arms
- hands
- legs
- feet
It usually stops when the weight is taken off the body part and your blood supply returns to the nerves.
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- you constantly have pins and needles
- it keeps coming back
Any treatment you might need for pins and needles will depend on the cause.
Possible causes of pins and needles
There are some possible medical causes of pins and needles. If you have other symptoms this might help to find the cause.
But do not self-diagnose – see a GP if you're worried.
| Symptoms | Possible conditions |
|---|---|
|
Pins and needles, pain or numbness in hands and feet |
|
|
Pins and needles in fingers or toes that change colour |
|
|
Breathing too quickly, trembling hands, pins and needles |
Hyperventilation |
|
Pain and pins and needles that travels from your back, down your leg to your foot |
|
|
Pins and needles in different parts of your body |
Long-lasting pins and needles may also be caused by:
- treatments – such as chemotherapy
- some medicines – such as HIV medicine, medicine to prevent seizures, or some antibiotics
- toxic substances – such as lead or radiation
- poor diet
- a trapped nerve in your back or neck
- nerve damage – after an injury or illness
- drinking too much alcohol
Page last reviewed: 4 January 2024
Next review due: 4 January 2027