About this symptom
Numbness is loss of feeling in part of the body. Tingling, or pins and needles, is a prickling or burning feeling. Both are most often felt in the fingers, hands, feet, arms or legs.
Sitting with your legs crossed or sleeping on an arm cuts off the blood supply to that part of the body for a while, and the feeling passes within minutes once you move. When it keeps coming back, lasts long or has no clear cause, a doctor needs to find out why. Sudden numbness on one side of the body is different: it can be a stroke.
Possible causes
This is not a diagnosis. These are the causes doctors think about, with the ones that are most urgent to rule out first.
- StrokeSudden numbness or weakness, often on one side of the face, arm or leg, with slurred speech, confusion or trouble seeing. A mini-stroke can cause the same signs briefly.Read about it
- Cervical spondylosisWear in the neck can trap a nerve, causing tingling or numbness in the arm or hand, often with neck pain.Read about it
- SciaticaTingling, numbness or pain that runs from the lower back or buttock down one leg.Read about it
- Type 2 diabetesHigh blood sugar over the years can damage nerves, causing numbness, tingling or burning, often in the feet.Read about it
- Peripheral neuropathyNumbness, tingling or burning in the feet or hands that is usually constant, sometimes with weak muscles or poor balance.Read about it
- Vitamin B12 deficiencyA lack of B vitamins, especially B12, can cause numbness and tingling. A blood test checks the level, and treatment is with supplements.
- Carpal tunnel syndromeNumbness, tingling or pain in the hand and fingers, often worse at night, sometimes with a weak grip or weak thumb.
- Medicines or alcoholTingling in the feet or hands that began after a new medicine, cancer treatment or heavy drinking.
When to get help
Also get emergency care for numbness or tingling with:
- Weakness, or being unable to move an arm or leg
- Loss of control of the bladder or bowel
- A head, neck or back injury just before it began
- Confusion, or loss of consciousness even for a short time
See a doctor soon if you have:
- Numbness or tingling with no obvious cause
- Pins and needles that are constant, keep coming back or last a long time
- Burning, tingling or numb feet or hands, especially if you have diabetes
- Tingling in the hand that is worse at night, or a weak grip
- Leg numbness that gets worse when you walk, or neck or arm pain with the numbness
- A cut or sore on a numb foot that is slow to heal
Pins and needles that clearly follow sitting or lying awkwardly and go within minutes of moving can be left alone.
What you can do at home
If any emergency sign is present, do not try home remedies: call for an ambulance.
Do
- Change position and move the limb if the feeling follows sitting or lying awkwardly
- Check numb feet and hands every day for cuts, blisters and burns, and protect them
- If you have diabetes, keep blood sugar in range as your doctor advises
- See a doctor about any sore on a numb foot that is slow to heal
Do not
- Do not ignore numbness that keeps coming back
- Do not stop, change or start medicines, or take large doses of vitamins or supplements, without asking the doctor
- Do not wait if numbness is sudden or one-sided
Treating the cause is what relieves the symptom, so a doctor's check matters more than any home measure.
What the doctor will do
The doctor will ask when it began, where you feel it, and what makes it better or worse. They will ask about diabetes, thyroid trouble, stroke risk, alcohol, your work and your medicines, and carefully check your nervous system.
Tests depend on the likely cause. They may include:
- Blood tests, including blood sugar, a blood count, thyroid function and vitamin B12
- An X-ray, or a CT or of the head, neck or spine
- Nerve conduction studies and electromyography, which measure how well nerves and muscles carry signals
Myths and facts
Things people often say about this. Open each one to see what is true.
Myth“Burning feet are caused by too much heat in the body, so cooling foods or soaking the feet will cure them.”What is true?
Fact
Burning, tingling or numb feet are usually a sign of nerve damage, and diabetes is the most common cause. Soaking the feet does not treat the cause. Have your blood sugar checked and see a doctor, and take care, as numb skin can be hurt without you noticing.
Myth“Pins and needles mean weakness, so a vitamin tablet or tonic will fix them.”What is true?
Fact
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause pins and needles, but so can diabetes, a trapped nerve and other problems. A doctor and a blood test find out which, and large doses of vitamins should not be taken without asking the doctor.
Myth“Numbness on one side that went away in a few minutes was just a trapped nerve.”What is true?
Fact
Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face or body is a stroke warning sign. A mini-stroke can pass quickly, but it is still an emergency, so call for an ambulance and note the time even if the feeling returns to normal.
Questions to ask your doctor
Tick the ones you want answered and take them with you.
Common questions
Why do I get pins and needles when I sit or sleep in one position?
Sitting or sleeping on part of your body cuts off its blood supply for a while, which causes a pricking, tingling or numb feeling. It usually lasts a few minutes and stops once the pressure is off. See a doctor if it keeps happening or lasts a long time.
When is numbness a sign of a stroke?
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, often on one side, is a stroke sign, especially with confusion, slurred speech, trouble seeing, dizziness, trouble walking or a sudden severe headache. Call for an ambulance at once and note the time the signs began.
What causes burning or tingling in the feet?
The usual cause is nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. Diabetes is the most common cause, and others include a lack of vitamin B12, too much alcohol and some medicines. See a doctor, because treating the cause helps and earlier diagnosis gives a better chance of limiting damage.
Will the numbness go away?
It depends on the cause. Treating the cause often relieves the symptoms, for example by controlling blood sugar, treating a vitamin lack or easing pressure on a nerve. Earlier diagnosis gives a better chance of limiting nerve damage, so see a doctor early.