What can cause pins and needles in your feet?

Have you ever felt that tingling sensation in your feet, like pins and needles pricking your skin? You’re not alone, this common yet often bizarre sensation can tell us a lot about our health. In this article we’ll explore some of the common causes of pins and needles in your feet, as well as look at when you might want to seek medical advice.

Understanding pins and needles

Pins and needles are caused by a break in the communication between your nerves and your brain,¹ and usually only lasts a few minutes.

If you experience pins and needles only when you’re walking, it could be caused by pressure on your foot. This is temporary pins and needles, which occurs when pressure cuts the blood supply to your nerves and stops them communicating with your brain.

Possible causes

There are several possible causes for pins and needles in your feet. It is likely that your shoes are too tight or are pressing on your nerves, though it might also be the way you walk. A few medical conditions can cause pins and needles as well.

Shoes and gait analysis

Checking your shoes and gait (the way you walk) for any pressure spots may help to relieve your symptoms. You can get a gait assessment from a physiotherapist and some fitness gyms may also provide an assessment of walking or running. Insoles might be an option too.

Medical conditions

Temporary pins and needles can also be caused by Raynaud’s Syndrome. This is where your blood vessels go into spasm and stop the blood supply. This usually happens when you're cold or stressed, and can last anything from a few minutes to a few hours.²

If the pins and needles in your feet are continuous – i.e. happen all the time, not just when you walk – or return regularly, go to see your GP as it could be a sign of an underlying health problem.

Long-lasting pins and needles in your feet can be a sign of a number of other conditions related to circulation or the nervous system, such as:

• Diabetes – this can affect your feet as it causes poor circulation and therefore numbness which can damage your nerves.
• Sciatica – The sciatic nerve runs from your back, through your hips and down your leg to your feet. Pins and needles can be caused by something irritating or squeezing this nerve.

Other potential causes of pins and needles that are less common include:

• poor diet,
• drinking too much alcohol abuse,
• injury or infection that damages your nerves,
• having a stroke which can also affect your nervous system.

Treatment for permanent pins and needs will depend on the cause so meet with your GP to be assessed and get appropriate treatment.

References

1. Pins and needles - NHS
2. Raynaud’s syndrome - NHS