Pins and Needles anyone?

[adrian_holland]

Have started to get pins and needles in my hands very frequently of late, at first I put this down to me doing a lot of decorating having just moved house and now having lots of ceilings that are in desperate need of a lick of paint and this seemed to be the first time that I started to get it regularly. However I have started noticing it more and more often in more normal hand positions/activities, today for instance whilst sat in the car texting.........oh bugger not another symptom surely?

[Purpletop]

Could be the medication, have a look at your meds' leaflets. Have you checked your vit D3 levels?

[adrian_holland in reply to Purpletop]

Not even got to medication yet review appointment not till 24th so still just on painkillers

[Purpletop in reply to adrian_holland]

I'd take some vit D3 now, before you get to the neurologist and you're asked to do a spinal tap for nothing. It usually have effect within a week or so.

[Naylee in reply to adrian_holland]

I have the same symptoms of dead arms and pins and needles...got worse since my cleaning job started. Also have my appointment on the 24th..good luck with a diagnosis..all the best xx

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Purpletop]

Whats the possible connection?

[Purpletop in reply to overnighthearingloss]

Low vit D3 gives similar neuro symptoms as MS, so a neurologist faced with a patient complaining of these symptoms would want to do the whole set of tests for Ms, hence the spinal tap.

Of course, these symptoms might not be caused by low vit D3, in which case supplementation will not resolve them. But given that we are more prone to reduced vit D3 levels, why not give it a go - it is relatively inexpensive and avoids painful procedures that can give side effects.

[adrian_holland in reply to Purpletop]

So from what you are saying if the supplement doesn't work then I could need a spinal tap?

[Purpletop in reply to adrian_holland]

No, it means that the pins and needles are not caused by vit D3 deficiency. The neurologist will decide what investigations you need to get to the bottom of it - he may think it is a muscular issue, or carpal tunnel syndrome, or ulnar tunnel syndrome, or a neuro-based issue. You may be referred to an EMG to test the muscle response, an MRI of the neck and/or spine, and depending on your other symptoms, a spinal tap.

By all means see the neurologist first and see what he/she says. I've learnt from experience - I had an unnecessary spinal tap which somehow affected my lower back/tailbone nerves that I'm now in pain. Only for the tests to show nothing abnormal and the course of vit D3 that the neuro put me on from the first consultation resolved the pins and needles by the time the result of the spinal tap (and associated damage) came through.

[Hidden]

Carpal Tunnel perhaps?

[lorac1]

I have this problem and it stems from arthritis in my neck. Maybe get that checked out too.

[Chempixie]

I get this a lot. It's usually due to inflammation putting pressure on nerves for me. If I put pressure on the inside of my elbow it makes the pins and needles worse in my hands (especially from little finger to middle finger region). I went to my gp when mine first started and he poked me in a few places and asked if the pins & needles worsened. I've also had pins and needles in my upper arms, shoulders, feet, face....etc.

To sort it out my gp increased my amitriptyline as well as giving me diclofenac suppositories (I can't take NSAIDs orally).

Hope that is of some help!

[Debra60]

I have thus, it started a year ago and is caused by my lupus SLE, mine is vasculitis, started in the hands and now is mostly all my left hand side. Had the spinal tap and sural nerve biopsy to confirm this, now on steroids and immunosuppression drugs which may help but not guaranteed so I'm just trying to get used to it. Hope it will ease in time.

[Hidden]

I have this on and off too. It hit me first with a flare in February this year ( never had pins n needles or numbness before). I got it all of a sudden in a bad flare of new symptoms. Both arms, both legs, left side of my face and tongue kept going numb ( not always all at the same time! And not so much that i couldnt walk or do stuff with my hands/arms. Was coupled with fatigue and all bad enough to make me more or less bedridden for abt six weeks off work. Went to Neurogist and had spinal tap n brain scans etc, had all tests you can imagine and got told just to rest, they said it was just a new symptom of a flare. I pressed for more but because all test results were fine, i was told no CNS involvement and it can just happn with lupus. Since then i just live with it. Hands r numb right now. Happens alot in night and also just after waking up. But also just occurs randomly during the day. The face seems fine now but i just desl with the hands, arms and legs tingling n numbness now, i seem to have no choice.

Hope this hels. You aren't alone. Im sure you will be ok but have the tests for peace of mind that theres no Central Nervous System involvement. All the best. Keep positive x

[Belee]

Ask to get your B12 levels checked as a deficiency in this can cause pins and needles sensations similar to ms symptoms. B12 isn't routinely checked in routine blood tests. I had mine checked as they thought I may have ms as well as lupus but it turned out to be a deficiency in B12. Now I have daily tablets and feel so much better.

Good luck!

[tennissenior]

Did your doctor talk to you about Raynaud's? It goes along with Lupus. Mine got worse over time. All I have to do is walk into a cold room and my fingers and toes start to turn white, numb, and eventually blue. Sounds like Raynaud's to me. What do you think guys??

[teddiebear]

my goes and goes in my feet but doctors dont know why

[onamission]

I have pins and needles in both hand and right foot I have had both carpal tunnel done now I'm told it is the nerve between the elbow and wrist

[Hidden]

Hello Adrian, I get pins and needles in my left forearm, hand and fingers, which is most unpleasant, as I cannot use my hand until I have shaken it and waited a few minutes. I was watching Hospital Sydney a month ago and they had a lady with the same problem, it was caused by the 1st or 2nd top rib pressing on a nerve, they operated on hers , released it and she was fine.

Mine seems to come on when I raise my arm or shoulder, so I try to sit and relax my shoulder as much as possible. Could yours be from extra decorating and hopefully only temporary.

You need to ask the Doctor on your appointment, and I hope you get a solution, best wishes.

[ripon1756]

Like you I have pins and needles but mine are in my toes. My right foot and leg are pink and my foot is slightly swollen too.

At the moment I am trying to curtail my nickel intake of food which has brought about a slight improvement.

[ambajane]

sounds like nephropathy to me , ask your neuro for ems needle electric test, if it hurts you are fine, if you are numb you will not feel a thing. I may have got ems wrong but they put needle in muscle and shock it to test for any feeling