Author Topic: So what is "pins and needles"?  (Read 3272 times)

So what is "pins and needles"?
« on: 12 July, 2017, 08:58:57 am »
I know it's blood circulation related, as in blood supply to a part of the body gets restricted for a period of time then returned to normal you get them. I'm just curious as to what is happening to cause this sensation.

Reason for asking is because on some bed surfaces I get it really bad in both arms but rarely on other surfaces. That's when sleeping in a normal foetal position. It wakes me up a lot sometimes. I reckon it's not normal so will investigate, but it's the actual relationship between blood and the little pricking sensation I'm curious about, especially how blood flow causes the sensation.

It's a random query so I doubt I'll get an answer but I thought I'd ask because random sometimes get an answer on here.

benborp

  • benbravoorpapa
Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #1 on: 12 July, 2017, 09:20:04 am »
Pins and needles is immediately a symptom of compromised nerves. Pressure on a nerve can cause pins and needles as can reduced blood supply to a nerve. Various conditions and diseases can make one's nerves more susceptible to suffering pins and needles.

Nerves need a lot of blood to function. When they don't get it they misfire and one receives a constant buzz rather than the expected sensation from the affected nerves.
A world of bedlam trapped inside a small cyclist.

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #2 on: 12 July, 2017, 03:06:10 pm »
Oh! So two weeks of being woken up by it several times a night is probably not good and worthy of a gp visit.

If it's potentially nerves and not the blood flow issue, what could it be causing it? It's the forearms from just below the elbows down to the tips of the fingers. Clenching and releasing the fists eases it in a minute or two. Is it carpal tunnel?

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #3 on: 12 July, 2017, 03:09:50 pm »
Carpal Tunnel affects the median nerve at the wrist, so should only affect the sensation in part of the hand.

I get pins and needles in my forearms if I fall asleep on my back with my hands clasped together (usually I end up dreaming about my hands being bitten by animals or otherwise injured), I reckon that's circulatory.

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #4 on: 12 July, 2017, 03:51:44 pm »
It's only on my side, worse on my right. Laying flat clenching my fists and releasing them repeatedly helps relieve it.

IMHO anything like this that comes on having never had it before worries me. Although I must be aging quicker as there's other things changing in a negative way. Have I really crested the hill at 40? Downhill to the end? ;)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #5 on: 12 July, 2017, 04:00:25 pm »
Some folk wear wrist splints at night to relieve carpal tunnel symptoms.

The carpal tunnel is tight and gets tighter with obesity, rheumatoid, diabetes and hypothyroidism etc.


T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #7 on: 12 July, 2017, 04:47:39 pm »
Ouch.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #8 on: 12 July, 2017, 04:54:31 pm »
Ouch.
Is that because you listened to that video? I'm not a fan of the searchers but they're not painful to the ears. ;)

Samuel D

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #9 on: 12 July, 2017, 05:22:29 pm »
Although I must be aging quicker as there's other things changing in a negative way. Have I really crested the hill at 40? Downhill to the end? ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzEhoyXpqzQ

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #10 on: 12 July, 2017, 09:17:04 pm »
Although I must be aging quicker as there's other things changing in a negative way. Have I really crested the hill at 40? Downhill to the end? ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzEhoyXpqzQ

Hah! I like it sooo much.

BTW with all my doctors I've got the age thing going on but I've had the male issue for longer. What I mean by this is all.the GPs I've seen about genuine and troublesome issues I get fobbed off. One common family condition resulted in my sister going to a military hospital for several types of scan "to just check we don't miss anything, not really needed but if you want we can do it". I got told I was making the symptoms up because my husband has that condition and doesn't get those symptoms. The only two differences was gender and my symptoms were extreme but my sister was.just getting a bit worse than normal headache.

Other issues I used to get the distinct impression the doctor didn't believe me. I got the impression that being late20s at the time, 6'5" tall, slim but athletic build and a.regular exerciser meant I couldn't be ill. Conversely now I'm mid 40s doctors are just about starting to take notice of things. Currently waiting for blood test results and I needed a gp appointment to get them instead of the  usual call up.and get them I used to get.

It's all a big joke really so that's why I love that sketch so much. If you don't laugh you'd get pi$$ed off.

PS I really don't get the insistence of strict adherence to age related best practise being insisted on by GPs and secondary provision when family history and actual symptoms indicate investigation with a £10-15 test might be worth it. BTW I.know about the cheap test because a family.friend is a senior consultant in.the field and convinced my.generation of the family to go to the gp over this. I'm the only one with.symptoms but the only one.not to.get the test done. I.was the youngest but only by 2 years. We were all told this test is only done on 50+ year olds or more likely 60+ year olds the others got it done.

People tell.me that whenever I go to a gp I should really play up on the severity of symptoms just to be taken seriously and get the same treatment as everyone else gets. I think it's because I love outdoors activities, don't eat too much, eat healthy, exercises at a level above the recommended to keep fit/healthy but not too much that I'd over train or get injuries. Looking and being very healthy has it's negatives.

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #11 on: 12 July, 2017, 10:02:53 pm »
carpal tunnel is a distinct possibility given the clenching and unclenching.  Another possibility is cubital tunnel syndrome.

Both are common constitutional conditions which just occur and we do not know why.

The fingers affected is a useful question for medical students but I would say of low utility in diagnosis.  About 40% of patients have not read the textbook and get the fingers wrong!


as a specialist in such conditions

Ben T

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #12 on: 20 July, 2017, 03:03:02 pm »
Did you go to the gp? Any tips on getting them to do something other than tell you to bugger off?
I'm getting this now in my arm a lot of the time during the day, and I'm sure it's due to muscle tightness in the upper back.

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #13 on: 20 July, 2017, 09:17:14 pm »
Not been yet. I'm reluctant to go because I went about another issue recently. My GPs always give me the feeling I'm a time wasting hypochondriac. Then again it's been ok or at least not that bad of late.

Ben T

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #14 on: 20 July, 2017, 09:34:55 pm »
Not been yet. I'm reluctant to go because I went about another issue recently. My GPs always give me the feeling I'm a time wasting hypochondriac. Then again it's been ok or at least not that bad of late.
hmm. Just ask for a different one :)
I got a phone appointment next thurs, save taking a day off.  Receptionist said if any referral to be done she doesn't necessarily have to see me in person.

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #15 on: 20 July, 2017, 10:01:58 pm »
Our practise doesn't do phone appointments. I can only get to see whatever gp is on at the time I can get an appointment for. It's a satellite surgery for another surgery. It.merged with another the same size a decade ago and it turned into a take over because senior partner's lived nearer the other surgery. This means fewer late appointments and you can only see one or two GPs. Both give the same vibes if you look like a healthy male. I'm 6'5", slim and mostly healthy but I get intermittent issues which a gp visit is warranted. I just dislike the sense of their time being wasted.

Add in the fact there's only two surgeries where I live, the ones in the town I live.would be impractical. The other surgery where I live is a bigger one. It's a training practise too. You don't get to see a gp until you've gone through a nosey receptionist who tries to find out what you want a gp appointment for. If I wanted an appointment with an non-medically trained receptionist I'd tell her. I don't so it's between me and the gp. Only it's not. I've got a nurse practitioner first. Then he/she tells me the gp.needs.to see.me. Cue another later appointment with gp. A new gp every visit and rather too many of them with poor English/foreign accents I really struggle to understand. That's not racist just that I really struggle with.very strong foreign accents like some African ones or Scottish ones.

Of course.I've never been with them but my partner and son were.

Sorry for this little rant but I'm not happy with the GPs that.I have.access to and the result is I'm less likely to visit a gp than most. When I do it's usually.because a condition has become a real issue in some way that's affecting my life. Such as a knee needing surgery, a lump in my hand affecting it's use, sudden development of asthma like symptoms or ibs flare up that's very uncomfortable to.say the least. Or pins and needles. When it starts to keep.me.awake at home and not just when.camping I'll probably be forced to go to the gp.

However if you go then please post what they said if you're ok with that. It would be.interesting and possibly.encourage me to follow your lead.

Ben T

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #16 on: 21 July, 2017, 09:43:04 am »
Yeah, will do.

benborp

  • benbravoorpapa
Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #17 on: 21 July, 2017, 01:46:49 pm »
TPMB12, I started suffering symptoms similar to yours while being under a difficult GP. What I suffer from is easily treatable, however the battle took so long my disease progressed to being something quite dangerous and much more complicated. There is no need to suffer from something that can be easily cured or live with the worry of wondering whether a health complaint could be leading to something more serious. Kick off the process of dealing with the GP asap.
A world of bedlam trapped inside a small cyclist.

Ben T

Re: So what is "pins and needles"?
« Reply #18 on: 21 July, 2017, 01:50:11 pm »
TPMB12, I started suffering symptoms similar to yours while being under a difficult GP. What I suffer from is easily treatable, however the battle took so long my disease progressed to being something quite dangerous and much more complicated. There is no need to suffer from something that can be easily cured or live with the worry of wondering whether a health complaint could be leading to something more serious. Kick off the process of dealing with the GP asap.
Was it pins and needles in the arm? If so what was the treatment? Apologies if irrelevant. PM if you like.