Guide
Numbness and Tingling Basics: Common Causes, Warning Signs and the Next Step
Numbness and tingling mean a nerve is squeezed, irritated or damaged, and the cause can be as simple as a sleeping foot or as important as diabetes or low vitamin B12. A short spell after sitting is common. A spell that lingers, spreads or brings weakness needs a doctor, because many causes can be treated.
Written by the Nervecept label deskUpdated
Causes01
What causes numbness and tingling in the hands and feet?
The usual causes of numbness and tingling are diabetes, a pinched nerve, low B vitamins, thyroid disease, medicines, alcohol and injury. More than 100 kinds of peripheral neuropathy exist, so the list is long (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy) (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling).
Diabetes comes first in the U.S. NINDS says about two-thirds of people with diabetes have some nerve problem. NIDDK adds that high blood glucose and high blood fats can harm nerves over time (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy) (NIDDK, Diabetic neuropathies).
Few people learn the cause on day one. A written record of what you feel, and where, shortens the search.
| Cause | What it may feel like | How it is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | Tingling, burning or numb feet and legs, sometimes hands | Blood sugar tests and a foot exam (NIDDK, Diabetic neuropathies) (CDC, Your Feet and Diabetes) |
| Low B vitamins (B1, B6, B12, folic acid) | Numbness or pins and needles | Blood work (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling) |
| Pinched or squeezed nerve | Numbness along one arm or leg | Exam, then tests your doctor picks (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling) |
| Thyroid disease | Tingling with other body changes | Blood work (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling) |
| Medicines, toxins, alcohol | Gradual numbness, often in both feet | A review of every pill, drink and exposure (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy) |
| Poor blood flow | Leg numbness that worsens with walking | A visit with your provider (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling) |
Warning signs02
What are the warning signs of nerve damage?
Warning signs of nerve damage include numbness that spreads or never leaves, weakness, new falls, sores you cannot feel and burning pain at night. Sensory nerves carry touch, pain and balance signals. Motor nerves drive muscles (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy).
When sensory nerves fail, you may feel tingling, pain or less feeling. When motor nerves fail, you may feel weakness or cramps. Some people have no symptoms at all, which is why people with diabetes get foot exams (CDC, Your Feet and Diabetes).
Reduced feeling lets a cut or blister go unnoticed. That is how small foot problems turn into ulcers and infections.
- Spreading or constantNumbness or tingling that keeps getting wider, or never goes away
- WeaknessDropping things, tripping, or a foot that slaps or drags
- Balance and fallsUnsteady walking, especially in the dark, or new falls
- Sores you do not feelCuts, blisters or color changes on the feet, most important with diabetes
- Burning pain at nightPain that wakes you, or a sock or sheet that hurts to touch
See a doctorAny of these, or tingling that is getting worse, is a reason to see a doctor. Many causes, such as diabetes or low B12, can be treated, and early treatment protects nerves. A supplement should not delay it.
Go nowNumbness with weakness, trouble speaking, confusion, vision change, loss of bladder or bowel control, or after a head, neck or back injury needs emergency care. Call 911 or go to an emergency room.
Warning signs from NINDS and MedlinePlus (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy) (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling).
Next step03
When should you see a doctor about numbness?
See a doctor when numbness or tingling has no obvious cause, keeps coming back, spreads or makes a leg go numb as you walk. MedlinePlus lists these as reasons to contact a provider (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling).
Waiting rarely helps. Many causes, such as low B12 or high blood sugar, respond to treatment aimed at the cause, and earlier care protects more nerve (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy).
Keep taking prescribed medicine while you wait for the visit, and bring a list of every pill and supplement (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know). The route below runs from the first tingle to a check-up.
- NoticeA foot that falls asleep after sitting cross-legged is common and passes. Numbness or tingling that lingers, repeats or spreads is different.
- Write it downNote where it is, whether both sides are affected, what triggers it, and since when. Specifics help a doctor more than 'my feet feel odd'.
- Check causesDiabetes, low B12, a pinched nerve, thyroid problems, alcohol, some medicines and injuries are common causes. Bring every pill and supplement to the visit.
- Ask a doctorA doctor can check for treatable causes. Any warning sign in this list is a reason to book the visit.
- Get testedAn exam, blood work and sometimes nerve tests sort out the cause. Treatment targets the cause, not the symptom alone.
- PlanManaging the cause, foot care, movement and the right medicines have the better evidence. A supplement is optional, never the plan.
A simple route from a tingle to a check-up. Sources: NINDS and MedlinePlus (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy) (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling).
Tests04
How do doctors find the cause of numbness and tingling?
Doctors find the cause of numbness and tingling with questions, a physical exam, blood work and sometimes nerve tests. Treatment then targets the cause, with lifestyle steps and prescription pain medicine where needed (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy).
Your answers do half the work. The three cards below show what to bring.
Your story
Where it is, whether both sides are affected, what sets it off and since when. Specifics help more than "my feet feel odd".
Your lists
Every medicine, vitamin and supplement, plus how much alcohol you drink. Some medicines and toxins can affect nerves (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy).
Your history
Diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney or liver disease, injuries and infections all belong on the page (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy).
Supplements05
Can a nerve supplement replace a visit to the doctor?
No, a nerve supplement cannot replace a visit to the doctor, because it cannot tell you why your nerves are acting up. The nearest strong reviews, on vitamin B and alpha-lipoic acid, found limited or little clear benefit (Cochrane, Vitamin B for neuropathy) (Cochrane, Alpha-lipoic acid for diabetic neuropathy).
Nervecept is a capsule supplement with eight label ingredients, mostly known as joint-support compounds. The research we cite on them is about knee osteoarthritis, and no trial has tested Nervecept itself. See the ingredients guide, the side effects and the comparison of nerve supplements.
FAQ06
Nervecept questions people ask
Is tingling in the hands and feet a sign of diabetes?
It can be, but it has other causes too. NINDS calls diabetes the leading cause of nerve damage in the U.S. (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy), and NIDDK says about one-third to one-half of people with diabetes have peripheral neuropathy (NIDDK, Diabetic neuropathies). A blood test tells you which applies.
What vitamin deficiency causes numbness?
Low B vitamins, including B1, B6, B12 and folic acid, can cause numbness or tingling (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling). Only a blood test shows whether you are low, so ask for one before you buy any vitamin. Too little is a treatable cause, and a doctor picks the fix.
What is peripheral neuropathy in plain words?
Peripheral neuropathy is the name for damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. More than 100 types exist. Sensory damage brings tingling, pain and balance trouble, and motor damage brings weakness and cramps (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy). Treatment aims at the underlying cause.
Why do my feet go numb after sitting?
Pressure on a nerve or its blood supply can make a foot fall asleep, and the feeling usually returns when you move. Spells that last, repeat for no reason or spread are different. Those are worth a visit (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling).
Should I worry about leg numbness that gets worse when I walk?
Yes, mention it to a provider soon. MedlinePlus lists leg numbness that worsens with walking as a reason to make contact (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling). Blood flow and nerve problems can both cause it, and a doctor can tell them apart.
What kind of doctor should I see for numbness and tingling?
Start with your primary care doctor. They can check blood sugar, vitamin levels and your medicine list, and send you to a nerve specialist if the cause is unclear. If you have diabetes, a foot exam is part of every visit (CDC, Your Feet and Diabetes).
Can my medicines be the reason my feet tingle?
Yes. NINDS and MedlinePlus both list certain medicines as a cause (NINDS, Peripheral Neuropathy) (MedlinePlus, Numbness and tingling). Ask your prescriber or pharmacist before you change any dose, because stopping some drugs on your own can cause harm of its own.
Does burning pain at night in the feet need a doctor?
Yes, tell a doctor. Burning, tingling or pain, loss of feeling, color changes, blisters or sores on the feet are reasons to be seen promptly, most of all with diabetes (CDC, Your Feet and Diabetes). A sock or sheet that hurts to touch counts too.
Who wrote this07
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