Support for the Feet

Anyone who has neuropathy problems in their feet knows exactly what this post is talking about. You do end up walking differently,either because you can't feel parts of your feet anymore, or they're so painful you invent a sort of 'self-protection' walk for yourself. Quite often it's not until somebody asks, "Why are you walking like that?" or starts making Monty Python, 'Ministry of Funny Walks' jokes, that you realise what you are subconsciously doing. Of course, it's absolutely no joke and it's very important that we take any measures necessary not to fall, or damage things further.
The problem is that by adjusting our walks, we aren't doing our feet any favours and there are plenty of bones, muscles and nerves in the feet to make your life miserable if you damage them. For that reason alone, investing in the right shoes or in-soles, to give as much support as possible, has to be a wise move. Dr. Scholl won't be available in every country but there will probably be an equivalent, or at least an orthopaedic practitioner/retailer who can make shoes to measure. Buying from the Internet is probably not a good idea because of the personal attention needed - everybody's neuropathic needs are different. This is another helpful post by Canadian, Bob Leahy, writing for positivelite.com

Good news (I think) for relieving that hurting feeling from peripheral neuropathy- affected feet
Bob Leahy checks out Dr Scholl’s Foot Mapping Technology and Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts

So regular readers will know my feet are a mess, the product of peripheral neuropathy caused perhaps by the prescribed drugs I take or have taken, perhaps by HIV itself. I’ve recounted here more than once how this side-effect induced pain in the feet has advanced so that it's hard to get it under control. Firstly my healthcare team has withdrawn Truvada from my five-drug combo and secondly they have added Gabapentin to the mix.

For my part, I have invested in New Balance brand shoes which I wear most of the time – they have a lot of cushioning, come in wide fittings, and are probably the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. But they just can’t stave off the affects of neuropathy. In my case, I walk differently when my feet are hurting, which in turn eventually makes your lower-back hurt and turns you in to one miserable SOB.

So I was definitely in the market for alternative solutions.

Dr Scholls “Orthotic Centre” first caught my eye in our local Wal-Mart. I saw one again at Costco last week and decided to give it a try. It’s a fearsome looking shoulder-high kiosk with a platform you stand on, having removed your shoes. There are two handles to hold on to. A computer screen tells you what to do. Lean forward. Raise one leg and lean forward. Raise the other leg and lean forward. The machine meanwhile is mapping the pressure points on the underside of your feet. The result is a customized recommendation for one particular smodel of Dr Scholl’s orthotic inserts, of which there are many.

The technology behind the kiosk as well as what goes in to the three-layered inserts is described here.

The kiosk contains a supply of the inserts in all the various fits that the computer might recommend. My test resulted in a recommendation for the CF340 model which provides extra-good support for the arches. I know mine had suffered badly though having to walk flat-footed because of the neuropathy, in effect taking pressure off my toes. The inserts aren’t cheap – at Costco they are $70, for which you get two pairs, which realistically you probably need. But that $70 price compares with the hundreds of dollars you would pay for custom-fitted inserts elsewhere. It seemed well worth a try. Besides, the Wal-Mart reviews (an authoritative source if ever there was one, LOL) are pretty glowing.

Now to the important question: do they work? The answer is that based on just two days experience I would say yes. They certainly seem to make your feet feel more comfortable when standing or walking, providing support where you need it (arches) and cushioning elsewhere (heel and toes.) It’s true they do occupy space inside your shoes, so the shoes appear tighter, and that may not work well for some people. Also your first outing in them will almost certainly feel a bit strange: it feels as if there is something balled up under your arches which shouldn’t be there – a sock or something. Also returning to more correct walking form tests neglected leg and back muscles, so you might feel sore at first until your body adjusts.

To be fair, I haven’t tested these inserts long enough to fully evaluate them as an antidote to the debilitating impact of peripheral neuropathy. And the benefits I’m feeling now may in fact be at least partly responsible to the changes in my drug regime I referred to earlier. So it’s hard to judge. But let’s say right now I’m most favourably impressed by this product.

I think what it boils down to is that I’m seeing that the pain from peripheral neuropathy benefits from being attacked on several fronts. Prescription drugs might work, over the counter pain killers might work, dropping troublesome drugs from your regime might work, even acupuncture might work. But you also have to take measures which are kind to your feet. My take is that Dr Scholl’s Custom Fit orthotic inserts might do just that. So yes, I’m a believer.

Take Care Of Your Toes And Feet With Neuropathy

Today's short post from journal.diabetes.org (see link below) contains advice you really need to follow if you have neuropathy in your feet. Many articles on this subject refer to diabetic neuropathy but as we all know by now, diabetes is just one of the many forms of neuropathy that can cause you to either lose feeling, or suffer extreme feeling in your feet. Listening to a friend's recent story of having painful and infected toenail wounds from clipping too close, led me to publishing this article. It's a very common problem but one that's easy to forget. Read carefully - with the Winter coming on in the northern hemisphere, care of our feet is especially important.

How To Avoid Foot Problems If You Have Neuropathy
Ingrid Kruse, DPM CLINICAL DIABETES VOL. 18 NO. 3 Summer 2000

Inspect Your Feet Daily.
Look at your feet every day. Check for blisters, cuts, scratches, or cracks in the skin (commonly in the heel). Remember to check between your toes. A mirror can help you see the bottom of your feet, or you can ask a family member or friend to help you.

If you experience flu-like symptoms or increased blood glucose levels, be sure to check your feet. They may provide the only warning signals you will receive when a foot infection is present.

Make the daily foot inspection a regular part of your morning or evening routine, just like brushing your teeth. This simple task has kept many people with diabetes from losing their feet by helping them identify problems early on.

Wear Proper Shoes and Socks
All shoes should be comfortable at the time of purchase. Choose a shoe with a soft leather upper, or try athletic shoes for everyday wear. Do not try to "break in" uncomfortable shoes. Buy your shoes at the end of the day when your feet tend to be more swollen than in the morning.

The first time you wear your shoes, wear them only for 1 hour and only around the house. Take them off and inspect your feet for blisters or red areas. Slowly increase the wearing time, giving yourself about a week before you wear a new pair all day.

Do not wear sandals with thongs between the toes because they can rub deep gashes.

Never wear shoes without socks. Socks should be changed daily. Avoid wearing socks with holes or those that have been mended. In sporting good stores, you can find socks that have extra padding under the heel and ball of the foot for better shock-absorption.

Do not forget to check your shoes before you put them on by sliding your hand into them. Feel for nail-points and foreign objects such as keys, small toys, bird seed, or pebbles.

Practice Proper Foot Hygiene.
Wash your feet daily with mild soap, and dry them carefully, especially between the toes. Apply a moisturizing cream everywhere except between the toes. Too much moisture between toes will encourage the growth of microorganisms that can cause infection.

Trim your nails straight across with a slightly rounded edge. If you have trouble seeing, have neuropathy, or have difficulty trimming your nails yourself (because of thick fungus on your nails, for example), see a podiatrist. Avoid all types of "bathroom surgery," such as trying to fix an ingrown nail yourself or trimming your own corns and calluses. The results can be disastrous.

Do not walk barefoot—even in the house—because of danger from stepping on pins, needles, tacks, glass, or other items on the floor.

Be Mindful of Other Dangers to Your Feet.
Neuropathy can affect the set of nerves that detect heat. When these nerves are damaged, you cannot always tell when something is too hot, making burn injuries more likely. Always check bath water with your hands, or use a thermometer if you also have neuropathy in your hands.

Other heat-related problems that could cause serious burns include walking on hot pavement in the summer, using heating pads or hot water bottles to warm your feet, or putting your feet too close to radiators or space heaters in the winter.

If your feet feel cold at night, wear a pair of socks to bed. This is most likely due to neuropathy and not to poor circulation. Neuropathy can cause hot or cold sensations in your feet.

Permission is granted to reproduce this material for nonprofit educational purposes. Written permission is required for all other purposes.

http://journal.diabetes.org/clinicaldiabetes/V18N32000/pg119.htm

Feet first

An interesting and logical (to the non-medical reader) theory from sciencedaily.com  as to why neuropathy attacks the feet first. If acted upon, it may lead to  treatments being more specifically directed towards the mitochondria (the parts of the cells that generate energy) thus being more effective and likely to succeed. In short, since nerve cells are about a metre long, by the time mitochondria drift to the feet they are about three years old and have accumulated mutations. This could explain why neuropathies start with the feet.

Feet First? Old Mitochondria Might Be Responsible for Neuropathy in the Extremities

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2011) —

The burning, tingling pain of neuropathy may affect feet and hands before other body parts because the powerhouses of nerve cells that supply the extremities age and become dysfunctional as they complete the long journey to these areas, Johns Hopkins scientists suggest in a new study. The finding may eventually lead to new ways to fight neuropathy, a condition that often accompanies other diseases including HIV/AIDS, diabetes and circulatory disorders.

Neuropathies tend to hit the feet first, then travel up the legs. As they reach the knees, they often start affecting the hands. This painful condition tends to affect people who are older or taller more often than younger, shorter people. Though these patterns are typical of almost all cases of neuropathy, scientists have been stumped to explain why, says study leader Ahmet Hoke, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of neurology and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

He and his colleagues suspected that the reason might lie within mitochondria, the parts of cells that generate energy. While mitochondria for most cells in the body have a relatively quick turnover -- replacing themselves every month or so -- those in nerve cells often live much longer to accommodate the sometimes long journey from where a cell starts growing to where it ends. The nerve cells that supply the feet are about 3 to 4 feet long in a person of average height, Hoke explains. Consequently, the mitochondria in these nerve cells take about two to three years to travel from where the nerve originates near the spine to where it ends in the foot.

To investigate whether the aging process during this travel might affect mitochondria and lead to neuropathy, Hoke and his colleagues examined nerve samples taken during autopsies from 11 people who had HIV-associated neuropathy, 13 who had HIV but no neuropathy, and 11 HIV-negative people who had no signs of neuropathy at their deaths. The researchers took two matched samples from each person -- one from where the nerves originated near the spine and one from where the nerves ended near the foot.

They then examined the DNA from mitochondria in each nerve sample. Mitochondria have their own DNA that's separate from the DNA in a cell's nucleus.

The researchers report in the January Annals of Neurology that in patients with neuropathy, DNA from mitochondria in the nerve endings at the ankle had about a 30-fold increase in a type of mutation that deleted a piece of this DNA compared to mitochondrial DNA from near the spine. The difference in the same deletion mutation between the matched samples in people without neuropathy was about threefold.

Since mitochondria quit working upon a person's death, the scientists looked to a monkey model of HIV neuropathy to see whether these deficits affected mitochondrial function. Tests showed that the mitochondria from the ankles of these animals didn't function as well as those from near their spines, generating less energy and producing faulty proteins and damaging free radicals.

Hoke explains that as mitochondria make the trek from near the spine to the feet, their DNA accumulates mutations with age. These older mitochondria might be more vulnerable to the assaults that come with disease than younger mitochondria near the spine, leading older mitochondria to become dysfunctional first. The finding also explains why people who are older or taller are more susceptible to neuropathies, Hoke says.

"Our mitochondria age as we age, and they have even longer to travel in tall people," he says. "In people who are older or taller, these mitochondria in the longest nerves are in even worse shape by the time they reach the feet."

Hoke notes that if this discovery is confirmed for other types of neuropathy, it could lead to mitochondria-specific ways to treat this condition. For example, he says, doctors may eventually be able to give patients drugs that improve the function of older mitochondria, in turn improving the function of nerve cells and relieving pain.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.


Journal Reference:
1.Helmar C. Lehmann, Weiran Chen, Jasenka Borzan, Joseph L. Mankowski, Ahmet Höke. Mitochondrial dysfunction in distal axons contributes to human immunodeficiency virus sensory neuropathy. Annals of Neurology, 2011; 69 (1): 100 DOI: 10.1002/ana.22150

Neuropathy In The Feet

Today's post from neuropathytreatments.com (see link below) is a useful but pretty general post about looking after your feet if you have neuropathy. From lack of feeling to extreme pain, our feet can receive strange signals from the nervous system but because we depend on them to carry us through our lives, it's very important to look after them as best we can. This article gives people new to foot problems some very useful advice and background information.

Foot Neuropathy 
Posted on February 12, 2014

I once knew someone who had a hard time walking. He couldn’t feel the coldness of the floor nor could he feel anything touching his feet. He would fall frequently, as if his legs just gave out from under him. He had numbness in his feet and perhaps even in his legs.

These symptoms stem from peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is damage of the peripheral nerves. Your peripheral nerves are the nerves in your toes and fingertips. When the nerves are damaged, they don’t function properly. Those with peripheral or foot neuropathy have decreased or abnormal sensation in their feet and toes. Sometimes, they develop problems moving these parts of the body as well. In my friend’s case, he had hard times walking or moving around.

Causes

Diabetes is perhaps the most common cause of foot neuropathy in the United States. About 60 to 70 percent of diabetics will develop neuropathy over their lifetimes. Of course, there are other causes for neuropathy besides diabetes. Other causes include:
Certain medications, including some chemotherapy drugs.
Heredity. Some people have a family history of peripheral neuropathy.
Advanced age. Peripheral neuropathy is more common as people age.
Arthritis. Certain type of arthritis can cause peripheral neuropathy.
Alcoholism. According to the US National Library of Medicine, up to half of all long-term heavy alcohol users develop peripheral neuropathy.
Neurological disorders. Certain neurological disorders, including spina bifida and fibromyalgia, are associated with peripheral neuropathy.
Injury. Acute injury to the peripheral nerves may also cause peripheral neuropathy.

In my friend’s case, the cause for neuropathy was a complication of an underlying medical condition.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of peripheral or foot neuropathy are burning, numbness, tingling, or shooting or stabbing pain in the feet and/or toes. Any change in sensation in the toes may be a symptom of peripheral neuropathy and needs to be reported to your doctor. Any of these symptoms may be an early warning of diabetes.

Home Care

There are a lot of things you can do at home to help with peripheral or foot neuropathy. Perhaps one of the most important things you can do is check your feet every day. Those with foot neuropathy and decreased sensation in their feet could step on a tack and not realize it. Therefore, regularly inspect your feet so you can note any injuries or infections and seek appropriate medical attention as needed. Many patients with foot neuropathy had serious complications from this condition which resulted in advanced medical attention including amputation. So don’t neglect your feet. You only get two for a lifetime. If you have a hard time inspecting your feet, enlist a family member or friend. Any injuries must be treated properly to prevent infection from progressing.

Another important part in foot care at home is the foot wear. People with peripheral or foot neuropathy should wear properly fitted shoes and avoid walking barefoot to prevent injury. They should also get some good socks to help keep their feet comfortable in the shoes and prevent rubbing.

Also, if your foot neuropathy is caused by diabetes, always take your medications and work at controlling your blood sugar level. Out-of-control blood sugar leads to increased nerve damage.

When to Visit a Podiatrist

A podiatrist is essential for everyone with peripheral neuropathy of the feet. Podiatrists are doctors who are specially trained to preserve the health of the feet. They can help with toe nail clipping and give other tips on how to keep your feet healthy.

Diagnosis and Treatment

It is important that you tell your doctor about any symptoms with your feet. A podiatrist, family physician, internist, or physician who specializes in diabetes can diagnose peripheral or foot neuropathy. They diagnose foot neuropathy based on a physical exam, health history, and the reporting of symptoms. Your doctor may order a blood test to check your blood sugar level because high blood sugar levels and diabetes are an important cause of peripheral neuropathy.

There is no cure for neuropathy. Most treatments are geared for relieving symptoms and preventing the neuropathy from progressing further.

Your doctor or podiatrist may prescribe oral medication to help with pain. A thorough foot check will be performed to look for any injuries or infections and your doctor will teach you how to take care of your feet at home. People who have peripheral neuropathy should have their feet examined by a podiatrist at least once per year.

Prevention

The best thing you can do to prevent foot neuropathy is to stay healthy. Control your blood sugar level if you have diabetes and take your medications faithfully. Watch for the health of your feet and inspect them regularly. If you notice any symptoms like numbness, tingling, or pain, check with your doctor immediately to prevent further nerve damage and any other effects of foot neuropathy.

http://neuropathytreatments.com/2014/02/

What Causes Your Feet To Hurt At Night

Today's post from huffingtonpost.com (see link below) is a useful examination of what causes foot pain at night, (a very common problem among neuropathy patients) although it does tend to lean a little too much on 'nerve entrapment' as a principle cause, when very often it's not as simple as that. It also suggests that operations to release nerves in the foot and ankle can often be successful. That may be so in a few cases but if the nerve is damaged, either due to neuropathy or nerve entrapment, an operation won't help much because we can't knit nerves together as easily as that. That all said, it's a helpful article because it may be able to help you differentiate between possible causes of your foot problems and it does explain the various causes pretty well. Worth a 'Sunday morning over a cup of coffee' read!

Common Causes of Foot Pain While Sleeping
By Derek Roach

Has this happened to you? You have gone through your normal bedtime routine and have drifted off to sleep comfortably. Then, seemingly all of a sudden, pain in your foot jars you awake.

While most foot pain occurs during the day while we are up and moving around on our feet, some conditions can cause us discomfort at night while we are trying to sleep. Let’s look at some of the common problems that can cause nighttime foot pain and what you can do about it.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder of the nerves that can cause pain and numbness in the hands and feet. With peripheral neuropathy, you may begin by feeling some numbness in your middle toes and in the balls of your feet after a day spent on your feet.

After awakening you, the pain usually lessens if you get up and walk around a bit, but it usually returns after you lie down again.

Many medical disorders have been linked with peripheral neuropathy, including diabetes, shingles, certain cancers, immune disorders, kidney failure and vitamin deficiency as well as the use of some prescription drugs.

While the specific cause is difficult to determine, doctors do know that the disorder causes partial to complete interruption of the inner core of the nerve fiber (axon) in the foot or ankle.

In many cases of people with foot or ankle neuropathy, doctors have discovered a constriction of this canal and a thickening of a ligament that compresses the nerves. In severe cases, surgeons have been successfully able to decompress the trapped nerves of the foot.

Home remedies for peripheral neuropathy include:

• Regular gentle exercise, including walking, yoga and tai chi.
• Healthy eating with essential vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall wellness. A deficiency in Vitamin B-12 has been linked with neuropathy.
• Limit your alcohol consumption. Research shows that excessive alcohol may worsen peripheral neuropathy.
• If you have diabetes, carefully monitoring your blood glucose levels may improve your neuropathy.

Morton’s Neuroma

Morton’s neuroma is a thickening of the tissue around the nerves leading to the toes. Sometimes called interdigital neuroma, the condition often develops when the bones in the third and fourth toes become pinched and then compress a nerve.

The nerve becomes inflamed and enlarged, causing a burning or tingling sensation, cramping and numbness. The pain, which can worsen at night, can be aggravated by improperly fitting shoes as well as by foot problems such as hammertoes, mallet toes and bunions.

Changes in footwear alone often can provide immediate relief from Morton’s neuroma. Look for shoes that provide more room in the toe area, such as box-toed shoes. Avoid high heels and tight shoes in favor of low-heeled or flat shoes with soft soles.

Additionally, custom shoe inserts and orthotic pads also can relieve pain and irritation by lifting and separating the bones, thereby reducing pressure on the nerve. Massage in the painful area also can be effective in reducing pain.

Pinched Nerve

If you experience a throbbing pain in your foot that builds throughout the day and worsens at night, you may be suffering from a pinched nerve inside your ankle or heel.

Research indicates that a common cause of chronic heel pain is nerve entrapment. Frequently a nerve problem is misdiagnosed because the entrapment or “pinching” is taking place in another part of the body, such as the lower back.

If a nerve root in the lower back is compressed, it can cause pain to travel along the sciatic nerve into the leg and foot. The sciatic nerve extends down the back of each leg all the way to the toes and connects the spinal cord with the many of the muscles in the leg and foot.

A pinched nerve can be the result of repetitive motions or from holding your body in one position for a long period. If nerve compression lasts for a long time, the protective barrier around that nerve may break down, causing swelling and numbness in that area. The resulting pain may worsen at night.

Treatment for a pinched nerve varies depending on the severity of your pain. Sometimes rest is all you need to do. Exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles can help as can avoiding the repetitive or restricting activities that caused the compression in the first place.

Restless Legs Syndrome

Are you bothered by an overwhelming urge to move your legs when you lie down at night or do aching, tingling sensations or involuntary jerking motion in your legs and feet wake you up at night?

If so, you may have restless legs syndrome (RLS), an annoying but treatable condition. Studies estimate that as many as one in 10 people have RLS, but unfortunately, many of us live with it rather than seek treatment.

In addition, RLS is often misdiagnosed. Left untreated however, RLS can negatively impact the quality of your life and the life of your partner.

Scientists believe that RLS is caused by an imbalance of dopamine, a chemical in the body that transmits signals between the brain and nerve cells. Thought to be genetic, RLS is more common in older adults and women. Conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, iron deficiency and kidney failure can trigger RLS. About 20 percent of women experience temporary RLS during pregnancy.

Ideas for limiting RLS include wearing compression socks or stockings, sleeping with a pillow between your legs and doing simple leg stretching exercises throughout the day.

In conclusion, if nighttime foot pain is a recurring problem that is interfering with your sleep to the point that it is affecting your daily activities, it is time to seek medical attention. Be sure to keep track of any details in your condition that will help your doctor diagnose the problem. With proper care and treatment, a good night’s sleep can be in your future.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-roach/common-causes-of-foot-pai_b_9745394.html

More Possible Causes Of Tingling In Hands And Feet

The last 3 posts and the next 2 posts all relate to Vitamin B12 and neuropathy. If you weren't a hypochondriac before reading these, you may well be afterwards, so taking a sensible view of the many symptoms shown here is advisable. Strangely, most HIV and/or neuropathy patients aren't standard tested for B12 deficiency but it may well be worth asking your doctor to do exactly that - it may explain several things. All 5 posts come from the same site B12patch.com (see links below the articles), which is pretty much an 'all you would ever want to know' type of information site but the descriptions of what neuropathy is are accurate and honest and explained in language that we all can understand. Very interesting and worth discussing with your doctor if there's time, especially if you're considering taking B12 supplement pills (usually need Folic acid to help absorption) - injections may be better in your case.

What causes annoying tingling in the hands and feet?

 

 

 

 Pernicious anemia

One of the earliest symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is neuropathic pain- sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency feel sharp, achy tingling in the hands and feet, numbness, “pins and needles,” or a painfully swollen tongue.
Even if you eat sufficient food sources of vitamin B12 from meat, fish, and dairy sources, you might have dangerously low B12 levels.
Causes include autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal diseases or surgeries, drug interactions, or the inability to produce intrinsic factor in the stomach. To find out if you have vitamin B12 deficiency, ask your physician for a vitamin B12 blood test- you might require vitamin B12 supplements.

Underactive thyroid

Hypothyroidism causes symptoms similar to vitamin B12 deficiency, like “brain fog,” fatigue, depression, muscular pain, and numbness or tingling in your hands and feet.

Sitting and standing

Sitting or standing for long periods without moving or taking a break- washing the dishes, standing by a register, or sitting at a computer for hours- can cause prickly tingling in your feet and legs.

 

Striking a nerve

If you have suffered a head or neck injury, then you may experience numbness in your arms. Similarly, a lower-back injury could cause painful numbness in your legs.

Shingles

If you’ve ever had the Chicken Pox, then you’re a candidate for shingles. The herpes zoster virus appears around middle age, and causes neuropathic pain such as painful skin rash, itchiness, red blisters, and painful tingling and numbness.

Frostbite

Both frostbite and atherosclerosis (arterial plaque build-up) restrict blood supply to your extremities, causing severely painful numbness in toes, hands, feet, or fingers.

Nerve pressure

If you have suffered a herniated disk, then painful nerve pressure on your spine may cause tingling and numbness in legs. Dilated blood vessels, scar tissue, infections, or tumors may also cause severe peripheral neuropathy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by constant repetitive motions, such as typing or knitting, causes aching in your hands, fingers, and wrists.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing feebleness, reduced motor control, trouble maintaining physical balance, and foot numbness.

Diabetes

One of the many symptoms of diabetes, a blood sugar disorder, included painful tingling sensations and numbness in the hands and feet.

Seizures

People who experience frequent seizures, such as epileptic seizures, may experience dizziness, prickly “pins and needles” sensations in their hands, feet, arms, legs, or numbness in the face.

Stroke

Stroke victims suffer loss of consciousness, speech slurs, disorientation, partial paralysis, numbness, and tingling on one side of the body.

Migraines

Migraines with aura produce stroke-like symptoms such as sudden “gibberish” talk, visual distortions, facial numbness, feebleness, and mental confusion.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA),

A transient ischemic attack, or “mini-stroke,” may signal an oncoming stroke; symptoms include dizziness, mental confusion, balance problems, and numbness or tingling on one side of the body.

Lupus

One of the symptoms of lupus autoimmune disorder is Raynaud’s phenomenon, which causes poor blood flow to your fingers and toes by constricting blood vessels.

Toxic poisoning

Exposure to toxic amounts of alcohol, lead, radiation therapy, seafood toxins, or tobacco may cause neuropathic damage, including painful numbness in arms or legs.

Animal or insect bite

If you’re bitten by an animal or insect (spider, tick), then you might experience symptoms such as prickly tingling and numbness in your fingers, toes, arms, or legs


http://www.b12patch.com/blog/symptoms-of-vitamin-b12-deficiency-2/painful-tingling-in-hands-and-feet-what%e2%80%99s-up-with-that/