A pins and needles feeling in the legs that doesn’t go away can mean that you are suffering from a spinal pathology. In this article from the experts at Instituto Clavel, we describe the most common of the spinal pathologies that may be responsible for this symptom.
To begin with, we should state that a momentary feeling of tingling or pins and needles in the legs after being in the same position for a long time, should not worry us and is no cause for alarm.
The medical term for this prickling or tingling feeling, commonly called pins and needles, is paresthesia. It often happens like this: because you have held a certain position for a long time, it restricts the blood flowing to some part of the body, and puts pressure on a nerve. That part of the body will become numb, or fall asleep. Then when you change your position, the pressure on the nerve is relieved and you notice a brief pins and needles feeling, or short term paresthesia. This is normal, and can happen not only in the legs, but in other parts of the body such as the hands and feet.
However, if you notice a pins and needles feeling, or numb tingling in your legs, that continues over a prolonged period of time, you should pay attention to it and see a doctor to find out the cause and how it can be treated. There are several different medical conditions that can be the cause of this symptom, among them, pathologies of the spine. The following information about those pathologies is offered by the specialists at Instituto Clavel.
Spinal pathologies that can cause prolonged paresthesia in the legs
1. Lumbar disc herniation
When a lumbar intervertebral disc ruptures and part of its content is expelled, we call that a lumbar disc herniation. Although it can occur without symptoms, if the content that has pushed out of the disc presses on the nerve roots of the lumbar spine, it can cause pain and a tingling feeling in the legs or buttocks. It is important to note that when paresthesia is due to a herniated disc, it will usually affect one leg or the other, and only in a few cases, both.
More about lumbar disc herniation
2. Lumbar stenosis
Stenosis of the lumbar canal, also called lumbar spinal stenosis, is the narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal through which the nerve roots go to the lower extremities. It usually affects L4-L5 levels, although it can occur at several levels.
This pathology can produce a sensation of numbness and tingling in either one of the legs, or more frequently, in both. In addition, it can cause other symptoms such as pain, or a sensation of heaviness when walking. In these cases, the symptoms will usually disappear when the sufferer sits down, only to reappear again after walking a certain distance. Another way to temporarily relieve the paresthesia is to lean forward when walking, as if pushing a shopping cart.
More about lumbar spinal stenosis
3. Lumbar instability
Lumbar instability occurs when there is excessive mobility between two or more contiguous vertebrae. Apart from pain, it can cause nerve compression. If this instability is in the area of the lumbar spine, the compression can lead to sciatic nerve pain or tingling in the legs.
Lumbar instability: one of the most frequent causes of back pain
4. Sciatica
Sciatica affects the sciatic nerve, which is made up of several nerve roots, running from L4 to S2. Its causes include both lumbar disc herniation and lumbar or foraminal canal stenosis, mentioned above. When this nerve is pinched, symptoms such as tingling in the legs or, in extreme cases, muscle weakness, usually appear.
Sciatica: duration, causes, and treatments
As you can see, there are various medical conditions that can cause an ongoing feeling of pins and needles or tingling in the legs and this can seriously affect the quality of life of those who suffer from it. So, if you notice this feeling continues, and is not just momentary, we recommend that you see a doctor so that they can evaluate your case, and find out if it occurs along with other symptoms so that you can get the right diagnosis and begin the appropriate treatment.
If you need more information about treatments for back problems, don’t hesitate to browse through our web, and contact us if you need a personalized assessment of your case.
Categories: Spine treatments, Spine pathologies, Instituto Clavel