Paresthesia or “pins and needles” is marked by symptoms including numbness, tingling, burning and pins and needles sensations, most often experienced in the extremities. It can come on quickly and be a severe sign of a medical emergency like a stroke, however, many cases are chronic and can be helped by these things:
- Vitamin D3. Spend 10-20 minutes in the sunshine each day! Y’all know I already recommend D3 for your immune system, but helping pins & needles is just another great reason to be sufficient in D3.
- Get Adjusted. Sometimes pins & needles can be due to spinal subluxations (misalignments) and getting adjusted can restore proper nerve function. Also, massage therapy can help and acupuncture, too, in some cases.
- TENS. Use a TENS machine to stimulate nerves and treat pain associated with chemotherapy-induced paresthesia.
- Vitamin B6 & B12 rich foods. Include these in your diet to treat mild-to-moderate deficiencies. For vitamin B12, consuming one serving of wild-caught fish like salmon or tuna a day can provide several times the recommended daily dose. In addition, organic yogurt, turkey, beef and lamb are good sources. If the vitamin B12 deficiency is severe (determined by blood test), your MD may recommend a shot of B12 or a supplement — for example 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12 for seven days and then a dose of 1,000 micrograms monthly. If you have a vitamin B6 deficiency, talk to your doctor before taking a supplement as it interacts with a wide range of medications including chemotherapy, certain high blood pressure drugs, asthma medications, antibiotics and some antidepressants. Instead, add vitamin B6-rich foods to your diet including organic turkey breast, grass-fed beef, pistachio nuts and avocado.
- Turmeric. To help stabilize blood sugar levels to keep diabetic neuropathy from developing, and to treat inflammation in the body associated with RA and certain infectious diseases and diabetes.