Most people feel tingling in their feet or hands occasionally. Tingling in the feet or hands may feel unpleasant, but the cause is not usually serious. However, If the feet or hands tingle often, this may be the result of an underlying condition.

“A lot of causes of tingling sensations are linked to a condition called peripheral neuropathy. This is a type of nerve damage that leads to tingling and numbness in the hands and feet.

Various conditions lead to peripheral neuropathy. It affects an estimated 20 million people in the United States.”

The causes of peripheral neuropathy and other reasons that feet or hands may tingle are listed below.

1. Pinched nerve

A person may experience tingling in their feet or hands because of a pinched nerve in the back. This may have happened as a result of injury or swelling.

Other symptoms of a pinched nerve include pain and limited movement. Physical therapy can help with a pinched nerve.

2. Toxins

Swallowing something toxic or a toxin being absorbed through the skin may be a cause of tingling in the feet.

3. Alcohol

Alcohol is a toxin and can damage nerve tissue. Drinking too much alcohol may lead to a type of peripheral neuropathy known as alcoholic neuropathy.

This condition can cause pain and tingling in the limbs, hands, and feet. These symptoms happen because the peripheral nerves have been damaged by alcohol.

From 25 to 66 percent of people who are classified as long-term alcoholics experience alcoholic neuropathy, according to a study.

4. Anxiety

People who experience anxiety may hyperventilate, which can cause tingling in the feet.

5. Pregnancy

Tingling in the feet is common for people who are pregnant.

Tingling in the feet is often experienced when someone is pregnant. The uterus may put pressure on the nerves in a person’s legs as their baby grows. This may cause tingling, often described as “pins and needles.”

6. Repetitive strain injury

Repetitive strain injury or RSI may cause tingling in the hands. RSI happens when a person carries out repetitive activities for too long without rest.

RSI is also known as work-related upper limb disorder. It can be the result of poor posture.

RSI commonly affects:

  • wrists and hands
  • forearms and elbows
  • neck and shoulders

Other symptoms of RSI may include:

  • pain
  • aching
  • tenderness
  • stiffness
  • throbbing
  • weakness
  • cramp

7. Vitamin deficiency

Deficiency of vitamins E, B-1, B-6, B-12 or niacin may cause tingling in the hands or feet. These vitamins are vital for nerve function.

Vitamin B-12 deficiency may lead to peripheral neuropathy.

8. Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis or MS is a long-term condition that affects the brain and spinal cord.

Numbness or tingling in the feet is an early symptom of MS, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. People with the condition may experience tingling before diagnosis.

9. Medication

Certain medications may cause tingling in the hands or feet as one of their side effects.

10. Infections

Certain infections cause nerves to become inflamed. This inflammation may lead to tingling in the hands or feet.

11. Kidney failure

Tingling in the feet or hands may be a sign of kidney failure. Diabetes and high blood pressure both increase the risk of kidney failure.

12. Autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune disease may cause tingling in the feet or hands. Autoimmune disease occurs when the body attacks itself.

13. Diabetes

Diabetes causes high blood sugar, which may lead to nerve damage. People with diabetes may experience persistent tingling in the feet as a result. This condition is called diabetic neuropathy.

14. Peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease or PAD affects the circulatory system, causing blood vessels to become narrower. This may lead to poor circulation, which can cause tingling in the feet or hands.

PAD may result in a stroke or heart attack due to plaque buildup in the arteries if it is left untreated.

15. Stroke

Tingling in the feet or hands may be a sign of a stroke.

Symptoms of strokes come on suddenly.

People should call emergency services immediately if they experience one or more of these symptoms.