Why do we get pins and needles?
Numbness Pins and Needles
Pins and needles refer to the tingling sensation we feel in our hands, feet, arms or legs when the blood begins to circulate gain in those areas, after being impeded for some time. For example, when we sit with our legs crossed on the floor for a long time, and then try to stand up, we sometimes get the feeling of numbness, as if the legs had fallen asleep. As the blood begins to flow again, a tingling sensation occurs due to the change. But why do we get this tingling sensation? We know that the blood flows freely through the blood vessels in our body, just as water flows freely through a stretched hose. Imagine what would happen if you bent the hose! Water would only trickle through. Similarly, blood is the transport system of our body and performs two important functions. It supplies food and oxygen to different parts of the body; as well s collects the poisonous wastes. When the flow is restricted; these poisonous wastes accumulate and block the nerve cells from carrying messages from the affected limb to the brain. This creates a feeling of numbness. When the limb is stretched again, the blood starts flowing, and this resumption of blood circulation causes the tingling sensation.