1.
Diabetes
Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common causes of tingling in the feet and legs, caused by long-term nerve damage from high blood sugar.
Health Library
Causes of Tingling in Your Legs and Feet: The Glen Chiropractic, Minnetonka MN
Tingling in the legs and feet, known as paresthesia, can come from dozens of causes. Here are 13 of the most common, plus when chiropractic care can help.
Tingling in the legs and feet has many possible causes, from nerve compression in the spine to underlying conditions like diabetes or thyroid disease. Persistent or severe tingling should always be evaluated by a doctor, since some causes need medical diagnosis and treatment beyond what chiropractic care addresses.
13 Possible Causes
Common Causes of Tingling in Your Legs and Feet.
2.
Pregnancy
Growing pressure on nerves from the uterus, or occasionally anemia from blood loss, can cause tingling in the legs and feet during pregnancy.
3.
Thyroid Problems
An underactive or overactive thyroid can affect nerve function throughout the body, including in the legs and feet.
4.
Autoimmune Illnesses
Conditions where the immune system attacks healthy tissue can also affect the nerves, leading to tingling sensations.
5.
Kidney-Related Circulation Issues
Reduced kidney function can affect circulation and nerve health, sometimes showing up as tingling in the lower body.
6.
Poor Circulation
Reduced blood flow to the legs and feet, on its own, can cause a tingling or pins-and-needles feeling.
7.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
This is a hereditary nerve disorder that specifically affects peripheral nerves and often first shows up as tingling in the feet.
8.
Vitamin Deficiencies
Low levels of B, C, or D vitamins can affect nerve health and contribute to tingling in the extremities.
9.
Multiple Sclerosis
MS affects the nervous system directly, and tingling in the legs and feet is a common early symptom.
10.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis can put pressure on nerves near affected joints, causing tingling.
11.
Infections
Infections such as cellulitis can inflame tissue around nerves in the legs and feet, leading to tingling.
12.
Nerve Injuries
A direct injury to a nerve, from an accident or repeated strain, can cause lasting tingling in the area it serves.
13.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but in the ankle, this condition compresses a nerve and often causes tingling in the foot.
How Chiropractic Care May Help With Tingling
When tingling is caused by nerve compression, specifically spinal misalignment putting pressure on a nerve, chiropractic adjustments can realign the spine to relieve that pressure. Care is sometimes combined with soft tissue therapy to address muscle tightness contributing to the compression.
Persistent or severe tingling should be evaluated by a doctor first. Several causes on this list, including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, kidney issues, and autoimmune disease, require medical diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractic care is a complementary approach for tingling related to nerve compression specifically, not a replacement for diagnosing these underlying conditions.
Dr. Arthur Hoffman at The Glen Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Minnetonka helps patients find relief from nerve-compression tingling through spinal adjustments and, where appropriate, soft tissue work.
Nerve Health Questions
What Patients Ask Us.
If the tingling is caused by spinal misalignment putting pressure on a nerve, chiropractic adjustments can often help relieve it, sometimes alongside soft tissue therapy for surrounding muscle tightness.
See a doctor first if tingling is severe, persistent, or you have a condition like diabetes, thyroid disease, or an autoimmune illness, since those need medical diagnosis and treatment that chiropractic care does not replace.
It usually means a nerve somewhere along its path, from the spine down to the foot, is irritated or compressed. The cause can range from minor and mechanical to a sign of an underlying medical condition.
No. While spinal nerve compression is one common cause, tingling can also come from diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, poor circulation, and several other conditions unrelated to the spine.
Dealing with tingling? Let's find the cause.
Your $79 New Patient Special includes a consultation, an exam, and an adjustment.