Tingling in the feet can occur when staying in the same position for a long time, which can interfere with blood circulation difficult. However, it can also be a sign of other health conditions like anxiety, multiple sclerosis, poor circulation, or a herniated disc.

Depending on the underlying cause, tingling in the feet may also be accompanied by other symptoms, like foot, dizziness, stiffness, muscle spasms, cramps and intense headaches.

When tingling in the feet is constant and/or accompanied by other symptoms, it is important to consult a family doctor or angiologist for assessment and treatment, which may involve rest, medication or surgery.

What causes foot tingling?

The main causes of tingling in the feet are:

1. Poor body positioning

One of the most common causes of tingling in the feet or legs is sitting, laying or standing in a prolonged position. Tingling can happen when sitting on top of your foot, for example, due to decreased circulation and compression of the local nerve.

What to do: Ideally you should change positions frequently and stretch at least once a day to stimulate circulation throughout the day. You should also take breaks to walk or stand if you are sitting for long periods, such as at work or on a flight.

2. Anxiety and stress

Stressful situations and extreme anxiety can cause symptoms like tingling in the hands, arms, tongue and legs, cold sweats, palpitations, chest pain and abdominal pain.

What to do: In these cases, you should try to remain calm and deep breathe to improve blood circulation. You can try some home remedies to treat anxiety at home. If this is not possible, you should see the doctor for more specific treatment.

3. Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition that is characterized by inflammation. It results in the destruction of the myelin sheath that covers and protects neurons, which interferes with the transmission of electrical impulses. This can affect body movements, like talking or walking, and the patient eventually becomes bedridden.

In addition to feeling tingling in the extremities, this condition can also cause twitching in the muscles and difficulty walking.

What to do: Multiple sclerosis does not have a cure and treatment is often life long. It can consist of medications that decrease the progression of the illness like interferon, fingolimod, natalizumab and glatiramer acetate. Corticosteroids can reduce the intensity and time of flare-ups. Other medications that can also help with associated symptoms are analgesics, muscle relaxants and antidepressants.

4. Peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease is characterized by reduced blood flow in the arteries, which affects the extremities and feet. It causes symptoms such as tingling in the feet or legs, pain, cramps and the formation of wounds in the affected limb.

What to do: Treatment should be guided by a doctor, and may include the use of oral antiplatelet medications, such as aspirin and clopidogrel, as well as medications to manage cholesterol levels and analgesics to control pain.

It is also important to adopt healthy habits, such as stopping smoking, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and maintaining an ideal body weight.

5. Poor circulation

Poor circulation is one of the causes of tingling in the feet, and is caused by the difficulty of blood passing through the veins and arteries. It can be caused by conditions such as pregnancy, aging, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes or hypertension.

Some of the symptoms of poor circulation are a stinging sensation, numbness or tingling in the feet and legs, cold feet, swelling, local pain and dry skin.

What to do: Treatment should be outlined by an angiologist and will depend on the underlying cause. The doctor may prescribe compression stockings and specific medications, like diabetes medication, statins or antihypertensives.

6. Peripheral neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is characterized by changes to the nerves in the body. It can result in severe pain, tingling, weakness and decreased sensitivity to some specific parts of the body.

What to do: Treatment is usually aimed toward relieving the presenting symptoms and treating the underlying illness causing the neuropathy. It may consist of pain relief through medication use, and physiotherapy to rehab the affected areas.

7. Herniated disc

A herniated disc consists of a weakness in the intervertebral disc. It causes symptoms like back pain and spinal numbness, which can radiate to the legs and toes and cause tingling.

What to do: It is important to see a doctor to indicate appropriate treatment, which may involve the use of analgesics, muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatories to reduce pain and inflammation. Physiotherapy and surgery may be used in more severe cases.

8. Morton's neuroma

Morton's neuroma is a small lump on the sole of the foot that is caused by compression of the nerves in this area. It causes pain and discomfort when walking, as well as numbness or tingling in the toes, persistent burning or sharp pain in the soles of the feet.

What to do: Treatment involves prioritizing wider shoes, with lower heels and soft soles to reduce pressure on the nerve.

The doctor may also recommend the use of orthopedic insoles and corticosteroid injections to reduce swelling and inflammation. In some cases, surgery may be advised remove the diseased part of the nerve or release damaged tissue around the nerve.

9. Sciatic nerve inflammation

Sciatic nerve inflammation, or sciatica, can cause pain in the back, buttocks or legs, tingling in the soles of the feet, difficulty walking, a sensation of shock or burning in the buttocks or leg, as well as a feeling of heaviness in the legs.

What to do: Treatment may involve topical or oral analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications as prescribed by the doctor,. Some people may find warm compresses and massage or physiotherapy sessions beneficial. Read more about sciatica pain relief measures your doctor can recommend.

10. Vitamin deficiency

Deficiency of vitamins, such as vitamin B12 and vitamin B1, can cause symptoms such as tingling in the feet, hands and legs, muscle cramps, frequent tiredness, mouth sores, double vision and mental confusion.

What to do: Treatment consists of taking supplements with vitamin B12 and vitamin B1, vitamin B12 injections, and increasing the consumption of foods rich in these vitamins.

11. Guillain–Barré Syndrome

Guillain–Barré syndrome is a serious neurological illness that is characterized by nerve inflammation and muscle weakness that can lead to death. In most cases, it is diagnosed following a viral infection, like dengue or siza. One of the most common symptoms is tingling and loss of sensibility in the arms and legs.

What to do: Normally, treatment is is done in the hospital by filtering the blood to remove antibodies that are attacking the nervous system, Antibodies can be injected to fight the antibodies attacking the nerves to reduce inflammation.

12. Animal bites

Animal and insect bites from bees, snakes or spiders for example can cause local tingling. Bites can also cause symptoms like swelling, fever and burning.

What to do: The first thing you should do is to try to identify the animal or insect that bit you. Wash the area well and proceed to the hospital as soon as possible.

13. Migraine with aura

A migraine with aura is an intense headache that is accompanied by other symptoms, such as flashes of light, dark spots or bright images, tingling in the feet, head, lips, tongue, arms or hands, and difficulty speaking. Check out all the symptoms of a migraine aura.

What to do: A neurologist or family doctor may prescribe medications to relieve pain, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, and nausea, such as metoclopramide or chlorpromazine.

The doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes, like maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.

14. Synovial cyst

A synovial cyst is a type of round, soft nodule that can appear in the joint. It can cause symptoms such as tingling in the feet, loss of strength or sensitivity, especially when the cyst is large, as well as pain when moving the joint.

What to do: Small, asymptomatic cysts will usually resolve on their own without any treatment.

However, when very large cysts that cause symptoms may require anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen and diclofenac. The doctor may also opt to aspirate the fluid from the cyst with a needle under local anesthesia.