Why do our legs tingle?

Feeling pins and needles in your legs is not uncommon and this sensation can be quite unpleasant. But what are the physiological causes of this phenomenon?

Tingling in the legs, also known as 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚, can occur when you stay in an 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for long periods of time, which results in blood vessel compression. Although seemingly useless, this phenomenon is a 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 to the body. In fact, tingling is the result of 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, which prevents red blood cells from properly performing their role as oxygen distributors. Tingling is thus a signal to change position.

While tingling in the legs is benign in most cases, it is also a symptom of 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬. In 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞, these tingling sensations are called "impatience", and this syndrome mainly affects women with martial deficiency or dopamine deficiency. Tingling may also occur in 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 or 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧-𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞́ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞, for example.

Tingling can also be 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬, as it provokes an accumulation of carbon dioxide towards the extremities of the body in response to a potential threat. In this case, simply moving the affected body part will relieve the tingling.