Tingling and numbness in your hands or feet are symptoms that are so common, and so subtle, that they are easy to overlook. In many cases, tingling may be benign and short-lived possibly related to an arm or leg that has “fallen asleep.” But in other instances, this symptom could be the sign of a much bigger nerve problem.

ON PINS AND NEEDLES

Chronic tingling and numbness of the hands or feet could be caused by peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage that extends from the nerve networks of the brain and spinal cord. There are over 100 types of peripheral neuropathy, and the condition is likely to grow worse over time, often reducing mobility and causing disability

The American Podiatric Medical Association explains, “Your peripheral nerves – the nerves in your toes and fingertips – are the ones on the periphery of your body. When the nerves are damaged, they don’t function properly. People with peripheral neuropathy have decreased or abnormal sensation in their toes and fingers. Sometimes, they develop problems moving these parts of the body as well.”l

The most common cause of this tingling is diabetes, which we now understand to be a lifestyle disease affecting one in 11 adults around the world. ² The nerves that run throughout the body like telephone wires to deliver important messages can be damaged by other lifestyle factors too – including poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and exposure to environmental toxins, like second-hand smoke. Peripheral neuropathy may occur in two out of every 100 adults, rising to eight out of 100 adults for those ages 55 and older?

OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION

A doctor could trace peripheral neuropathy back to a condition like carpal tunnel syndrome, a kidney or liver disorder, diabetes, chronic infection, trauma or injury, or toxin exposure. But rarely will a medical professional explore the root cause of numbness and tingling, starting with a vitamin deficiency.

For the many people who eat a typical Western diet rich in processed foods, sugar, and starchy carbs, it may be impossible for the nerves to get the vitamins they need to effectively communicate. Vitamin deficiency that goes unchecked for years can cause peripheral nerve damage and result in numbness and tingling of the hands and the feet.

Thiamine, or vitamin Bl, deficiency is one confirmed cause of peripheral neuropathy.⁴ Supplementing with the lipid soluble thiamine analogue Benfotiamine has been successfully used to treat numbness and tingling since the 1960s in countries around the world.⁵‘⁶ A study published in Diabetes also confirmed that antioxidant treatment with Alpha Lipoic acid could safely and effectively help to reduce symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy; alpha lipoic acid is able to cross the blood-brain barrier to potentially protect both brain and nerve tissue from free radical damage. ⁷ Replenishing magnesium levels, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body essential for nerve conduction, can help to further relieve these symptoms; magnesium been shown to provide neuroprotective benefits, even in cases of ischaemic stroke. ⁸

Tingling and numbness are symptoms you don’t want to ignore – they are likely to get much, much worse. Correcting an underlying vitamin deficiency may be the first step in addressing neuropathy that has spread to the hands and the feet. When you support your nerves with vital nutrients, your body can continue to converse and communicate – without numbness, tingling, or chronic pain.