What Causes Pins And Needles?

Poor Circulation

Pre-existing conditions, injuries, or external influences that result in poor circulation to the legs can cause an individual to feel the pins and needles sensation. Poor blood circulation means less oxygen delivery to the tissues around the body. The nerve cells in the peripheral nervous system can only survive in poor oxygen conditions for a short time. In order to survive as long as possible in oxygen-poor conditions, the nerve cells can decrease their size in a process called atrophy. In healthy conditions, nerve impulses move from one nerve to the next through a synaptic junction. This process works seamlessly when there is an adequate amount of oxygen, and when the nerve cells are an appropriate size. However, nerve cells that have shrunk due to their survival mechanism in oxygen-poor conditions cause the synaptic junction to become too wide for the impulses to cross successfully. This malfunction can cause only partial impulses to get across the junction between nerves, or inhibit the transmission altogether. This lack of proper nerve transmission can result in the pins and needles sensation in the affected region of the leg.

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