Mine seems to be set off by cold - my hands have always been cold, but lately they get cold and there's no circulation. The tips of my fingers have no blood, which is a little creepy.
I'll tell you something weird - right before I had that blood clot in my right leg, I had gotten out of the shower earlier that day, and noticed that my leg was pale and looked like it was bloodless. I wasn't having a good day, and don't remember much of it, but I do have to wonder if the Reynaud's caused the blood clot.
I know exactly what you're talking about-- lately when my hands are positioned in a certain way for enough time they're falling asleep at the drop of a hat-- usually I'm reading in bed. The same positions never used to result in pins and needles this often. I am still "probable" though, so grain-of-salt there.
Sadie
Yes, I have that same kind of burning and itching and also a squeezing, tight pressure feeling in my left hand and arm. You're right, dysesthesia I think is the proper term for these sensations. For me, submersion in cool or tepid water seems to bring relief, as does pressure (eg Ace bandage) and to modest degree, gabapentin and amitriptyline.
The pins and needles feeling of a limb falling asleep is more in my feet, and it starts with poor positioning but am wondering when it 'falls asleep' in this way, if MS is somehow involved in preventing it from 'waking up' as quickly as it used to.
I guess I bypassed the "pins and needles." Mine has been itching that turns into burning (as in "put my arm in a fire.") More of a dysaesthesia I guess. Most of the time I just have to convince myself that it is a false feeling and it will go away. Sometimes a counter-irritant like capsaicin cream will help.
I think I'd rather have the "pins and needles."
Bob