Why are my feet tingly and numb?

[billstrong1969]

Hello All, I'm asking this because I've no health insurance and for the past month and a half now both of my feet have been tingly and numb feeling.  I had some blood work done at my clinic at school and they say I'm as healthy as a jaybird.  Blood sugar normal, blood pressure normal, protein levels in blood normal, which I guess is a good thing; but it's starting to get annoying.  It's bad enough that I live in Minnesota where it can drop to subzero temps in the winter leaving my feet always feeling cold with these symptoms, but it just will not go away.  At first I thought maybe it was my shoes being too tight?  I am a pack a day smoker, can that be the cause?

[Red_Star]

Pins and needles are symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and paresthesia.  Wikipedia has articles on both conditions with a lists numerous causes. As your mention heavy smoking, a few possible causes of your symptoms...

Smoking is the primary risk factor for the development of some types of peripheral vascular disease (PVD).  PVD is the reduced circulation of blood to a body part other than the brain or heart. It is caused by a narrowed or blocked blood vessel. This causes various symptoms including pins and needles. The worst case scenario is amputation due to gangrene.

Vitamins notably mentioned to be low to deficient in smokers are vitamins A, B, C, E.  Vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, E are essential to healthy nerve function.  For instance, if you do not correct vitamin B12 deficiency in time, permanent nerve damage will occur.

Cigarette smoking has been linked to thyroid disease. Both hypothyroid and hyperthyroidism can cause peripheral neuropathy.

[Dr Sharma]

Hello dear and welcome to the medhelp forum. I understand your situation and dilemmas. Tingling and numbness both feet could be compression due to tight shoes, get your vitamin B1 levels if possible, chronic smokers can have a vasculitis of blood vessels in the legs called berger’s disease. Angiography or Doppler ultrasound of the extremity could be needed. Reynaud’s phenomenon due to extreme cold exposure and secondary to connective tissue disorders may also result in painful, red or blue feet, which is reversible. Chill blains can also present similarly. Sometimes a compressed nerve due to herniated lumbar intervertebral disc can also cause these symptoms and assessment of spine is required. Consult a physician if possible after excluding mechanical causes and stop smoking. Keep your feet warm and protected with appropriate sized footwear. Wish you all the best.