Pins and Needles in Response to Heat

[kennyk145]

Hello:

I am a 31 year-old male.  I've been having a sensation of pins and needles and it appears to be happening when my body gets overheated.  I've noticed some pins and needles in my chest for quite some time now when I work out.

Lately, it's been getting worse.  Now I get it when I'm in a hot shower, or bundled up in my coat and hat in my apartment prior to walking out the door.  It also happens when I get excited emotionally.  Especially when I go into fits of laughter, as I often do.  

The pins and needles happen mainly on my chest and arms.  Though, I have felt it on my head, when I swim for exercise.  The sensation is followed by itchiness.

Any ideas as to what this may be?
Thank you.  

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Paresthesias, or what you experience as sensation of pins and needles, are non-specific symptoms that could be associated with many conditions. Aside from these sensations, have you experienced any other symptoms?

The causes of paresthesias include inadequate blood supply to the affected body part, disc herniations, physical nerve damage, transient ischemic attacks, some drugs, and other chronic medical conditions.

You could have your vitamin, minerals and electrolyte levels determined if they have any relation to your symptoms. You should also be evaluated for any endocrine disorder, such as diabetes or a thyroid condition, which could also present with such findings. A cardiovascular assessment would also be needed to rule out any vascular compromise.

Consult a physician to have your condition checked.

Good luck.

[CGLee]

I am a 40 year old male.  I have the same condition. Mine started when I was 12 and had allergy testing done. I was told it would go away but it has not and its gotten worse over the years.  Now when I get warm I get rash dots all in the areas where the skin test was done and the dots all look like the 8 needle probe they used. I get over 300 in rows on my back.

[workout798]

exact thig happening to me...have you found a any more info...First I noticed it when I took a hot shower...and today at the gym I noticed it also after exercising!!

[Hope75]

me too!  Not sure what that is - If I have my arm/leg in the sun - it gets pins and needles.  I have idiopathic peripheral neuropathy - in other words, the cause is unknown for me.  Interesting others have that issue...

[ed23]

I also have the same condition you are having.  I have been through a variety of tests with no result. My pins and needles begin at the top of my back and radiate downward into my legs.  At times it will also lap around to my chest.  It happens in all kinds of heat, sun, warm room, exercise, emotion, etc.  It is downright life changing.  I am a 71 year old recreational tennis  player and I can tell you that since this began in Sep 2007 I have not played tennis ...bummer.  I have taken a battery of tests and when the neurologist gave up on me he sent me to a neurologist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.  This new neurologist is as baffled as all the other doctors I have seen.  He has prescribed Gabapentin and it did not get rid of them completely but seemed to help a little.  I am now waiting for the results of skin grafts that was taken in Nov 2007.  Meanwhile the neurologist feels that they may just go away as quickly as they came and to just suck it up while you wait.  Phew, not a good diagnosis as far as I'm concerned. Stay in touch.

[ed23]

Just received a call from my neurologist and he tells me that my skin grafts did not identify anything unusual.  He recommended that seeing as though the Gabapentin worked a little perhaps a double dose to 600 mg three times a day would do it.  I am to try this far a few weeks and if it doesn't work he wants me to return and talk about a different medication.

[Lori707]

Please help me if you can!  I have been sick for a year and lost 34lbs.since Feb'08 without dieting.  Just got out of one of the biggest hospitals in the country. They did an entire work up on me and didn't find a thing. I'm so scared.
History: Started feeling weak and old a year ago. A little joint pain and cracking of my joints. 3 1/2 months of 24/7 irregular heart beats. Got a Rheumatoid Factor test back of 79.5 (HIGH). My ANA was fine. Docs don't think I have Rheumatoid. Doc says I have Fibromylogia. Was diagnosed with ulcerated colitis. (now doc thinks i have ischemic colitis). Pins and needles are now all over my entire body. Stabbing pain. Also have heat skin sensations. Just had a stress test stating I have a blockage in my heart. My heart feels SO shaky ALL of the time. Just had inflammations of my bronchial tube and have real bad acid reflux/Gerd. Now I'm having tremors and CANNOT sleep!  All my tests including thyroid came out okay. I have "brain fog". Getting harder to talk.
I feel my entire body has been taken over.

Does anyone have a clue as to what may be happening to me?

[Lori707]

forgot to mention that my blood pressure and pulse goes way down and then up. Basically now, it's low and my heart rate is 49-60 p/min. Also have dehydration while drinking 12 cups of water a day. Dry mouth and lips chapped. A terrible sickly feeling inside of me.

[Atik]

Hi
im 23
I want to inquire about this problem i ve been having for a few months as well. I get this pins and needles feeling all over my body as soon as my body temperature    gets warmer or i engage in any sort of pysical activity or if im around alot of heat.  I usually have to run out into the cold to calm this feeling or cool down my body with a fan or cold water. It usually occurs in the winter.I also get small  bumps on my skin. I tried allergy midicine from the doctor and it didnt have any affect., Also,I tried taking Vitamin B to help with my red blood cells but that hasnt changed anytihng either.
Could anyone advise if thye have information on this.
Thanks in adance

[bdot574]

Hi Im 23 years old/man and I have been having the same symptoms you are not alone. I have a tingling, prickly, pins and needles feeling through out my body. It happen when I get hot. When the weather gets hotter it's worst. I have to find place to cool off. I have to walk around with a bottle of cold water and rag to cool off. It's been going on for months now and I have been tested for so many things. I been tested for thyroid problems and it came back fine. I got tested for B-12 deficiency it was fine. I got two MRI done on my lower spine and cervical spine for anything strange like MS. But again everything is good except I have a bulging disc which the doctors say can't be causing it. Also had Brain looked at which is completely normal. Now there just passing it off as stress and anxiety. It mostly happens when I get worked up and hot. It also happens when I get nervous. People tell me to exercise but it's hard when you have this feeling like electric shocks stinging you. When it is really bad sometimes I break out in my skin but when my body cools down the rash goes away. I don't know what else to do. If anyone has ideas please write something. Myself and everyone else with this issue would love to know.

[joelddhans]

I have the same heat induces pins and needles.  The doctor told me that I had dry skin.  It is true that it happens more in winter when things are drier.  and the itching that follows usually ends up in places where my skin is dry.  But enduring pain at the beginning of every hot shower and exercise doesn't seem like a good solution.  I've never been a lotion-user, so i'm trying that.  But i've had the problem for a couple years with no change.

[Melissa072]

I have been getting pins and needles for 4 years now in my feet and hands in heat, as well as other symptons.
But only the pins and needles in heat.
Did anyone find any answers at all as to what was causing them.
Melissa

[garfieldbein]

im 27 and for a month now i have been haveing issues with my hands locking up where i cant get them out of the locked position and they hurt for hours. and when i take a shower i feel like im being stuck with pins and needles all over my back and shoulders. and if i take a bath its worse. im itchy and hurt at the same time. i have been getting dizzy. i am not blond. it takes me a while to remember things. whats goin on with me..?

[gohar505]

I also have the same problem from the last 8 years. 8 years back doctors told me that its just the matter of age and will go away once you cross 25. I am now 29 and the situation is still the same. I have these pins and ichy feelings through out my body when my body gets heated up  or even when I am tense or nervous and then I feel like taking my cloths off and jump into a pool of freezing water in the peak winter season.
I also have talked to few doctors and have got different statements from all of them. Some say its psychological, others say that its the matter of age, others say that moisturize your skin and some say you may have a B-12 deficiency but none of all of these work.... This issue needs to be highlighted and should be brought into serious medical research.. should be discussed in some major medical conferences or something...

[HoloKira]

I too have the same feeling. I am an 19 year old male and this needles and pin shots on my Body have completely changed my physical figure as i cant workout now. Whenever my Body temperature rises i get a devastating pin shots on my whole body starting from my head to toe.

[Oscarlv]

Same happens with me... it's already almost a year. When I go to store.. I sometimes walk out after few minutes just to not look like crazy person when I scratch my back. Nothing helps.. :S

[miked33]

im 16 years old and have been experiencing the waves of pinprick feeling mostly through my back and chest and sometimes up to my head. it happens when i warm up for soccer practice but goes away after about a minute. it also happens when i get nervous to speak in class, and it has recently happened today when i was taking a hot shower. if its a neurological problem like some of these post suggest then it might have something to do with how much i crack my neck and back. every morning i wake up and crack my neck and back and i also do it periodically throughout the day. im going to try to stop doing that forthe next few weeks to see if it makes a difference.

[micah91]

::::Cholinergic urticaria::::: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholinergic_urticaria
       26/male Condition started 3 months ago having the same issue, but my doctor knew what it was right away

I have the same symtoms but mine is so bad i can barely get up and move around if the temp outside is above 50. It can be caused by a large number of things, Personally I belive mine was from the only 2 new things added to my life.           STRESS, Adderall

[Blancamarielle]

Thank YOU. I've been taking adderall for a year now and I've only been experiencing this for a month or less. However my stress levels are extremely high right now, which leads me to take more adderall when I need to study. I didn't want to blame my medication on that but it seems like that is the only thing that has really changed.

[micah91]

If you have what i have Cholinergic urticaria  (same symptoms) there are many forms of Urticaria and erythema, but they all cause the pins, heat, PAIN. In most people it is the histamines in there body attacking a chemical in or around the sweat glands, thats why we only notice it in times that we may sweat or release other chemical response, like excitement, stress, laughter,

[micah91]

They have put out alot of papers on this, Cholinergic urticaria is what I have, Same symptoms as every one here my doctor knew right away, he is young and up to date on the modern stuff. Anti-histamines, combined with a protein pump inhibitor will kill the symptoms for me for about 5 hours but other people have diffrent luck with other drugs, but now that you have a name I hope it will help you do your own research and find what you and your doctor find works for you.

[Oscarlv]

Thank you, micah91!
Atleast now I know what it is.
  

[AlanBiss]

the feeling of someone taking a pin and poking me all over is felt when i work out, when i get exposed to the sun, when I have an anxiety attack.the feeling makes me want to rub my body as if I had a rash.
I have read some of the notes and decided to try vitamin B12. Since yesterday the feeling did not return. I hope it doesn't and I will confirm again in one week if the B12 works.

[MisterMays]

I wanted to try B12 too so please let me know if that works for you and what type of B12 that you took please. I've been dealing with this for going on a year now so I want to get it cured because I haven't been able to work or do too much of anything.

[MisterMays]

I wanted to try B12 too so please let me know if that works for you and what type of B12 that you took please. I've been dealing with this for going on a year now so I want to get it cured because I haven't been able to work or do too much of anything.

[cc11_11]

Same thing for two years - but it's not technically "Cholinergic urticaria" unless you test positive with mast cells.  Unfortunately I did not, so mine is still a mystery. The magic of allergy medication doesn't work for me.