Pins and needles during exercise?

Posted by martinsmckinney @martinsmckinney, Nov 20, 2019

Does anyone here experience sensations pins and needles when initial sweating occurs during exercise?

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@stevenson

Yes, my husband experiences the same thing. He works out 6-7 times a week. Very active. Right before he breaks a sweat his whole body experiences pins and needles that are very painful. His face and arms and whole body break out in white hives. The pins and needles stop as soon as a sweat breaks. We use the VA medical and they have no idea what is wrong with him. I’m desperate for a solution for him. He’s been on antihistamines which only make him sleepy. I just bought zendocrine from doterra thinking maybe it’s his body trying to rid the toxins it has accumulated... hasn’t worked. We eat clean and have gone vegan since he developed this. He’s had this the last three years. Tried all natural soaps etc... nothing.. We’re at a complete loss and feel hopeless..

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@stevenson I hope this will help you. I have suffered from this for many years. I do not get actual hives...just the pins ands needles like your husband. When it comes up - could also be a stressful moment...or walking and getting very warm suddenly...or doing the last 3 reps on a weight machine. For me it really only comes up in the winter.

Because it was so uncomfortable I rarely battled through it because it was so uncomfortable. It would almost come up sometimes in a rush and be gone.

I FINALLY got relief by SWEATING in a steam room. The dry heat in the sauna was way too painful. I joined a local Gold's Gym for a week. Day one worked out...it came up...went to the steam room for 15 minutes. That was the most I have sweated in a long time. I took a long shower as cold as I could stand it.
Day two went too play pickle ball for 90 minutes AND it did NOT come up. Next day on the treadmill for 30 minutes at 4.0 and worked out. NEVER came up. I worked out 4 times with 4 12-15 steams and really sweated with the cold shower. It has not come back. It has been 8 days. I am going back to Planet Fitness - (no steam room) to see what happens. I hope that helps you and anyone else. For me it is a miracle.

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I wonder if sweating is only correlated and not a cause of your problem?
My neurologist said that foot problems can come from nerves at L-4. Have you considered that part of the problem could be your back?
I do some stretching, after exercise, that were given by my Physical Therapist. I rarely have the itching pins & needles feeling, now.
ATTENTION/DISCLAIMER: I don't know you, and I'm definitely not a doctor. Please consult a physician.
You may want to try to loosen up the L3-4 area before and or after exercise. If you want to, and feel like you can handle it, you can lay on the floor with your knees pulled in. While keeping a flat back, roll your knees to each side 15 times. When stronger, you may want to raise one leg (at a time) and roll the bottom of your body to the opposite side.
The PT also proved that I wasn't exercising the core muscle correctly. You may want to see a physical therapist, if you haven't already?
Good Health and Happiness

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@chipintn

@stevenson I hope this will help you. I have suffered from this for many years. I do not get actual hives...just the pins ands needles like your husband. When it comes up - could also be a stressful moment...or walking and getting very warm suddenly...or doing the last 3 reps on a weight machine. For me it really only comes up in the winter.

Because it was so uncomfortable I rarely battled through it because it was so uncomfortable. It would almost come up sometimes in a rush and be gone.

I FINALLY got relief by SWEATING in a steam room. The dry heat in the sauna was way too painful. I joined a local Gold's Gym for a week. Day one worked out...it came up...went to the steam room for 15 minutes. That was the most I have sweated in a long time. I took a long shower as cold as I could stand it.
Day two went too play pickle ball for 90 minutes AND it did NOT come up. Next day on the treadmill for 30 minutes at 4.0 and worked out. NEVER came up. I worked out 4 times with 4 12-15 steams and really sweated with the cold shower. It has not come back. It has been 8 days. I am going back to Planet Fitness - (no steam room) to see what happens. I hope that helps you and anyone else. For me it is a miracle.

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Hi, @chipintn this is great news to me. Mine starts at the beginning of my workout so Ive been walking straight into the sauna, get the initial sweat over with (even though the pain is excruciating) and then continue my workout. By doing that I lessen the pins and needles significantly but occasionally it still happens when I push myself on the last couple reps of a set.

My gym doesn’t have a steam room, just a sauna. Is it worth the switch for a steam room?

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@albiet

@martinsmckinney I am so glad you mentioned this. I don’t notice if I have started sweating but I get pins and needles many times after a few minutes of exercise. It gets discouraging and I usually slow down until they go away. I think it’s something we just need to put up with

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I get the same symptoms; especially if bending or reaching high. I often times get dizzy as well. These symptoms only began a few months ago. I haven't found a reason or solution yet.
Best of luck to you,
Kat

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@hippiebeachchick

Hi! I’m wondering if you have an update? I found this thread through Google. I have been having the same symptoms you describe, with out the hives, for a few seconds when my back starts sweating either from exercise or heat. I have recently been diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency, so now that I’m treating that we’ll see if it changes, but nevertheless, I’d like to know more about what might be going on. I’m also beginning to get pins and needles in my arms abd legs, seemingly at random. I’m just starting my diagnostic journey. Any suggestions help!

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Also starting mine, We both have a Vitamin D deficiency and the same symptoms: right before I sweat, my back (and maybe upper arms, thighs, and belly) start to feel little needles. There's a sharp pain for a second and then I feel a need to itch it. I've been scrolling through google for so long looking at anything for a solution, but nothing. I see so many people in a similar situation and read long forum posts. I've gained weight and quit tennis because the pain I get is not worth it, and it's embarassing when you move your body in a weird way in public and have to scratch it really hard. I'm so frustrated, and I feel like when I tell people close to me about how much these seemingly minor symptoms affect me, they don't take me seriously. I'm scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist and immunologist soon. This situation is really similar to a while ago when I used to get food stuck in my throat. I sat there for almost an hour scrolling and reading, seeing so many people with similar symptoms but no answers. When I ate something, it would randomly feel like a lump near my spine inside of my ribs, or sometimes in my lower throat. Went to a doctor and all of a sudden I was diagnosed with Eospinophilic Esophagitis. Luckily, now if someone looks that up GERD won't be the only thing suggested to them. If you haven't gone to a doctor yet, you should. Since the thing I think is causing my problems is histamines, a visit to the dermatologist and/or allergist/immunologist seems like a good idea to me. I know this sounds stupid but I know a few friends who were in a similar situation and were finally diagnosed when they went to the doctor. I know some people are scared of doctors, but they should at least be more than a last resort. Hoping I get lucky again and there is some unheard of but common condition that makes me allergic to sweat or something, and hoping I can treat it to. I'm going to start Vitamin D supplements tomorrow, too. Sorry if I wasted your time with this rant, and I wish you well on your needle-sweat journey.

TL;DR: Go to a doctor

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@krishpatel02

Also starting mine, We both have a Vitamin D deficiency and the same symptoms: right before I sweat, my back (and maybe upper arms, thighs, and belly) start to feel little needles. There's a sharp pain for a second and then I feel a need to itch it. I've been scrolling through google for so long looking at anything for a solution, but nothing. I see so many people in a similar situation and read long forum posts. I've gained weight and quit tennis because the pain I get is not worth it, and it's embarassing when you move your body in a weird way in public and have to scratch it really hard. I'm so frustrated, and I feel like when I tell people close to me about how much these seemingly minor symptoms affect me, they don't take me seriously. I'm scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist and immunologist soon. This situation is really similar to a while ago when I used to get food stuck in my throat. I sat there for almost an hour scrolling and reading, seeing so many people with similar symptoms but no answers. When I ate something, it would randomly feel like a lump near my spine inside of my ribs, or sometimes in my lower throat. Went to a doctor and all of a sudden I was diagnosed with Eospinophilic Esophagitis. Luckily, now if someone looks that up GERD won't be the only thing suggested to them. If you haven't gone to a doctor yet, you should. Since the thing I think is causing my problems is histamines, a visit to the dermatologist and/or allergist/immunologist seems like a good idea to me. I know this sounds stupid but I know a few friends who were in a similar situation and were finally diagnosed when they went to the doctor. I know some people are scared of doctors, but they should at least be more than a last resort. Hoping I get lucky again and there is some unheard of but common condition that makes me allergic to sweat or something, and hoping I can treat it to. I'm going to start Vitamin D supplements tomorrow, too. Sorry if I wasted your time with this rant, and I wish you well on your needle-sweat journey.

TL;DR: Go to a doctor

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Research CMT Genetic Disease.

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@krishpatel02

Also starting mine, We both have a Vitamin D deficiency and the same symptoms: right before I sweat, my back (and maybe upper arms, thighs, and belly) start to feel little needles. There's a sharp pain for a second and then I feel a need to itch it. I've been scrolling through google for so long looking at anything for a solution, but nothing. I see so many people in a similar situation and read long forum posts. I've gained weight and quit tennis because the pain I get is not worth it, and it's embarassing when you move your body in a weird way in public and have to scratch it really hard. I'm so frustrated, and I feel like when I tell people close to me about how much these seemingly minor symptoms affect me, they don't take me seriously. I'm scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist and immunologist soon. This situation is really similar to a while ago when I used to get food stuck in my throat. I sat there for almost an hour scrolling and reading, seeing so many people with similar symptoms but no answers. When I ate something, it would randomly feel like a lump near my spine inside of my ribs, or sometimes in my lower throat. Went to a doctor and all of a sudden I was diagnosed with Eospinophilic Esophagitis. Luckily, now if someone looks that up GERD won't be the only thing suggested to them. If you haven't gone to a doctor yet, you should. Since the thing I think is causing my problems is histamines, a visit to the dermatologist and/or allergist/immunologist seems like a good idea to me. I know this sounds stupid but I know a few friends who were in a similar situation and were finally diagnosed when they went to the doctor. I know some people are scared of doctors, but they should at least be more than a last resort. Hoping I get lucky again and there is some unheard of but common condition that makes me allergic to sweat or something, and hoping I can treat it to. I'm going to start Vitamin D supplements tomorrow, too. Sorry if I wasted your time with this rant, and I wish you well on your needle-sweat journey.

TL;DR: Go to a doctor

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Good evening @krishpatel02 and welcome to Connect. Your situation sounds challenging. It also sounds pretty similar to what I have been dealing with for the last couple of years. I call it "neuropathic itch". And it did me in. My dermatologist tried everything. And whenever I had a flare, she was quite responsive and helpful. Just so you know how serious this was, I ended up in ER several times. Topicals don't work. Finally, she had enough "itch history" to recommend me for Dupixent. The difference between the naturopathic itch and other contact itch situations is that the itching begins inside the body.

Dupixent is a biologic medication. It is self-injected once every two weeks. My first injection was in August of 2022. Since that day, I have never had an itch flare. You can find more information at http://www.dupixent.com.

This was a huge life changer for me. Perhaps it might be an option for you.
May you be safe, protected and free from inner and outer harm.
Chris

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@albiet

@martinsmckinney I am so glad you mentioned this. I don’t notice if I have started sweating but I get pins and needles many times after a few minutes of exercise. It gets discouraging and I usually slow down until they go away. I think it’s something we just need to put up with

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I have more of a stinging throughout my body and I only sweat occasionally? Do you ever feel like you just sting? I was diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy after a skin punch biopsy in 2014. The pain varies daily but is contstantly somewhere? Do you take anything that has helped with your pins and needles and/or pain? My neuropathy docs believe was caused by a virus or something. It is considered idiopathic.

Thanks
Sharon

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@artscaping

Good evening @krishpatel02 and welcome to Connect. Your situation sounds challenging. It also sounds pretty similar to what I have been dealing with for the last couple of years. I call it "neuropathic itch". And it did me in. My dermatologist tried everything. And whenever I had a flare, she was quite responsive and helpful. Just so you know how serious this was, I ended up in ER several times. Topicals don't work. Finally, she had enough "itch history" to recommend me for Dupixent. The difference between the naturopathic itch and other contact itch situations is that the itching begins inside the body.

Dupixent is a biologic medication. It is self-injected once every two weeks. My first injection was in August of 2022. Since that day, I have never had an itch flare. You can find more information at http://www.dupixent.com.

This was a huge life changer for me. Perhaps it might be an option for you.
May you be safe, protected and free from inner and outer harm.
Chris

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Thank you so much, I will bring this up. Mine is not serious enough that I have to be in the ER, I just go back inside/stop exercising. I’m glad you found something that worked for you

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I commonly feel a pins and needles sensation when I begin to sweat. This happens daily and generally subsides within 15 to 20 minutes, depending on temperature. It also occurs when a stress response is triggered--seems to coincide with initial sweating. I don't sweat a lot. It's almost as if the sweat has little knives and it's carving its way out of me. This sensation has only presented post COVID. Is there a correlation? More importantly, is there a way to alleviate or stop this phenomena?

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