If you’re anything like me, you’ll be no stranger to occasionally waking up with a tingling sensation in your arms, hands, or fingers.You’ll likely know what I’m talking about; when your muscles appear to have gone to sleep and it takes a minute or so before you’ve fully regained any sense of feeling.But what does this strange sensation actually denote? Referred to by many as “pins and needles”, it can be experienced as numbness, tingling, or even burning in one’s hands, feet, legs, or other body parts.According to the  it’s proper name is paresthesia, and is characterized not by a feeling of pain, but rather a discomfort that can appear without warning (that is to say not just after you’ve woken up).

If you’ve been sleeping, or indeed remained in the same position for too long a period of time, you’ll have certainly experienced the “pins and needles” I mentioned earlier. This is actually called transient paresthesia, and mostly occurs as a result of sustained pressure being exerted on a nerve.That said, it can also be caused by other conditions, including a nerve injury or herniated disc, amongst other things.It’s hardly a surprise that the majority of people aren’t too keen on experiencing paresthesia. Though, as stated, it’s not commonly associated with any great amount of pain, it is uncomfortable, and sensitivity is often higher in the affected limb.To restore normalcy to the limb, one must get blood circulating once more to the affected nerve. Stretching or massaging the limb can help with this, hastening relief.