4 reasons for tingling or numbness in the arms and legs

There are lots of reasons for numbness or tingling in the limbs. Constant or recurrent symptoms point to a potentially serious cause. One possibility is peripheral neuropathy, which damages nerves throughout the body. Another is peripheral artery disease—a narrowing of the arteries in the limbs that reduces blood flow. Another is nerve compression, which might be caused by sciatica (irritation of the sciatic nerve in the legs) or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). When numbness or tingling persists, one should report the symptoms to a doctor right away.