Are there any long term effects of getting 'pins and needles' too often?

I sit on the bus to work every day for half an hour each way. By the the end of each bus ride I have usually developed pins and needles in one, the other or sometimes both legs!
This is purely symptomatic of the bus seats being too small and uncomfortable and I am pretty sure I have no underlying chronic nerve disease, but giving myself pins and needles every day, twice a day cannot be a good thing. I wonder whether it is at all damaging to the nerves and muscles in my legs, over a sustained period of time to put them through this physiological strain? - Will my legs fall off in ten years time?

Pins and needles are often mistaken as a circulatory problem but is generally not. When you hit your "funny bone" that is a similar feeling and that is a nerve you have hit. Sitting in one position like on a toilet bowl is a common time to get leg numbness. This generally occurs because of pressure on the sciatic nerve in the buttock. There is are less likely alternatives and some people do have conditions that predispose them to getting compression neuropathy.

Your legs won't fall off from chronic compression neuropathy but you do run the risk of it become persistent, ie, one day the pins and needles may not go away. Get a cushion and don't cross your legs.

I would seriously go see your doctor - pins and needles are a sign of bad circulation!!! you shouldnt get it from just sitting on a bus!!

sounds like poor circulation is the answer.....you need to get up and walk a bit and keep the circulation moving.....also tell your doctor as it might be a signal of something going on in your cirrculatory system.

Check out WEBMD.com for a bunch of info on the subject. Hope this helps !

I wouldn't have thought so, but it isn't very pleasant for you. If you have room in the space you are sitting, try wiggling your toes and lift your knees slightly off the floor, this should help. You need to try and keep your circulation going, so you need to try and move your legs just a little as often as you can.

Dunno about long term effects, but it sounds as though you are suffering from poor circulation. Consult your GP instead of the quacks on Y!A.

When sitting, especially if you are a thin person with little cushioning fat,you constrict the blood vessels in the legs and the Pins an Needles feeling is the body warning you that there is a blood supply problem. As long as is goes when you stand then you should suffer no long term effect.

Sitting for long periods will generate the lack of circulation in your legs. this is of no long term damage. I have it continually in two of my fingers and the doctor told me it was due to a nerve in my elbow. It is not harmful but a bit of a nuicence as the tingling can be annoying at times.

Half an hour on a bus does not seem too long...most of us sit there even longer..so I would say perhaps you may have an underlying cause.

When u r on the bus next time...try sitting upright....no leg crossing and see if this resolves.

Pins and needles are usually due to pressure on the nerves that run behind our legs....these nerves are connected to our spine so if it is a postural problem the above may help.

But then if you are getting pins and needles still it may be that the seat is compressing the nerves and blood vessels that run down the back of your legs......if this continues then I would be a little afraid of developing long haul flight syndrome....where you develop small blood clots in your legs....these can then break off and travel through your body to block off a major blood vessel in you lungs or even heart.

If you can quite honestly say that it is postural..then resolve the posture....if your legs ever feel hot and sore then go to the Doctors.

Some people actually suffer with thick blood...they are pre-disposed to Long Haul syndrome....they suffer no other symptoms until it is usually too late.

A simple blood test at the GP can rule this out.

Any repetitive ill effect of an action will cause further problems.

Listen to your body...if it complains get it checked out....that's what your GP is for.

i think you should get them checked out to be sure there is no underlying problem. it may just be a simple trapped nerve. Try wrigling your toes on the bus if there's not enough room to do little foot exercises. This will help prevent loss of sensation. Do get them checked though. I don't think you risk any longterm effects unless there is underlying disease.