Published on: 4/28/2025
Feeling needle pricks in your body can be caused by nerve irritation or nerve damage, such as intercostal neuralgia or peripheral neuropathy. Paying attention to when and where the sensations occur can help a doctor find the right treatment for you.
Sometimes, you may feel sharp, point-like pains or “needle pricks” in your body. This happens because the nerves, which send signals from different body parts to your brain, might be irritated or slightly damaged. One possible reason is intercostal neuralgia, which is pain along the nerves between your ribs, making your back or chest feel sharp discomfort. Another possibility is peripheral neuropathy, a condition where the nerves in your arms or legs are hurt by things like high blood sugar or other causes. Some people may also feel these sharp sensations when their brain pays extra attention to pain, like when watching something that reminds them of a needle prick. If these sensations persist or hurt a lot, keeping a record of when and where they happen can help you discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider. They can do tests to understand why you feel this way and then suggest treatments like medicines, physical therapy, or other ways to help relieve your pain and make you feel better.
(References)
Fazekas D, Doroshenko M, Horn DB. Intercostal Neuralgia. [Updated 2023 Aug 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Marchettini P, Lacerenza M, Mauri E, Marangoni C. Painful peripheral neuropathies. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2006 Jul;4(3):175-81. doi: 10.2174/157015906778019536. PMID: 18615140; PMCID: PMC2430688.
Höfle M, Hauck M, Engel AK, Senkowski D. Viewing a needle pricking a hand that you perceive as yours enhances unpleasantness of pain. Pain. 2012 May;153(5):1074-1081. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2012.02.010. PMID: 22520059.
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