Many of us are familiar with that tingly sensation we get on our palms in cold weather. Or that rush of pins and needles in our legs and feet that makes us stagger ever so slightly when we abruptly stand up after sitting in an awkward position.

Usually, we dismiss them as random natural body phenomena. And that’s what they are most of the time. But what if these sensations happen, persist, or worsen with no apparent reason?

You may have developed a condition called peripheral neuropathy (PN), a nerve disease that impairs sensation and movement, and whose symptoms include numbness, prickling, and stabbing or burning pain—mostly in the hands or feet.