A tingling, painful sensation in the left arm is often seen as a sign of a heart attack. While that might be the case sometimes, it’s not always that serious. Also known as paresthesia, left arm tingling happens when something restricts the blood flow or compromises the nerves. Many factors can cause this, including strenuous exercises, muscle spasms, and fatigue. During paresthesia, you may feel many pins and needles in your left arm. Soon the arm pain turns into numbness.