Motionless. What to do if your limbs are numb? | Healthy Life

How does numbness in the legs manifest?

Numbness of the legs is a change in sensitivity in the lower extremities, accompanied by:

burning; tingling; "goosebumps"; partial or complete decrease in sensitivity.

How numb your legs are depends on each specific case.

This manifests itself differently in different people:

one may temporarily lose sensitivity and the ability to control the limbs (or only one, for example, if only the right leg is numb), another will not lose the ability to walk, but at the same time he will be haunted by extremely unpleasant sensations, and the third may only feel minor discomfort below knee

Neck muscle stretching exercise “Crane neck”

Starting position: standing.

Pull your head forward.

The face is parallel to the wall.

We move our head forward, while maintaining a vertical position.

We tilt our face.

Straighten the neck from its base. The movement of the head should resemble the movement of a wave or a whip.

Slowly and smoothly return to the starting position.

Article on the topic

Stress hits your back. How our emotions affect the spine

Causes of numbness of the lower extremities not related to diseases

Sitting for long periods of time in an awkward position

You probably already noticed as a child that when you sit for a long time while playing something extremely interesting on your knees or with your legs tucked in, you literally cannot straighten your stiff limbs.

And, on the contrary, fitness instructors know that after performing stretching exercises, during which you have to sit for a long time with your legs turned out and extended as far as possible, you need to very carefully bring these same legs together: first, bend and move the right leg with the help of your arms, then and the left leg.

If you do not take these precautions, you are likely to experience numbness in your legs. The reasons for this phenomenon are that blood circulation is impaired in legs that are bent or stretched for a long time while sitting.

Sleeping in an awkward position

In this case, processes similar to uncomfortable sitting occur. Lying for a long time at night in the same position, non-physiologically bent limbs, “squeezing” some parts of the body by others also provoke poor circulation, which becomes the cause of numbness in the legs during sleep.

Tight shoes

Very tight boots can squeeze your legs below the knees so tightly that you feel your lower limbs go numb. If the tops are too tight, the calves and ankles usually go numb; if the shoes don’t fit, the feet will go numb. This will continue until you get rid of the uncomfortable pair of shoes or boots, or until they wear out.

However, enduring unpleasant sensations while waiting for the latter is very risky, since wearing tight shoes, in addition to numbness, can lead to:

Sedentary work with lack of physical activity

During medical examinations or during medical examination, the doctor will definitely ask you: “Is the work sedentary?” This question is not accidental, because sedentary work entails a whole bunch of negative consequences for your body.

One of the bright flowers of this bouquet is numbness in the legs. The reasons are the same - poor circulation plus prolonged excessive relaxation of some muscles of the lower extremities and overstrain of others.

Driving for a long time

The situation is the same as with sedentary work in the office. It doesn’t matter whether you are a professional driver (and long-term driving is your sedentary job), or just an amateur motorist - the result is the same: when you sit in one place for a long time, blood circulation and sensitivity of the limbs are impaired.

This means that spending a long time behind the wheel can also cause numbness in the legs, both below the knees and above.

Pregnancy

A growing belly, and with it an increasing load on the spine and legs, increases the likelihood of numbness in the lower extremities. Even if a woman did not have problems with the spine before pregnancy, increased body weight can pinch the nerves in the vertebrae or simply compress the nerve endings.

And if there was osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia, then, most likely, the unpleasant symptoms will worsen.

Condition after epidural anesthesia

Temporary leg atrophy is a side effect of epidural anesthesia, which is often used for caesarean sections and operations on the lower half of the body. After its action ceases, mobility and sensitivity in the lower extremities are restored.

Numbness: limbs, fingers go numb; numb hand, leg

Causes of numbness

Numbness is a sensation that typically occurs in certain areas of the skin. The most common accompaniments of numbness are tingling, chilliness, burning and tightening. Such symptoms, for the most part, turn out to be signs of such diseases:

migraine; osteochondrosis; the presence of intervertebral hernias; poor circulation in the arm or leg area; diabetes; are signs of deficiency of vitamins, microelements and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages; transient ischemic attacks, which involve one arm or leg, one or another part of the body, or maybe all limbs; compression of the nerve in the narrow areas where it passes, in the areas of the wrist, elbow, groin, ankles, tunnel syndromes are formed; nerve damage as a result of joint deformation. These are rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases; multiple sclerosis; some hereditary diseases that are associated with nerve damage.

People who experience attacks of numbness often wonder what to do: see a doctor or wait until the symptoms go away on their own. In fact, if attacks of numbness occur quite often, it is imperative to see a doctor. Moreover, if, in addition to numbness, there is pain, awkwardness, weakness, or loss of sensitivity, and also if, with numbness, there is a lack of coordination of movements. In addition, a visit to a neurologist is mandatory if you cannot distinguish cold water from warm water. Numbness of the limbs (numbness of the limbs)

Numbness of the limbs is a very unpleasant sensation that occurs when a nerve is pressed for a short time, when a person assumes an uncomfortable position for a while. When you change position, the numbness goes away within a few minutes. But if changing posture does not help get rid of this feeling, and it occurs quite often, this should be taken as a signal that you should consult a doctor. Numbness

Numbness in the extremities may indicate the presence of arterial vascular disease (most often in the legs). This disease can cause inflammation of the inner lining of blood vessels, the formation of obstruction in the arteries (Raynaud's disease, atherosclerosis obliterans, stroke), and blood clotting disorders. This may result in partial gangrene of the limb. Numbness of the limbs can occur due to nerve injury, which is caused by diseases such as tunnel neuropathy, osteochondrosis, carpal tunnel syndrome.

Numbness of the hands is a very common disease. Its cause is compression of the nerves supplying blood to the median nerve. If this disease is not treated in a timely manner, its consequences can be very negative. First, the disease manifests itself in numbness of the fingers, then the palms, arms, over time, it can turn into pain that occurs at night, then it can appear in the morning. Later, the pain appears during the day, and especially intensifies when you raise your arms up.

Numbness of the limbs may be due to the following reasons:

Uncomfortable posture when lying and sitting. In such situations, after numbness, a tingling sensation occurs, which goes away when you change position; pinched nerve caused by spinal problems, for example, osteochondrosis; due to carpal tunnel syndrome. In this case, the first, second and third fingers of the hand usually go numb, as compression occurs on the middle nerve passing in the area of the hand. Often the cause of the disease is prolonged use of a computer mouse. First, the fingers become numb, followed by a tingling sensation that turns into severe pain; lack of vitamin B12 in the body. This vitamin is included in the metabolic processes of nerve fibers and its low content in the body causes not only fatigue and general weakness, but also leads to impaired sensitivity, heart rhythm disturbances and irritability; Raynaud's disease. This disease manifests itself as paroxysmal circulatory disorders of the arteries, which most often appear in the area of the feet and hands. The occurrence of the disease can be caused by stress, hereditary factors (consisting of structural features of the nervous system), intoxication (nicotine and alcohol). Young women who have suffered from hypothermia, infectious diseases, overwork or prolonged exposure to sunlight are most susceptible to this disease. In addition, young women who work a lot with the computer, as well as pianists, are at risk. With Raynaud's disease, not only numbness is felt, but also rapid freezing, as well as the acquisition of a blue tint to the fingers in the cold and during excitement. Most often, the disease affects the second, third and fourth fingers and toes. If such symptoms are not given proper attention and are not treated, the disease can also affect other organs (chin, ears, nose). The arms are affected first, and later the legs; obliterating endarteritis. This disease affects arterial vessels (most often the lower extremities). Due to significant vasoconstriction, blood circulation is disrupted, accompanied by a feeling of numbness, as well as cooling of the extremities. A progressive disease leads to complete blockage of blood vessels, resulting in gangrene; neuropathy. This disease affects the nerves. It is caused by metabolic disorders or intoxication. Symptoms characteristic of this disease are: itching, tingling, burning, tightening sensations in the toes and hands, and on the protruding parts of the foot. Patients often describe their sensations as “numbness.” There is a manifestation of spontaneous pain. Neuropathy is also characteristic of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, and so on; ischemic stroke of the vertebral and inferior cerebellar arteries. Often numbness of the limbs accompanies this disease; There are cases when numbness of the limbs occurs due to hyperventilation, accompanied by rapid and shallow breathing in a state of anxiety or fear.

Numbness of the limbs is a symptom caused by bending of nerve bundles or blood vessels, uncomfortable body position, impaired blood circulation, or more dangerous diseases that were described above. Numbness is a change in the sensory function of the limbs, often accompanied by painful sensations and tingling sensations.

The consequences of numbness of the extremities can vary significantly: from blood circulation disorders and up to gangrene of the extremities (partial). These consequences depend on what caused the numbness. However, regardless of the reasons, if numbness occurs frequently, this means that the functioning of blood circulation and blood vessels in the extremities is impaired. This means that there is a risk of dangerous diseases and you should consult a doctor in order to diagnose the disease in time and prevent its development. Numbness of hands (hands go numb)

The most common reason for numbness in the hands is considered to be compression of the neurovascular bundle by connective tissue, as well as muscles. This bundle provides nutrition and innervation to the muscles. There are seven places where compression can occur. After conducting a diagnosis, the doctor can identify the affected area and eliminate compression of the vessel or nerve. In cases where numbness of the limbs is associated with disorders in the functions of the spine, the doctor will also determine the location of the lesion and take action to eliminate it.

Numbness of the fingers (numbness in the fingers)

Numbness of the fingers, or carpal tunnel syndrome, was not common until the 1980s and was almost unheard of. However, from that time on, the number of people using computers began to increase rapidly. Daily use of a computer keyboard is a significant risk factor for developing this syndrome. But not only people associated with computers are at risk for this disease; it also includes carpenters, painters, seamstresses, that is, those people who have to make the same type of hand movements every day. In practice, carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when, after straining, the tendons swell, thereby compressing the nerve responsible for sensation in the palm, middle, index and thumb. The nerve and tendons pass through the same fairly narrow canal. This compression of the nerve due to swelling of the tendon leads to tingling, numbness, and throbbing pain localized in the fingers. Pain and other symptoms of this syndrome are often felt more strongly at night or in the morning. Lack of timely treatment can cause death of the muscle responsible for the movement of the thumb. As a result, a person will not be able to bend his thumb, as well as clench his hand into a fist. A large number of people, in such a situation, have to change their profession. Statistics show that women are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. The most common age at which the disease occurs is 40-60 years. Numbness of the legs (feet go numb)

Numbness in the legs is a very common symptom in people of working age. This manifestation of the disease causes a large number of inconveniences and concerns. In this case, the concern is not unfounded, since impaired nervous sensitivity is a sign of a serious illness. According to statistics, 90 percent of leg numbness is caused by problems with the spine: intervertebral hernias, osteochondrosis, and so on.

The spine is responsible for many functions in our body. The normal functioning of the legs and arms is also the responsibility of the spine. Pain in the legs may occur as a result of changes in the lumbar spine. The frequency and nature of numbness may vary, depending on the reasons for which they arose.

Intervertebral hernias can compress the nerve roots, thereby causing a reflex spasm of the tissues, as a result, patients have numb legs, a feeling of “cottonness”, pain, a feeling of “crawling goosebumps”, prolonged standing, sitting, tilting the head, coughing, and so on lead to increased pain. Less commonly, the occurrence of numbness is caused by osteochondrosis or other systemic diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus).

Osteochondrosis is a disease that progresses over a long period of time and can be accompanied by various clinical manifestations. To determine the causes of numbness in the legs, additional examinations often need to be performed. In order to clarify the diagnosis, an X-ray of the spine, namely its lumbar region, is used, MRI and ultrasound are used.

In order to establish the cause of numbness in the legs, additional research methods are often required. To clarify the diagnosis, MRI, X-ray of the lumbar spine, and ultrasound are used.

Usually, before numbness in the legs occurs, the patient experiences other symptoms of diseases associated with the spine, such symptoms can appear as early as the age of twenty and be in the nature of chronic lower back pain. If medical care is not provided on time, the disease will continue to progress, despite the fact that the pain goes away over time, leaving behind a feeling of stiffness in the spine, and then various pains in the legs appear.

If the cause of numbness turns out to be radiculitis, hernia, osteochondrosis (in 95% of cases), then timely assistance from a specialist who can find out the causes of the disease, as well as take all measures to prevent its development, is very important. Our clinic offers highly accurate diagnosis of diseases, as well as their effective treatment.

Numbness of the toes (numb toes)

There are many reasons that cause numbness in the toes. For example, various metabolic disorders, such as radiculoneuritis, can lead to numbness in the legs. Similar reasons also include spinal osteochondrosis, accompanied by narrowing of the intervertebral spaces, vascular disorders, spinal tuberculosis, and sometimes the development of cancer.

Oncological diseases lead to numbness of the fingers due to the growth of a tumor outside or inside the spinal cord, creating pressure, which in turn causes numbness. This process does not carry the danger that a person will not be able to walk. However, if the numbness is caused by the development of a tumor in the legs, then the risk that the person will quickly develop disability is very high.

If numbness is caused by osteochondrosis, loss of the ability to walk can occur quite quickly or develop slowly - it all depends on the degree of damage to the spine.

Obviously, if you experience numbness in your legs, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor must conduct all the necessary examinations and, only after that, make a diagnosis. It is impossible to make a diagnosis based solely on the patient’s complaints.

It is impossible to delay contacting a specialist, since it is a well-known fact that the earlier treatment is started, the more effective and faster it will be.

Typical complaints of patients with numbness of the extremities

I woke up this morning with strange sensations, as if my heel was numb. I went to work, and by lunchtime the numbness had risen to my knees, on both legs. In the evening we went to the hospital, by this time even my stomach was numb; numbness and pain only in the ring toes; there was an attack of severe pain. By evening, my left leg was numb from the knee to the foot on the left side. a feeling of numbness in the legs from the knees to the scrotum; The fingers on the hands go numb, more often on the right: the little finger and the ring finger, and if you don’t notice right away, then the lower part of the palm to the wrist goes numb, but quickly goes away if you straighten your hand. This happens only when I sleep and more often when the elbow is bent. But lately I have been feeling a chill at the bottom of my palm during the day; first, the upper surface of the big toe became numb, within 2 weeks, followed by the lower surface of the big toe on the other foot; My right leg hurts from the buttock to the heel, there is partial numbness. Cutting pain. For some reason the pain gets worse when I lie down; My little finger and ring finger on my left hand are numb and it won’t go away; immediately after sleep, in the area of the big toe of the left foot, a feeling as if it had been lying down arose and persists to this day, i.e., sensitivity and a slight tingling sensation were reduced; the soles of the feet become numb, but not over the entire surface, and the outer edges are closer to the toes; partial numbness of the left side of the left thigh, lasts three weeks with slight improvement; I have osteochondrosis. Often the fingers on the hands (in particular the middle and ring fingers) go numb at night; Part of the foot on my left leg, the fingers on my left hand and my cheek began to go numb. But they don’t go numb all the time—you lie down, it goes away, then again; The right side of my foot was numb. At first I thought that I was just sitting on my leg, at least that’s how it felt. There are no painful sensations, and, in general, there are none, only when I run my hand along my leg - it feels like the inside of the foot is frozen; Over the weekend, I took part in a competition for the first time, where the main load was on my arms. After this, for the second day the fingers became a little numb and tingling. Maybe I pressed a nerve ending somewhere or overstrained it; about 2 weeks ago I developed numbness in my toes, the process is progressing, now my entire big toe on my right foot is numb. There is also a feeling of tingling, goosebumps, sometimes a burning sensation, often a iciness - this is exactly the feeling, although when you touch the feet are warm. Now the thumb began to ache slightly when touched; For about two weeks now I have begun to notice numbness in the skin on my left leg in the thigh area. Running my hand over my left and right legs I just can’t calm down, the difference is obvious; There was pain in the right knee (it hurts to bend) and numbness of the skin around the knee on the outside. There is no sensitivity; About a year ago, numbness appeared on the thigh near the knee. Now the numbness has quadrupled. There was not severe, but constant pain + sharp pain when walking; a couple of weeks ago, after a long car ride, a constant feeling of numbness in the heel appeared and still does not go away, which spreads to the entire foot; a feeling of tingling or “pins and needles”, numbness in the limb, and these sensations can begin from the buttock or behind the knee and continue to the foot; hands go numb. At the same time, in most cases the same, regardless of body position. The cramps happen at night, the cramp reduces the arm to the elbow, after 5 minutes everything goes away; my hands are going numb, it started about 2 weeks ago, at first there was a tingling sensation in my hands as if I was “resting”, and very rarely once a week, but then they began to go numb to the point of loss of sensitivity, yesterday it started in the evening, I fell asleep, and In the morning and afternoon everything continued; partial numbness of the soles (a feeling like when you sit on your leg), numbness in the calves and thighs of both legs, although I can still walk on my own... Numbness in the lower parts of the buttocks, pubis and at the base of the penis.

Diseases that cause numbness in the legs

Osteochondrosis. This is the primary and most common cause of numbness in the lower extremities. The disease causes pinched nerves in the spine, which can reduce sensation, including in the feet, calves and legs above the knee. Intervertebral hernia. In addition to paresthesia of the limbs (usually only the right or only the left leg begins to go numb), a herniated disc can cause back pain and dizziness. Multiple sclerosis. This disease leads to damage to several parts of the nervous system at the same time, which causes various neurological symptoms, including decreased sensitivity in the legs. Raynaud's disease. It is characterized by impaired blood microcirculation in the toes and hands. The fingers on the extremities become numb and pale, and may subsequently change color. Rheumatoid arthritis. An inflammatory process in the joints that causes compression of the nerves, which in turn leads to numbness of the limbs.

Why do my arms and legs regularly go numb?

Peripheral neuropathy

This is a disorder that affects peripheral nerves, that is, nerves distant from the spinal cord and brain, located in the arms and/or legs. This failure often occurs with age. According to American experts, peripheral neuropathy affects up to 20 million US residents, most of whom are elderly.

Incipient type 2 diabetes

Often numbness and tingling in the extremities is one of the first symptoms of developing diabetes (the so-called diabetic neuropathy What Is Diabetic Neuropathy?). In most cases, this affects the legs, not the hands. But options are possible.

Lack of vitamins

Vitamins E, B1, B6, B12, and P are essential for the healthy functioning of the nervous system Causes of Tingling in Hands and Feet. For example, B12 deficiency can be one of the reasons for the development of peripheral neuropathy. However, excess vitamin B6 can also cause tingling in the arms and legs.

Love for alcohol

Alcohol abusers often suffer from vitamin deficiencies caused by an unbalanced diet. In addition, drinking itself can cause damage to peripheral nerves - so-called alcoholic neuropathy.

Certain infections

Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet can be symptoms of diseases such as Lyme disease, chicken pox, herpes simplex, shingles or Epstein-Barr virus, as well as HIV or AIDS.

Toxin poisoning

As a rule, we are talking about poisoning with salts of heavy metals - lead, arsenic, mercury, thallium, as well as some industrial chemicals.

However, sometimes the body can react with numbness in the arms and legs to a number of medications. Chemotherapy drugs (for example, those used for lung cancer), as well as some antiviral drugs and antibiotics, cause loss of sensation in the limbs.

Autoimmune diseases

For example, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Hereditary disorders

Some people have genetically determined damage to nerve tissue (for example, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease), one of the symptoms of which is regular numbness and tingling in the hands, feet and legs.

Consequences of injury or excessive physical activity

Sometimes, when injuries occur, pinching, compression, or other damage to nerve endings occurs, which is not immediately diagnosed. This could be, for example, nerve compression caused by a herniated disc or bone dislocation.

Smoking

Nicotine limits the blood supply to the vessels supplying the peripheral nerves.

In what cases is it necessary to consult a doctor?

What to do if your leg or both legs go numb? The best solution is to see a doctor, especially if the numbness does not go away within a day or is accompanied by dizziness, back or joint pain, or if you are pregnant.

Remember, in these situations, only a doctor should look for answers to the questions of why your legs go numb and what to do in this case! Losing time and trying to self-medicate diseases with similar symptoms can aggravate their course, and even lead to disability.

What to do if your arms and legs go numb

You already understand: if numbness and tingling becomes regular, this is a reason to visit a doctor. The therapist will conduct an examination, ask you questions about your lifestyle, social habits (for example, he will probably be interested in your Friday meetings with friends over a bottle or two), place and working conditions, and the health of close relatives.

Based on the results, the doctor will most likely prescribe tests, which may include:

Blood tests. They will help identify possible diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, signs of abnormal immune system activity, liver dysfunction, kidney dysfunction, or other metabolic problems.
Electromyogram (EMG). This is a test for electrical muscle activity.
Cerebrospinal fluid studies. They will help identify antibodies associated with peripheral neuropathy.

Depending on what the studies show, the doctor will prescribe treatment for you.

The good news is that in many cases medications will not be needed. To get rid of numbness, it will be enough to adjust your lifestyle: reduce the amount of sugar consumed, take vitamin supplements, start eating right, give up bad habits, add a little physical activity and lose excess weight (if any).

Prevention of numbness of the lower extremities

Choosing comfortable shoes

If, as a result of a visit to the doctor, it turns out that you do not have diseases that can cause numbness in the lower extremities, you should start choosing comfortable shoes that suit you in terms of the fullness and width of the boot, as well as a sleeping mattress and pillow (if the problem occurs at night, during sleep).

Physical activity

If you have a sedentary job, it is imperative to increase physical activity during the day to prevent paresthesia of the limbs. Make it a rule to take breaks during work, during which you do simple exercises, sign up for a gym or a swimming pool.

Foot massage

Additionally, massage will help improve blood circulation in the legs. If funds allow, make an appointment with a massage therapist; if not, regularly massage your feet, calves and thighs at home yourself or entrust it to someone at home.

Regular massage, moderate physical activity and comfortable shoes will ease the position of your long-suffering legs, and they will stop going numb.

Numbness in the legs is not such a harmless problem as it might seem at first glance. It cannot always be eliminated at home. Next, we will look at the most common causes of numbness, as well as treatment options.

Folk remedies

Numbness of the extremities can also be treated using traditional medicine. It is recommended to use honey, milk and sea salt. To prepare the medicinal composition, you need to mix 1 liter of milk with 50-100 g of honey and 0.5 kg of sea salt. Stir the mixture and heat over low heat to 60 degrees. Then add 1 liter of water at the same temperature to the resulting solution. Pour the entire mixture into a bowl with an enamel surface.

Then carry out the procedure of washing your hands and feet for 10 minutes. Course – 10-15 procedures. The following condition must be met: after warming up, there is no need to overcool.

Causes and symptoms

Numbness of the legs is an unpleasant sensation accompanied by burning, tingling, partial or complete loss of sensation. This phenomenon as a medical pathology is also called paresthesia. Paresthesia of the legs is not an independent disease

, but only one of the signs of one or another deviation in the functioning of the body.
It can be both a direct and hidden sign of diseases and pathologies. The most common of them: In 75% of cases, paresthesia of the legs is recorded in patients with osteochondrosis. The fact is that this disease provokes compression of the nerves, and this, in turn, leads to pinched vessels in the spine. Osteochondrosis develops due to decreased physical activity and can occur in people of different age categories. Intervertebral hernia
is another cause of leg paresthesia.
It also causes sharp pain in the spine and dizziness. Atherosclerosis.
The disease is an unnatural change in blood vessels, their narrowing, as well as slow blood circulation.
May cause weakness, increased fatigue, and pain in the limbs. Develops due to bad habits, unhealthy diet, excess weight or excess cholesterol in the body. Rheumatoid arthritis.
This is an inflammatory process in deformed joints, which causes the nerves to be compressed and anemia occurs.
Various infectious diseases, as well as genetic factors, can contribute to the occurrence of this disease. Neuropathy.
Dysfunction of nerve endings.
The patient experiences unpleasant sensations, tingling, burning, and the legs may become numb. The causes of this phenomenon are diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis. The simplest and most common reason for numb legs is lack of physical activity
. If your legs are in one position for a long time, you risk earning yourself not only paresthesia, but also various diseases. For example, osteochondrosis. It is recommended to do gymnastics after every 60 minutes of static work, maintain posture and not cross your legs - as a preventive measure.

Symptoms

Numbness in the limbs can cause different sensations in different parts of the arms, legs, or throughout the entire limb. Numbness in the extremities may include:

burning sensation. Burning is a type of pain often associated with nerve pathology. However, there are other possible causes of burning, such as injury, infection and autoimmune diseases;
loss of sensation;
allodynia. Allodynia is pain due to stimuli that would not normally cause it. Allodynia is a rare symptom that can be caused by certain nerve pathologies. If you suffer from allodynia, you may experience pain when exposed to stimuli that would not normally cause pain. For example, lightly touching your skin or combing your hair may feel painful. In order to alleviate the symptoms of allodynia, your doctor must identify its cause;
unusual sensations such as tingling.

Numbness is typically assessed using several characteristics. At your first consultation, your doctor will likely want to know what is causing your numbness, when the numbness started and how it progresses, and where exactly the numbness is felt.

The leg goes numb from the hip to the foot

A completely numb leg can interfere with normal walking and also indicate various types of diseases. This alarm bell cannot be ignored. This phenomenon may be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, and the legs feel as if they are “woolly.” Sensitivity decreases noticeably or disappears completely.

A common reason is uncomfortable posture. The nerves are compressed and paresthesia occurs. Walking in heels for a long time can also contribute to paresthesia - it is completely unnatural for the feet. If this is certainly not the reason, numbness occurs frequently or even constantly, then the problem may be related to the spine.

By the way, if you don't have enough vitamin B12 in your body, numbness is the best reason to start taking it.

Numbness of part of the face

Numbness of the face is often associated with diseases of blood vessels and nerves. The characteristic symptomatic signs of facial numbness indicate that the central nervous system is affected.

If the face goes numb on only one side, then neuralgia is likely to develop. Characterized by severe pain and bright twitching of the facial muscles.

If you experience a red, numb face and a rash, you may have shingles. In addition to these signs, bubbles with liquid may occur. Among the accompanying symptoms: body temperature drops, appetite decreases and general weakness appears.

Why do my feet go numb?

One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is uncomfortable shoes. Not loose, oppressive, not the right size. The best recommendation here is careful selection of shoes. Choose exactly your size, as well as fullness and material. Shoes should not irritate the skin or strain the foot. Your feet may become numb if you drive a car or bicycle for a long time. Therefore, be sure to control the load on your legs and let them rest.

Numb feet may indicate the following diseases:

Spondylosis

- a disease that is associated with vertebral dysfunction, as well as numbness of the feet.
When the disease occurs, small protrusions or bumps may appear on the bone tissue, which can deform the blood vessels or disrupt their normal functioning. Tumor in the brain area.
Additional symptoms are pain, impaired activity of the vestibular apparatus.
If, in addition to numbness, you notice that your limbs are insensitive to cold and hot water (it is impossible to distinguish), rush to the doctor. This is a very bad symptom. Raynaud's disease.
It is accompanied by a temporary disruption of blood supply to the vessels. Another sign of the disease is a permanent feeling in which the leg is cold. Also, the lower limb may acquire a bluish tint when exposed to low temperatures or in stressful situations. Numbness can be observed not only in the feet, but also in the hands.

Which doctor should I contact if a symptom appears?

If numbness in the hand occurs regularly or for a long time, the help of a specialist is required.

Doctors can help determine the cause of loss of sensitivity after examination:

Cardiologist;
Therapist;
Neurologist.

This is due to the possibility of numbness of the hand occurring due to the development of diseases in the area of their specialization.

If there is no specific suspicion of the cause of the symptom, you need to contact your local physician, who will prescribe general procedures. This is required to identify the area where the pathology occurs and refer you to the right specialist.

Based on the results of the examinations, it may be necessary to contact such doctors as:

Orthopedist;
Surgeon;
Rehabilitologist;
Osteopath.

↑

My leg goes numb from the knee to the foot

In this case, there are differences between which leg is numb - the left or the right. Both cases include osteochondrosis, arthritis and other diseases listed above.

The right leg may become numb due to damage to the right sciatic nerve after a herniated disc. In this case, the pain may intensify when sitting for a long time or walking quickly. In addition, lower leg pain may bother you at night. If you stretch your leg forward with this pathology, cramps will appear. The left leg, in turn, may become numb from damage to the spinal disc. In this case, pain can alternately occur in both legs.

The heel of the left foot is numb

The main cause in this case is plantar fasciitis. It may also be accompanied by painful sensations in the heel, tingling, and discomfort. Only an orthopedist can help solve this problem. The most effective method of getting rid of paresthesia in this case is the use of special orthopedic insoles.

Additional causes of numbness are stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, and depression. To summarize, we can say that nervous disorders can provoke this paresthesia. Therefore, it is important to take care of your mental health.

We connect diet therapy

The causes of numbness of the limbs and treatment are interrelated concepts. Patients suffering from this disease must follow a protein and fortified diet. You need to add legumes, cabbage, carrots, herbs and vegetable salads to your diet.

As for drinks, it is advisable not to drink coffee and cocoa. Better give preference to mint tea.

Do not overuse sweets, fatty and smoked foods.

Why does my left leg go numb from hip to knee?

This phenomenon is accompanied by numbness, tingling, tightness and other unpleasant sensations. This makes walking difficult, and numbness can spread to the entire leg. It is worth noting that the presence of any disease associated with blood vessels – osteochondrosis, arthritis, necrosis of the femoral head, etc. – plays a big role here.

The pain appears in attacks and can be associated with frequent and intense physical activity or, on the contrary, a complete absence. Aggravation can be felt when walking, especially fast. Additional diseases that cause paresthesia of the left leg from the hip to the knee are associated with spinal injuries.

Why does leg paresthesia occur in pregnant women?

Numbness in the legs can almost always occur during pregnancy. Only for each woman the recorded degree of sensation is individual. This is due to excess water in the body and occurs due to increased body weight. It is for this reason that the vessels in the legs are compressed and prevent normal blood circulation. Other common causes are vitamin B12 or iron deficiency.

Both legs can go numb at the same time, or some separate part of them, or part of the left or right leg. And despite the fact that this phenomenon is natural, it is unpleasant, and you can get rid of it by observing the following rules:

Excess water and its retention in the body can be eliminated by reducing salt intake. Although you cannot completely abandon it. Spend more time outdoors, in parks, in nature. Do special gymnastics for pregnant women or visit the pool. Be careful not to overcool your extremities. Eat fruits and vegetables more often, as well as foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and iron. Avoid wearing heels completely. Avoid eating spicy foods to prevent swelling. If your legs often swell, then read the article: Why do leg swelling occur and what should you do? If you follow these rules, but the numbness does not go away, contact your doctor.

Prevention

In order to avoid problems with numbness in the arms and legs, you need to carefully choose shoes and sleep on a flat surface.

Walking in the fresh air is recommended; you must alternate working at the computer with rest. Do not use the elevator, but prefer to take the stairs. Use brisk walking and walk as much as possible. All this will warm up the muscles and prevent them from stagnating. It is also important to do at least basic physical exercise every day - exercise in the morning.

Exercise 1: as soon as a person wakes up, it is necessary, without getting out of bed, to raise your fists up and clench them 50 times in a row. Then stretch the limbs along the body and repeat these steps again.

Exercise 2: press your palms together, cross your fingers, then squeeze and unclench 30 times. This exercise is effective for developing the hands.

Treatment

If you notice paresthesia in your legs, which is not due to an uncomfortable position or constant static work, you should immediately consult a doctor. The specialist will ask you to undergo a series of tests to determine the cause of numbness in your legs, and then prescribe the appropriate treatment. It is not recommended to self-medicate without knowing why your legs are numb.

If you have pain in your toes, you can read about the causes and methods of treatment here.

To prevent the development of anemia, do not forget to do exercises or go for a run every morning. You definitely need to go for a walk. Eliminate from your diet foods that contain preservatives, flavorings, and dyes. These additives slow down blood circulation, making the blood viscous. Too spicy or sweet foods will also not do you any good.

Numbness in the legs is a common symptom that is characteristic of many neurological diseases. It is also often found in orthopedic and traumatology practices.

Numbness in the legs often indicates a neurological disease

The causes of this pathological condition can be very different: from banal compression of nerve endings during sleep to malignant tumors that lead to disruption of the normal functioning of the nerves and vessels innervating the lower extremities.

Most often in medical practice, numbness of the legs is diagnosed in their distal parts and is accompanied by pain, changes in temperature and tactile sensitivity, paresthesia, the appearance of phantom sensations and much more. Why do my legs go numb below the knees and how to get rid of this problem?

Why do my arms and legs sometimes go numb?

Hands and feet represent the final stations of the routes of two important systems - blood circulation and nervous Numbness in hands. Using an analogy with public transport: if some kind of breakdown occurs at any of the stations, the bus will not reach the final one. That is, the blood that carries oxygen and nutrients to the tissues will not reach the fingers in the required quantities. Or the nerve impulses will not be processed correctly, and you will feel numbness and tingling.

Therefore, if your arms and legs are numb, first check if everything is in order:

With blood circulation. Did you squeeze something?
With the transmission of nerve impulses. Has your wrist been in one position (for example, on a computer mouse) for too long? This could cause pinched nerve fibers.

Most likely, already at the stage of initial diagnosis you will figure out the problem. In this case, getting rid of numbness is simple: twist your hand, foot or lower leg in different directions, massage the limb to improve blood circulation or eliminate a pinched nerve.

But it happens that the arm or leg does not seem to be pinched, but numbness is nevertheless felt regularly. This is an alarming symptom: here we can already talk about hidden systemic violations of Tingling in Hands and Feet.

The main reasons for the development of numbness

The main reason why legs go numb is diseases of the spine, which are accompanied by compression of sensitive nerve roots.

The development of such a pathological condition can be caused by severe osteochondrosis of the spinal column with severe degeneration of the intervertebral discs and their protrusion.

Compression of the nerve roots of the spine is the main cause of numbness in the legs

Often, compression of the nerve roots occurs during the formation and growth of osteophytes.

Much less frequently, the reasons why the legs below the knees, feet and other parts of the lower extremities go numb are as follows:

oncological diseases of the structural elements of the spine and nerve ganglia, which cause compression of the neurovascular intervertebral bundles; metabolic diseases (most often diabetes mellitus), leading to disturbances in trophism and the conduction of impulses along nerve fibers; tuberculosis of the vertebrae, leading to their destruction; Raynaud's disease, which is a manifestation of impaired blood flow, which is the reason why the feet go numb and paroxysmal pain occurs; tunnel syndrome, which occurs in people who are in an upright position for a long time; diseases of nerve fibers (demyelination, multiple sclerosis); arthritis, in which there is a narrowing of the joint space and compression of the nerve fibers, causing the legs to go numb (for example, gouty arthritis can be the reason why the big toe goes numb); often go numb during pregnancy, when a large amount of fluid accumulates in a woman’s body or the fetus begins to put pressure on blood vessels and nerves.

You will learn more about the causes of numbness in the legs from the video:

Numb fingers

This is a fairly common phenomenon that has a wide range of causes. Unpleasant sensations in the upper extremities may occur due to the manifestation of carpal tunnel syndrome. This syndrome is especially common in people who work a lot at a computer keyboard.

Since daily work at the computer causes a lot of strain on the hands, swelling of the tendon may gradually appear. This occurs because the nerves responsible for the sensitivity of the palm are compressed. The nerves in the middle, index and thumb are directly compressed. If not treated promptly, complete muscle death may occur. As a result, the person will not be able to move his fingers.

Diagnostic features

How to determine the reason why your toes go numb and what to do if the sensitivity of the skin in the lower extremities is impaired? Naturally, it is advisable to eliminate pathological symptoms in the shortest possible time, before the underlying disease begins to rapidly progress.

If the disease is not identified in time, then the sick person risks completely losing sensation in the limbs or encountering a problem such as thrombosis, embolism, etc.

Diagnosis of conditions that are accompanied by numbness of the leg from the buttocks to the foot and toes is carried out using a number of modern techniques:

radiography of the spine; ultrasound examination of affected joints; magnetic resonance and computed tomography; electromyography; angiography.

In addition to the results of instrumental studies, the doctor will necessarily collect a history of the disease from the patient, inquire about his complaints and conduct an objective examination.

To accurately diagnose the cause of numbness in the legs, the doctor will collect a complete medical history of the patient and conduct the necessary examinations.

This is necessary to find out the reasons why the leg from the hip to the knee goes numb. A detailed diagnosis will allow the specialist to determine directions in the treatment of the disease and ways to eliminate its main symptoms.

Read more about hardware methods for diagnosing joint pathologies in this article...

Diagnostics

There can be many reasons for numbness in the extremities, so to establish the correct diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive neurological examination. It includes:

compiling a medical history;
neurological examination;
conducting clinical tests.

Additional testing may include both imaging tests and laboratory tests. If you suspect a herniated disc, stroke or tumor, you may be given a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan. Laboratory blood tests may include:

general blood analysis;
measuring electrolyte levels;
kidney function test;
glucose level measurement;
measurement of vitamin B12 content;
measurement of thyroid-stimulating hormone levels.

When should you not postpone going to the doctor?

Only an experienced specialist can explain the causes and treatment of numbness in the toes, as well as other parts of the lower extremities. That is why you should not delay a visit to a specialist if the patient experiences symptoms such as:

legs begin to go numb for no obvious reason; numbness of the leg from the knee to the foot and pain in the limb interfere with normal motor activity; numbness is accompanied by a violation of the general condition, dizziness, clouding of consciousness; due to numbness in the legs, coordination of movements is impaired; pronounced changes in temperature sensitivity, when the patient does not distinguish between warm and cold.

If you notice alarming symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor

Numb hands: who is to blame and what to do?

Numbness in the hands itself occurs due to problems in the neck area. Displacement of the vertebrae, together with tension in the soft tissues of the neck and muscles that arise as a result of skull injuries, causes compression of the cervical spinal nerves leading to the arms. When any root is pinched, people feel numbness in part of the arm, fingers or palm.

The situation is aggravated by local injuries (for example, dislocation or sprain of the wrist joint) and constant tension. Since we spend a lot of time at the computer, constantly typing on the keyboard or in gadgets, the muscles of the hands and fingers experience tension on a constant basis.

Numbness is treatable. To do this, it is necessary to eliminate long-standing injuries, after which the muscles will relax. For this you need an osteopath. A competent specialist will not need much time to solve the problem. For example, in one case, when a 20-year-old girl had numb hands at night, improvement occurred after just three sessions.