Numbness of the legs. What is the reason and what to do?

Main causes of the disorder

There are several dozen reasons why your feet and calves go numb. This is a common symptom for which there is no clear diagnosis - it is nonspecific. The problem may occur:

with atherosclerosis;
for diabetes mellitus;
for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases;
for swelling;
with osteochondrosis;
with intervertebral hernia;
with vitamin deficiency;
with Raynaud's disease;
with peripheral neuropathy;
in case of poisoning with chemicals, heavy metals, drugs;
as a consequence of alcohol abuse;
with various nerve damage (this may be hereditary);
as a consequence of the injuries received;
as a complication after infections;
with hormonal changes (occurs at a certain age);
in case of vascular dysfunction, in particular with varicose veins;
as a consequence of stress - the problem occurs with muscle tension;
with multiple sclerosis.

There are other reasons that can lead to this symptom. The condition can be acute - this occurs after a stroke, arterial thrombosis, or spinal fracture. If a person asks why he cannot feel his leg at all, he should consult a doctor as soon as possible. In case of damage to the spinal column, long-term rehabilitation is required in a clinic where treatment of the spine and joints is carried out.

Vitamin deficiency as a cause of the disorder

Sometimes a person is faced with a situation where the leg becomes numb and does not go away for several days. Today, such a symptom is not uncommon, and often the cause is vitamin deficiency, or more precisely, a lack of B vitamins. This problem occurs in a variety of people. If you discover that part of your leg is numb and does not go away, you may:

old man;
suffering from alcoholism;
vegetarian;
diabetic;
patient with gastrointestinal disorders;
a person who constantly goes on various diets.

All these people lack vitamin B12, as well as other vitamins in this group. In some cases, the problem can be solved by consuming vitamin and mineral complexes.

Problems with nerve tissue

Nerve tissues and endings are very sensitive. If your leg goes numb, the reasons may be a disruption in the functioning of the nerve endings. One of the common problems is when the endings are damaged as a result of injury or hypothermia. This leads to impaired sensitivity and related problems.

One of the reasons why legs can go numb is heredity. Destruction of nervous tissue can be transmitted from relatives. If there are people in the family suffering from similar symptoms, you should visit the doctor more often.

Old injuries

In case of injury, both nerve endings and blood vessels can be damaged. This subsequently leads to loss of sensation in the limbs. If the vessels are pinched, the blood supply to the extremities is disrupted, which leads to serious problems. In this case, the legs may be constantly pale and cold.

Problems with nerve endings have already been touched upon above. If the legs have become very numb since a person suffered a spinal injury, then the reason is probably this event. It is recommended to undergo examination by a specialist.

Diabetes

Diabetics often experience swelling and numbness in their feet. This is easily explained by the fact that the disease destroys small vessels and leads to nerve damage. As a result, sensitivity suffers and the patient complains of discomfort. If they appear, it is better to visit a doctor and undergo a consultation. With the help of a thoughtful diet and medications, you can stop the process of destruction of blood vessels.

Diabetes cannot be completely cured, but you can achieve a stable state when you feel good and nothing bothers you. If your legs become very numb in diabetes, the reason is almost certainly due to the negative impact of the disease.

Vascular atherosclerosis

In vascular atherosclerosis, cholesterol plaques close the lumen of blood vessels. This reduces the blood supply to the tissues, resulting in various symptoms such as numbness. The problem in most cases appears in older people, but it can also occur in middle-aged patients. Much depends on what kind of life a particular person leads.

The disease occurs:

with poor nutrition;
if the patient leads a sedentary lifestyle;
with bad habits;
under stress, stress on the nervous system;
in poor environmental conditions.

Residents of large cities face all of the above factors and often go to clinics with pain and numbness in their legs. Treatment requires diet, a healthy lifestyle, and sports. It is recommended to abstract yourself from stress, which in itself can lead to pain in the legs.

Stress and illness

If your legs go numb, what does that mean? This does not always mean that the patient has a serious illness. There are cases when the problem arose due to nervous tension and stress. This is due to the processes that occur in the human body when it is exposed to overload. At such moments, the body is tense, the muscles are tense. At the same time, the vessels that nourish the tissue are compressed. The result is an unpleasant feeling. People of all ages have pain and numbness in their legs.

In such a situation, it is recommended to find free time and a place where you can fully relax and sit in silence. Having calmed down, you can notice that the problem has disappeared. Massage, spa and various physiotherapeutic procedures also help. Some people find it very helpful to engage in sports to relieve stress.

Raynaud's disease

If your legs are constantly numb, the cause may be Raynaud's disease. This is a disorder in which the blood supply to the extremities is disrupted. At the same time, it decreases quite seriously, to the point that the legs may turn blue. If you discover such a symptom, you need to go to the hospital: the consequences can be very sad. With this disease, symptoms occur sharply and suddenly.

Of course, the problem may be in old injuries in which the vessels were compressed. In this case, the treatment will be different. To clarify the diagnosis, you need to undergo an examination.

Treatment of numbness of the lower extremities by qualified specialists of our clinic

With complaints about such a common symptom as numbness in the legs, you can walk through numerous offices for a long time without receiving an answer. Our clinic takes a comprehensive approach to the problem of numbness in the legs, the causes of which are not always obvious. In most cases, numbness of the lower extremities develops due to osteochondrosis and circulatory disorders. Most often clients contact us with the following complaints:

Numbness of the toes, the causes of which vary, gradually disappears.
An attack of severe back pain, accompanied by numbness in the left leg or right from the knee to the foot.
Numbness of the toes with a feeling of coldness and heaviness in the extremities.
Numbness of the feet.

Doctors at our clinic with extensive experience will diagnose your body in order to identify the causes of the ailment. Most diseases associated with such a symptom as numbness of the leg, the causes of which are different, can be successfully treated. We use only the most proven and modern treatment methods. People who are faced with an attack of numbness and tingling in their legs doubt what to do in such a situation - immediately consult a specialist or wait a little. If attacks of numbness in the legs, the causes and treatment of which require high-quality diagnosis, then you should definitely consult a doctor. It is important to detect the cause of this condition as early as possible. Such a harmless, at first glance, feeling of numbness in the legs can be a signal of serious illness.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

What causes the legs to become paralyzed? For many, this symptom comes as an unpleasant surprise. People often ask: my leg is numb - what could it be? Sometimes the cause is rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, the disease itself only deforms the joints, but deformed joints already pinch the nerves, which leads to the symptoms described. In any case, appropriate treatment is required.

When visiting a doctor, it is important to clarify that numbness is occurring. In this case, the necessary medications will be prescribed to help cope with the problem. Because this symptom is only accompanying. It does not always occur, and treatment is prescribed only for the underlying disease.

The influence of bad habits

Bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking can lead to numbness in the legs. Moreover, alcohol affects the condition of nerve endings: with severe abuse, alcoholic neuropathy occurs over time. Peripheral nerves are affected, and negative symptoms may not go away at all.

Smoking first affects small vessels, narrowing them, reducing blood flow. However, over time, the habit begins to affect the nerve endings, which also leads to corresponding symptoms. If the situation is under control, then it is enough to give up bad habits to part with unpleasant symptoms. But in advanced cases, drug therapy will be required.

Poisoning with various substances

You can be poisoned by heavy metals, chemical compounds and even medicines and drugs. One of the consequences will be toxic neuropathy. It is characterized by damage to nerve endings and loss of sensation in the limbs. Arsenic, mercury and other industrial poisons lead to the destruction of peripheral nerves. The scale of the problem can only be assessed with a thorough diagnosis in the clinic. Moreover, numbness of the limbs is only one of the symptoms, and not the worst.

What to do if a symptom appears

Most people know why their legs go numb when they sit in an uncomfortable position for too long. They do not have problems if unpleasant sensations appear only in such situations. But sometimes symptoms are observed without objective external causes. Just doing housework, sitting in the office, walking, you can find that:

legs went numb;
I can’t feel my feet;
it seems that the legs have become heavy;
no sensitivity in fingers;
legs are swollen, numb, there is a feeling of pain;
The calf muscle of my left leg goes numb every day.

This is scary and raises many questions, the answers to which are almost impossible to find on your own. On the Internet, users are interested in what helps with numbness in their legs; they are recommended various ointments and folk remedies. But you cannot solve a problem without knowing its true cause. This is how they try to get rid of the symptoms without eliminating the disease itself.

It is possible to understand why your legs quickly go numb when walking or sitting, only after tests. Of course, first you need to take those that can indicate obvious and most common disorders. This way, the specialist will gradually be able to find the cause of the problem.

The harm of self-medication

Today, not only older people, but also young people self-medicate. It has become the norm to purchase various ointments that relieve discomfort. This is due to the fact that this method of therapy is widely advertised. Why get treatment or visit a doctor when, if you feel unwell, you can simply apply a cream or gel that relieves all the symptoms?

The negative consequences of such a decision are associated with the fact that the patient triggers the disease. As a result, doctors have to deal with the problem at a stage when just physical therapy and pills are no longer useful.

Features of diagnosing numbness in the legs

It is advisable to try to eliminate the pathology in the shortest possible time. This is due to the fact that many diseases associated with blood vessels, the spine and the nervous system progress rapidly. If you do not go to the clinic in time, you may encounter problems such as thrombosis and others.

Diagnosis of problems associated with numbness of the legs, the causes of which are different, is carried out based on the use of modern techniques:

X-ray of the spinal column.
Magnetic resonance and computed tomography.
Electromyography.
Computer.
Ultrasound.

Also, at the initial appointment, the doctor will conduct a conversation with the patient in order to identify what the patient feels when there is numbness in the legs, when it occurs, how often, etc. General blood tests are prescribed. Blood is drawn to determine the overall blood composition, sugar level, and biochemical composition. If arthritis is suspected, a urine test may be ordered. The condition of blood vessels in a disease such as numbness of the legs, the causes of which are different, is determined using angiography and duplex scanning. Using such techniques, the following causes of numbness in the legs can be identified: venous and chronic arterial insufficiency, atherosclerosis. All indicators are recorded in the form of a curve, the nature of the change in which symbolizes the existing changes in the vessels. Thus, the causes of numbness in the foot or any other part can be easily determined if you contact highly qualified clinic specialists. Seek help promptly. This will help get rid of many problems in the future.

How is diagnostics carried out?

When diagnosing, when a patient complains of numbness in the legs, the initial examination usually yields little. You can make assumptions, but no more. The doctor collects complaints, clarifies whether the patient has had injuries, infectious diseases, poisoning - all this will be useful (even information about bad habits). After this, the patient needs to undergo blood tests: clinical, diabetes and vitamin B12. A blood test for rheumatism may also be needed.

A vascular scan is performed: a duplex ultrasound is performed to assess the condition of the arteries and veins. The anatomy of blood vessels is studied and their patency is analyzed. The state of blood flow in the extremities is also assessed.

Another study is an MRI of the spine. Particular attention is paid to the lumbar region: hernias and injuries in this area can lead to loss of sensation in the limbs. To rule out the possibility of numbness in the legs due to multiple sclerosis, an MRI of the brain is also performed.

Treatment is prescribed after diagnosis based on the detected disease. In most cases, the patient (in addition to the main treatment) is also recommended to follow a diet, give up bad habits, and attend physiotherapeutic procedures.

My legs are going numb

If one lower limb or both goes numb, this may be a sign of cauda equina syndrome, herniated disc, or multiple sclerosis.

In cauda equina syndrome, all 18 nerves located in the lumbar spine are compressed. This may occur due to a hernia, inflammation, tumor, or stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal canal. The result is not only numbness in both legs, but also lower back pain, problems with urination, defecation, and erectile dysfunction.

Radiculitis associated with a hernia occurs due to the fact that the nucleus pulposus, which is located in the intervertebral disc, breaks out and compresses nearby nerve endings. With a hernia, not only numbness occurs, but also back pain and weakness in the limbs. Symptoms usually go away within 6–8 weeks. If this does not happen, the doctor may prescribe more aggressive treatment, including surgery.

With sciatica, most often only one leg goes numb. Sciatica, or lumbosacral radiculitis, is compression of the sciatic nerve, which also causes pain in the lower back. The cause of sciatica can be a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome (compression of the sciatic and gluteal nerves by the piriformis muscle), bone fractures and pelvic injuries, tumors. Usually, along with numbness, a person feels aching pain, tingling or burning. Treatment depends on the cause of sciatica.

Numb hands

If part of an arm or leg is numb, the cause may be a herniated disc, thoracic outlet syndrome, a tumor that presses on the nerve plexus, brachial plexitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and common peroneal nerve compression syndrome.

With carpal tunnel syndrome, the wrist or hand (thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger) becomes numb or painful. This usually happens to those who work a lot at the computer, knit, drive a car for a long time, etc. Why do my arms and legs go numb? The median nerve, which passes to the hand through a “tunnel” (carpal tunnel) of three bones and ligaments, is pinched. Compression of the median nerve below the elbow and above the wrist causes numbness not only in this area, but also around the hand at the base of the thumb. This happens if, for example, the tendon, which is located next to the median nerve, is irritated and therefore enlarged.

Swelling due to injury, fluid retention, pregnancy, and rheumatoid arthritis can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. But the condition usually develops in those whose carpal tunnel is initially narrower than most people's. If there is a need for pain relief, conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen) can be used. It is usually recommended to reduce the movements that provoke symptoms and apply a splint for a while. If the pain and/or numbness does not go away, surgery may be required.

With brachial plexitis, not only the shoulder, as the name implies, can become numb, but also the entire arm and hand. The mechanism of this disease is as follows: the brachial plexus, from which the nerves go to both arms, is compressed or damaged. Brachial plexitis can be a consequence of a lung tumor, radiation therapy, or birth trauma. Numbness is not its only symptom; often such patients have severe shoulder pain, the pain is replaced by weakness. Symptoms usually resolve with anti-inflammatory treatment with corticosteroids.

Tingling and numbness in the leg

In common peroneal nerve compression syndrome, numbness or tingling is felt in the top of the foot or inner leg. The peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve and supplies the toes, feet, and legs. A knee injury, a broken fibula, a tight shin cast, and even frequent crossing of the legs can lead to this syndrome. Treatment for numbness involves eliminating the cause. But sometimes a corticosteroid injection may be needed to reduce the swelling, and in some cases surgery is performed.

Numbness of fingers

The cause of thoracic outlet syndrome is that the blood vessels and nerves between the collarbone and the first rib are compressed. As a result, the shoulder and neck hurt, and the fingers feel numb. This can happen due to a car accident, sports injury, or during pregnancy. The syndrome, fortunately, occurs rarely - in 1 person out of a million. Usually, taking painkillers is enough to control symptoms.

Severe calcium deficiency may cause numbness in the toes and hands, abnormal heart rhythm, and seizures. This is a fairly rare condition, the cause of which must be determined by a doctor.

Due to edema, tumors, injuries, etc. Other nerves in the arm may also be compressed, resulting in specific symptoms:

Compression of the ulnar nerve in the wrist area leads to numbness of the little finger, part of the ring finger and part of the hand on the little finger side;
Compression of the ulnar nerve in the elbow area leads to both these symptoms and numbness in the elbow area;
Compression of the radial nerve in the forearm can cause numbness in the thumb and index finger.

When you need to see a doctor urgently

It is a mistake to think that loss of sensation is not a serious symptom. Sometimes it serves as a signal of acute cerebrovascular accident.

If the left leg goes numb, the hemorrhage has occurred in the right hemisphere sector, which is responsible for the innervation of the limbs.
If the right leg goes numb, it’s exactly the opposite – a right-hemisphere stroke.

Pathology is indicated by accompanying symptoms.

confusion of speech, consciousness;
facial distortion;
"stun";
acute headache;
dizziness.

These are indications for emergency hospitalization. In other cases, medical care is received as planned.