Numbness of the foot is a very serious symptom that can occur as a result of a serious illness or as a consequence of certain natural causes. In the second situation, it will be enough to massage and warm the legs to get rid of the tingling. It should be noted that numbness is not considered a separate pathology and develops along with other diseases, so it is necessary to carry out not only complex treatment, but also examination. If the feet become numb, the reasons must be found out as soon as possible.
Possible causes
There can be many reasons for such an unpleasant problem. When the feet go numb, the causes may be diseases such as atherosclerosis or diabetes. Sometimes the cause is problems with the blood supply to the lower extremities. Discomfort appears as a result of pinching of the main nerves. Costsnote that a pinched nerve will cause numbness or tingling in only one foot, either the top or bottom of the foot.
Circulation may be disturbed as a result of the influence of physiological factors. For example, if a person has been in the same position for a long time. If you have numbness in your feet, the cause may be uncomfortable shoes or clothing, which is causing squeezing of the arteries. If you often wear high-heeled shoes, then not only problems with arteries appear, but nerves are also pinched, compression of nerve endings occurs.
What are the forms of lower limb numbness
When contacting a specialist, it is worth telling him in detail about exactly what kind of unpleasant sensations arise. Pay attention to what area is affected and how often numbness occurs. An important role is played by the severity of discomfort.
Chronic numbness
This form occurs, as a rule, when the feet go numb, and the reasons are various kinds of diseases. Also, the symptom may regularly appear as a result of wearing uncomfortable, tight shoes. In this case, irreversible changes will appear in the joints. Of course, in the early stages, you can solve the problem, but if nothing is done, then soon it can develop into a chronic one. Constant numbness occurs not only at rest, but also with sufficiently intense movement.
Sharp shape
If the lower limbs become numb very sharply, and discomfort occurs only from time to time, then all sorts of things can provoke thisphysiological reasons. If the feet go numb, and the reasons are unknown, then the doctor must prescribe a comprehensive examination. As a rule, solving the problem is quite simple, because in most cases there are no changes in the joints.
Physiological causes
If the foot of the left leg goes numb, the reason may be that the person has been in an uncomfortable position for a long time with an emphasis on the left limb. In this case, the arteries, small vessels begin to be strongly compressed, which causes circulatory disorders in a particular leg. In order to eliminate discomfort, it will be quite enough to change the position, do a little exercise, which will quickly resume normal blood circulation. When the left foot becomes numb, the reason may be that you have chosen the wrong corrective device or are wearing uncomfortable shoes and clothes. It also negatively affects blood circulation.
If discomfort occurs from time to time, hyperventilation may be the cause. Too frequent breathing adversely affects the metabolism, over time, the balance of magnesium and calcium is disturbed. Biological fluids change their level of acidity. Because of this, a person can often faint, feel numbness and tingling in the limbs, and a feeling of anxiety appears. Quite often, hyperventilation occurs as a result of psychological discomfort.
Physiological reasons also include insufficient hygiene, frequent overexertion. The limbs suffer due to growths on the skin, anatomical disordersjoint locations. If the legs go numb from the knee to the foot, the reasons may be an incorrectly done pedicure, especially when skin is left near the edge of the heel. Nerve endings and blood vessels begin to be strongly compressed, which leads to tingling and severe pain. Due to overexertion, muscle injuries can occur, which over time will turn into fairly hard growths.
Possible pathologies
If the legs go numb from the knee to the foot, the causes during movement and at rest can be various kinds of diseases. In this case, it is necessary to contact a specialist as soon as possible to determine the violations. It is worth doing this on time due to the fact that pathologies can greatly affect blood circulation, and over time, nerve tissues can begin to grow. If the case is neglected, then the person develops paralysis or tissue necrosis, a stable impairment of the mobility of the limbs.
Diabetes
This disease occurs due to the fact that there is a serious metabolic disorder, the necessary enzymes begin to be produced worse. Along with this, neuropathy appears over time, nerve endings begin to die off, or they cease to perform their functions and do not transmit impulses. As a result of this, tingling and numbness first appear, which gradually develop into a complete loss of sensitivity. If the foot of the right leg goes numb, the cause may be a malfunction of the nerve endings in one limb.
Also, during diabetes, there is a strong load on the bloodvessels and gradually begins to deteriorate circulation. Tissues receive several times less than the usual useful components, oxygen. Due to numbness, trophic ulcers may soon appear, necrosis develops. Initially, discomfort is felt in the feet, gradually spreading higher and higher. If the sole of the foot is numb, this disease may be the cause.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a pathology that results in the death of nerve endings. In the case of development in one limb, this can cause numbness in the foot of the right leg. The disease occurs due to severe damage, depletion of cells. Often the cause is a strong drop in blood sugar levels. Depending on which form of neuropathy a person has, the symptoms will also differ.
Additionally, with diabetes, there is an increased load on blood vessels and poor circulation. The tissues receive less nutrients and oxygen. Numbness is accompanied by the appearance of trophic ulcers and tissue death. Unpleasant sensations first arise in the feet, then spread higher. Often, specific manifestations of the disease can occur due to the fact that the peroneal nerve has been affected. In this case, the index of mobility decreases, soft tissues begin to noticeably sag, the patient often gets injured. To avoid the development of the disease when the feet become numb, determine the causes and treatment as soon as possible in a medical institution.
Multiple Sclerosis
Doctors say that numbness of the lower extremities is the first symptomdisease such as multiple sclerosis. At the same time, tingling will occur not only in the legs, but also in the face and hands. Pathology implies damage to nerve endings in the spinal cord and brain.
If the case is neglected, then the nerve fibers begin to be gradually replaced by connective tissue, which causes a lack of transmission of impulses. This can occur as a result of severe intoxication, radiation exposure, frequent stress, malnutrition, and serious injury. Often, in addition to numbness, the patient may feel loss of sensation in the legs, severe itching and even burning. When the foot of the left foot goes numb, and the treatment and causes are unknown, seek the help of a doctor.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a serious disease, as a result of which, due to problems with metabolism, the gaps in the vessels begin to narrow greatly. Cholesterol plaques gradually form in the arteries, which do not allow the blood to function fully. Depending on how large the affected area is and what stage of the disease is observed, a variety of symptoms may appear. Most often it is shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness, tingling in the limbs and so on. In advanced cases, severe vascular damage may occur. If the feet and toes are numb, and the causes are unknown, do not exclude the possibility of developing this disease.
Venous insufficiency
In this case, there is insufficient outflow of blood from the legs. Upright posture is considered the main cause of pathology. When he gets to his feettoo much load, pressure begins to rise in them, which negatively affects the condition of the venous valves. They cannot fully perform their functions, so the outflow of blood becomes involuntary. In some patients, there is fluid retention, which causes severe vein deformity and a decrease in the amount of nutrients that can flow to the legs. If your right foot goes numb, only the doctor will determine the causes and treatment. Do not self-medicate!
Transient ischemic attacks
This disease implies a micro-stroke that does not cause damage to brain tissue. The cause is a strong vasospasm or the appearance of a blood clot. Due to the fact that there was a short-term violation of blood circulation, the patient develops severe weakness and dizziness, fainting. In some cases, there is partial or complete memory loss. All symptoms, including numbness of the lower extremities, disappear half an hour after the onset. If the left leg of the foot and fingers go numb, this disease may be the cause.
Raynaud's disease
The disease occurs as a result of circulatory disorders in the lower extremities. Until today, experts cannot give an unambiguous answer about what exactly is the cause of the pathology. It is classified as an autoimmune disease. Raynaud's disease leads to the fact that the vessels gradually begin to collapse. They lose their resistance to both temperature and stress situations. Because ofthis causes a release of compounds that provokes spasms and does not allow blood to flow normally to the legs. The disease affects both limbs symmetrically. Therefore, if the right leg, foot and fingers go numb, this disease cannot be the cause. Discomfort spreads gradually as a result of the fact that the pathology begins to progress over time.
Pathological circulation problems
Such things occur as a result of exposure to various diseases. Blood flow is disrupted due to narrowing of the lumen in the vessels or blockage of the arteries. Feet begin to not only go numb. Over time, there is severe pain and lameness. It is worth noting that symptoms can occur even at rest. This may cause numbness in the soles of the feet.
Osteochondrosis
The disease implies a huge number of pathological changes that cause tissue displacement, impaired leg mobility. In this case, the left foot and sole of the foot become numb, the reasons for which must be clarified as soon as possible. Gradually, cartilage begins to break down, the muscular corset weakens, and an incorrect posture is formed. Because of this, blood is poorly supplied to the tissues, and nerve impulses are transmitted worse.
Hernia of the spine
Hernia appears when the nucleus pulposus leaves its cavity. This leads to the appearance of an abnormal formation caused by displacement of the vertebrae. Symptoms in this case may resemble osteochondrosis, because in both cases there isrepositioning structures.
Heel spur
Severe pain during movement is due to a bony growth on the foot called a heel spur. Most often, the problem occurs as a result of a serious injury. Initially, the plantar ligament is damaged, but the pain is almost imperceptible and disappears very quickly. At the same time, the consequences of the injury themselves do not disappear, and the tissues are constantly injured, which leads to their replacement. As a rule, pathology is detected during the examination. The initial stages allow you to determine the presence of a heel spur by palpation.
Bone outgrowth begins to compress soft tissues, pinches blood vessels and nerve endings over time. If the nerves are injured, then an inflammatory process occurs in the fibers, which will increase over time. The affected area becomes very sensitive. Initially, the symptoms are described by the feeling of a nail driven into the foot, later the gait may begin to change and flat feet may gradually develop. Together with this, the foot of the left leg or right foot becomes numb.
Vibration disease
Discomfort occurs due to too long influence of vibrations on the body. In most cases, it occurs in people whose activities are related to the industrial and mining industries. It rarely appears as a result of working with equipment, cars. Vibrations lead to the appearance of various kinds of deviations in the bone tissue, as well as in the nerve endings, blood vessels. Patients begin to be disturbed by spasms, tingling and numbness, the skin of the lower extremities turns pale. Maybe sharplyincrease blood pressure. People are becoming less resistant to cold temperatures.
Symptoms associated with numbness
Depending on the type of degenerative disorder, various accompanying symptoms may occur. There are a lot of them, but most often the following symptoms are observed in patients:
- Painful sensations. They occur during numbness, before or after. Their intensity can be very different and depends on the pathology and its stage. In most cases, very severe pain occurs as a result of damage to the nerve endings.
- The skin begins to turn pale, there is a feeling of cold. This symptom appears regardless of the temperature of the environment. This occurs due to disorders of blood circulation.
- Sensitivity issues. Appear due to narrowing of the lumen of the vessels, the intensity will depend on how much the vessels are blocked. In most cases, it occurs in the later stages of nerve damage.
Depending on the pathology, symptoms may occur in one or both lower extremities. If there is a violation of blood circulation, then both feet will hurt. During the defeat of the nerve endings, numbness is present exclusively in one foot, therefore, if the foot of the right foot or the left foot becomes numb, this may be a consequence of the above violation.
Disease Diagnosis
If there is such a problem as numbness of the feet, then you should first of all seek help fromtherapist. This can be explained by the fact that the symptom can be caused by a variety of diseases. Depending on the degree of its severity and as a result of the examination, the therapist will write a referral to the right doctor.
If there is a suspicion of problems with blood circulation, then you should definitely visit a phlebologist. Due to the fact that not every hospital has this specialist, the treatment can be selected and prescribed by a cardiologist or a surgeon. If you have problems with the transmission of nerve impulses, you should contact a neurologist. In rare cases, you may need the help of other doctors. In any case, when the foot becomes numb, the treatment should be selected by a qualified specialist.
CBC
This analysis is mandatory, especially if the specialist suspects that there are systemic disorders. An elevated hemoglobin level and some other symptoms will indicate that the fluid is thickening excessively. During the decoding of the obtained analysis, it is worth paying attention to the number of platelets in the blood. Diabetes mellitus will lead to an increase in this indicator. If any additional abnormalities are present, this may indicate blockage of the vessels, which, as a rule, occurs during the development of atherosclerosis.
Ultrasound of blood vessels, spine
Thanks to this examination, you can easily detect the presence of narrowing of the gaps in the vessels. A comprehensive examination allows you to establish an accurate diagnosis, so you can choose the right treatment. Ultrasound of the spineshould be done if the doctor suspects a hernia or an incorrect location of the vertebrae. This may be the reason why nerve impulses are not transmitted in addition to the deterioration of blood circulation.
X-ray
After the ultrasound of the spine is performed, it is additionally worth doing an x-ray, but not in all cases. It is much more difficult to determine the presence of a hernia from the pictures, because only bone tissue is analyzed. In this case, only indirect symptoms of the disease can be detected.
Treatment
Depending on the established disease, different methods of treatment will be selected. As a rule, numbness is usually treated with anti-inflammatory, pain medications. Such therapy is suitable if a pinched nerve has been detected. In almost all cases, it is customary to use physiotherapy procedures. In order to put blood circulation in order, it is worth using systemic treatment, which will strengthen the walls of blood vessels, make blood more fluid, and so on.
If the numbness of the feet occurred as a result of the appearance of a hernia or abnormal formations, then it is impossible to do without surgical intervention. This type of treatment is used very rarely, because it has a huge number of side effects, as well as contraindications. In addition, experts do not exclude the risk of relapse.
Preventive measures
In order to avoid such an unpleasant problem, you should follow these recommendations:
- Pleaseattention to your lifestyle. Try to move as much as possible to strengthen your muscles and prevent blood stasis. In addition, quality rest plays a huge role. Get a comfortable bed and a suitable mattress. If you are sitting most of the time, then take breaks and exercise regularly.
- Don't forget to eat right. Make sure your diet is varied and contains all the necessary nutrients.
- Correct your posture. If the joints are anatomically correct, then this will have a positive effect on the circulation of the lymph and directly on the blood circulation.
- Do not wear tight clothes and uncomfortable shoes.
If you notice strange symptoms in yourself, you should immediately seek help from a specialist and undergo a comprehensive examination. Foot numbness can be the first signal that serious diseases are developing in the body, which are best treated at the initial stage of development. Otherwise, you will spend a lot of time on treatment, and the symptoms will gradually become more pronounced.
