There are many good things in old age, but still some illnesses prevent you from enjoying life. According to medical statistics, elderly patients often go to the clinic with a complaint about their legs, when they begin to fail for a short period or for a long time, which significantly disrupts their usual way of life and it becomes impossible to fully move, serve themselves on their own. In this case, the question arises: Which doctor should I go to the hospital? Do the legs of an elderly person fail due to old age or in connection with life circumstances? Or maybe the reason lies in the lifestyle?
After all, even short-term problems with the lower extremities force family members to provide the patient with constant assistance, which consists in special care, support - physical and moral. Unfortunately, the musculoskeletal system wears out over time, and this system, in fact, is a whole complex, which includes bones andjoints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Thanks to this unique device:
- a person can move in space;
- internal organs are under reliable protection;
- the body is provided with form and support.
Loss of an active lifestyle due to illness causes panic and the patient's natural desire to regain shaky he alth. But there are many reasons that caused paralysis of the legs, and only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis through research.
When legs suddenly begin to fail, a person is obliged to listen to deviations in he alth, as the body warns that pathologies have begun. This means that a disease begins to develop, which may soon affect the lifestyle temporarily or for a long time. Therefore, you need to contact a medical facility as soon as possible.
The way the body works is that after the age of 55 it gradually weakens, the ability of the immune system is not so strong. Factors such as an unhe althy diet, stressful situations, smoking, prolonged heavy physical exertion and other negative phenomena are also added, which significantly undermine the functioning of internal organs. As a result, old diseases are exacerbated and new ones appear. Numbness of the legs often begins, which is facilitated by many diseases. Why do the legs of an elderly person fail? Causes and treatment of this problem further.
Osteoarthritis is an ancient disease
This is one of the most common diseases,that affects the musculoskeletal system. And pathology occurs due to the fact that in old age there is degeneration of the articular cartilage. This gradually leads first to its changes, and then the articular surfaces begin to change. The whole process causes the growth of marginal bones, in medicine they are called "osteophytes". As a result, the joints are deformed, and the mobility of a person is impaired.
Mankind has known about this disease for a long time, as evidenced by studies of the bones of our ancestors of the Paleolithic era. This disease can be recognized by some manifestations, which gradually progress more and more.
Initial stages
The first stage is characterized by the following:
- recurring leg fatigue;
- pains appear during movement, even not very energetic and active, as well as during sleep at night;
- painful sensations begin during the exit from a state of absolute rest;
- discomfort after sleep caused by stiffness in the body;
- a barely audible crunch is heard during motor activity;
- if an x-ray is taken at this time, the picture will show a narrowing of the joint space.
The second stage has the following manifestations:
- limited range of motion appears in the joints, this process gradually progresses;
- if you press hard on the joint, you feel pain;
- noticeable deformation changes in the joint andbone growths;
- limping develops;
- on the X-ray image, the narrowing of the joint space became even more noticeable, osteophytes were detected in the area of a small load.
Subchondral sclerosis revealed.
Third stage
It is characterized by the following symptoms:
- There is an almost complete loss of joint mobility, often only tangential movements are obtained.
- Pain is present almost constantly, even at rest.
- X-ray shows that there is practically no joint space, cysts have appeared, the surface of the joint is deformed, marginal growths are pronounced. In the stage of severe arthrosis, the bone surfaces are exposed, starting to rub against each other, a pronounced bone deformity occurs.
Disease forms
Osteophytes grow so large that there is a significant limitation of joint mobility. Doctors have identified two forms of this disease:
- Primary. It differs in that the disease begins to develop in he althy cartilage. This is most often facilitated by factors such as old age, and most often in women in menopause or when a person has been involved in sports for a long time or has been employed in production with great physical exertion. Genetic predisposition also affects the development of osteoarthritis in old age.
- Secondary. Changes in cartilage occur due to numerous joint injuries and surgery, overweight. In order to carry out competent treatment, you should contact an orthopedist. It is this specialist who will be able to determine to what extent the deformation has occurred. He, having appointed research, will make the correct diagnosis.
Treatment
If an elderly person's legs fail, modern technology and classical methods will come to the rescue. In addition to x-rays, arthroscopy may be prescribed. This method is used for medicinal purposes, washing the joint cavity to remove particles of damaged tissue and detritus. With the help of ultrasound, it is possible to assess the condition of the cartilage structure. MRI will allow you to understand how much the bone structure is affected, the matrix tissue is destroyed.
It is possible to stop the disease only by complex therapy. It is necessary that the treatment be directed both to the local process in the articular tissue and to the maintenance of the whole organism. Therefore, drug treatment necessarily includes anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective agents, corticosteroids and non-steroidal drugs, also aimed at relieving the inflammatory process.
Surgical intervention is also possible to remove loose tissues - intra-articular soft tissue, cartilage. Patients are offered resection of synovial folds, arthroplasty of the diseased joint, arthrolysis or osteotomy.
Other effective methods are widely used:
- Acupuncture.
- Various physiotherapeutic procedures. Here is a wide range of effects using mud, ozocerite,paraffin, magnetic, laser, ultrasound therapy, electrophoresis with novocaine.
- Special therapeutic exercises in the gym or in the pool.
- Manual Therapy.
- Sanatorium treatment.
There are many sanatoriums located not far from mud, hydrogen sulfide or radon sources. There are also several folk recipes. For example, in order for the pain in the joints to go away, you should take a clean cabbage leaf, make cuts on it, and then heat it over a fire, immediately smear it with a small layer of honey and apply it to the sore spot. Secure with cellophane and natural fabric. Top with a warm scarf and leave for a few hours.
It is advisable to do at night and repeat the procedure two or three times in a row. In order not to disturb the knee, the joints do not hurt and the ligaments are restored, chalk is ground into dust, kefir is added. When mixed, a slurry should be obtained, which is applied to the leg, covered with cellophane and wrapped well, preferably at night.
Atherosclerosis of vessels
This pathology is dangerous because there is a blockage of blood vessels with cholesterol plaques. As a result, the natural blood flow of the small pelvis and legs is disturbed. This destructive process leads to the fact that soft tissues cease to receive nutrition, especially amino acids, and therefore their death begins. At first, there is only a temporary slight weakness, but then numbness of the legs and complete immobility sets in.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
Bin old age, a gradual subsidence of the vertebrae occurs, and in the coccyx area there are those nerve endings that are responsible for the normal functioning of the lower extremities. Their pinching, displacement begins. The cells of the spinal cord, more precisely, their nerve fibers, are compressed, so the interaction between impulses stops. Often, against this background, a hernia occurs in the lumbosacral zone, and then partial or complete paralysis of the legs may begin.
If the legs of an elderly person fail, the treatment of osteochondrosis will be long, you will need to strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations. When it is difficult to move your legs because of this diagnosis, with the help of chondroprotectors, it is necessary to establish metabolic processes. Thanks to painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, you can significantly alleviate the patient's condition. Vitamin complexes, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises are also prescribed.
Moreover, physical education is required. Of particular danger to people over 50 years of age is a hemorrhagic stroke. Its occurrence can be caused by a strong shock, disturbed cerebral circulation, pathological congenital disorders of the cerebral vessels, which manifest themselves most clearly in old age. To save the patient from the consequences of paralysis, specialized rehabilitation will be needed with the help of a complex therapeutic range of agents only under the supervision of a doctor.
Paralytic dislocation can lead to leg numbness. It arises on the basis of paralysis of the limbs of one muscle group. In fact, these are pathologicaldislocations that appear due to diseases of the joints, which leads to deformation and destruction of the surfaces of the articulating bones. Similar processes are observed most often against the background of such dangerous diseases as tuberculosis, malignant tumors, osteomyelitis. Treatment favors surgery due to modern techniques.
Alcoholic polyneuropathy
In most cases, people who are addicted to alcohol do not hear warnings that they will regret their addiction very much in old age. It is only when they seek medical attention for serious foot problems and are diagnosed with alcoholic polyneuropathy that many people begin treatment belatedly, forgetting about alcoholic beverages.
The initial stage of the disease has the following symptoms:
- feet go numb from time to time, they experience a short tingling sensation;
- cramps appear in the calf muscles;
- feet growing tired in the legs.
With the development of the disease, the condition becomes much worse:
- constant pain from every movement, burning sensation and heaviness, severe spasms;
- muscles first weaken and then atrophy;
- it's hard to get up and then walk, because the gait changes a lot;
- the distance that can be covered without rest is getting shorter.
In the elderly, the disease develops much faster,since even without the influence of the harmful effects of ethyl alcohol, the process of muscle atrophy is already taking place. An important role in the development of the disease is played by the lack of the proper amount of B vitamins in the body. In addition, the intestinal function is disrupted, and it is not able to absorb the microelements and other useful substances that the body needs.
Beriberi appears, the immune system is disturbed, but the nerve fibers are also subjected to a destructive blow, which causes muscle weakness, and over time, there is a limitation of motor function. It is extremely difficult to cure such a patient, especially in old age. If the disease is not treated, complete paralysis of the lower extremities can occur.
For what reason do the legs of an elderly person fail? What to do if alcohol-containing drinks are to blame? The order of treatment will be as follows:
- try to stop drinking alcohol;
- with the help of the therapy prescribed by the doctor, restore the functioning of the digestive system;
- take a course of intramuscular injections, which is required to compensate for the lack of vitamins;
- perform gymnastics selected by the doctor;
- attend scheduled physiotherapy sessions;
- follow a diet that contains foods with vitamin A and protein.
Diabetes can cause numbness in the legs, especially in the elderly. When the proper norm of sugar in the blood is exceeded in the body, blood vessels are gradually destroyed, deformation of soft and bone tissues occurs. Diabetes is dangerous because it isa harbinger of many diseases.
The patient is obliged to follow the diet developed by the attending physician, to take all prescribed drugs on time, otherwise the neural circuits may break. Such a loss of the relationship between the receptors of neurons is fraught with the fact that the sensitivity in the lower extremities disappears, they become numb, a tingling sensation appears, causing significant discomfort. Maybe after a while there will be a complete lack of ability to move around.
Symptoms of diabetic and alcohol dependent polyneuropathy are similar. But the causes that led to the disease vary significantly.
Diabetics may develop trophic ulcers that cause the threat of sepsis and gangrene. The diabetic type of polyneuropathy should be observed by an endocrinologist. Usually, to improve the patient's condition, drugs are used to increase blood flow and maintain nerve endings. Insulin is also required.
Obliterating endarteritis
It is worth considering another option why the legs failed. The reason for the elderly lies in obliterating endarteritis, when the arteries of the legs are narrowed. It is dangerous in old age: the vessels are already worn out, they become impassable, the tissues do not receive nutrition, starting to die. The reasons for its occurrence are primarily:
- rapid blood clotting;
- smoking abuse;
- autoimmune vascular lesions of the legs;
- atherosclerotic pathologies;
- infectious diseases.
Preventive measures
After we received a response tothe question of why the legs of an elderly person fail (there are many causes of pathology), a solution to the problem should be found. In order to remain active and alert in old age, you should be in the fresh air more often, move more, training muscles and ligaments, but select the load according to age. It is also necessary to eat right and get rid of bad habits, not to be overweight.
