Leg numbness from knee to foot: reasons what to do
The content of the article:
- What does the symptom say?
-
Legs go numb below the knees: reasons
- Causes not related to the disease
- Osteocondritis of the spine
- Neuropathy
- Atherosclerosis
- Varicose veins
-
What to do if your left or right leg is numb from knee to foot
- General recommendations
- Survey
- Drug treatment
- Video
Numbness in the leg from the knee to the foot can occur for a variety of reasons. Some of them are not dangerous to the body. If the lower limb is temporarily numb because of an uncomfortable posture, do not worry. Another thing is if numbness occurs often, affects both limbs, there are additional symptoms. Often such signs indicate a pathology of the spine, vascular or nerve disease.
Calf numbness can occur due to uncomfortable posture, but if it occurs spontaneously and often, you need to see a doctor
What does the symptom say?
Numbness (paresthesia) is a form of sensitivity disorders. Paresthesias are characterized by the following features:
- tingling sensation;
- crawling creeps;
- numbness;
- burning of the skin.
Such sensations can occur anywhere on the body. In most cases, they indicate a violation of the sensory innervation. Less often - for circulatory disorders in the affected area. That is, in case of numbness, one should look for the pathology of the nervous tissue, veins or arteries.
Two nerves are responsible for the sensitive innervation of the lower leg:
- Tibial nerve - provides sensitivity to the back of the lower leg.
- Common peroneal nerve - provides sensitivity to the anterior and outer surface of the lower leg.
These nerves are paired. When one nerve is damaged, symptoms occur on only one side - the right or left leg becomes numb from the knee to the foot. But bilateral damage is more common.
Legs go numb below the knees: reasons
Why can the lower limbs go numb? This often happens due to unsuccessful posture, wearing uncomfortable shoes. In such cases, the numbness goes away quickly, leaving no consequences. Less often, the legs become numb due to damage to blood vessels and nerves. The cause may be damage to peripheral nerves, entrapment of nerve roots, blockage of arteries.
Causes not related to the disease
The most common non-pathological causes of numbness include:
- A pose that leads to compression of the vessels in the knee area. For example, crossing your legs.
- Inappropriate footwear. Tight shoes impair blood circulation, squeeze nerves. This can lead to numbness in the lower limb.
- Long walking. A sharp increase in the load on the muscles of the lower leg can also lead to numbness.
A feature of these reasons is that the discomfort is short-lived.
Osteocondritis of the spine
Numbness of the extremities is often caused by diseases of the spine - osteochondrosis, disc protrusion, intervertebral hernia. If the pathology is localized in the lumbosacral spine, the lower extremities become numb - thigh, lower leg, toes.
There are other symptoms as well:
- back pain, aggravated by sudden movements;
- soreness of the lower extremities;
- tingling, burning in the legs.
Paresthesias occur due to entrapment of the nerves that are responsible for sensory innervation.
Neuropathy
Often, the legs become numb due to damage to the peripheral nerves. Neuropathy can have different etiologies:
- alcoholic;
- diabetic;
- due to vitamin B12 deficiency;
- with multiple sclerosis.
The causes of damage may be different, but the essence is the same - the peripheral nerves cease to perform their functions. If the sensory nerves are affected, then clinically this is manifested by numbness, tingling, burning, creeping, and loss of sensitivity. When motor nerves are damaged, other symptoms develop: muscle weakness, paresis and paralysis.
Atherosclerosis
The lower extremities may become numb due to impaired blood supply. The most common cause is atherosclerotic vascular disease. With atherosclerosis, lipids are deposited in the lumen of the vessels (atherosclerotic plaques are formed). This leads to a narrowing of the vascular lumen, a deterioration in blood flow.
The main symptoms of atherosclerosis of the lower extremities include:
- pain - more often the legs hurt after walking, other physical activity;
- fast fatiguability;
- muscle weakness;
- pallor and coldness of the skin;
- weak pulse.
The level of limb damage depends on the vessel in which atherosclerotic plaques have formed. Not only the lower leg, but also the thigh and foot can go numb.
Varicose veins
Another reason for numbness in the legs is the pathology of the veins. The symptom occurs with varicose veins when the venous pressure changes.
Numbness is not the only symptom of varicose veins. The following signs come to the fore:
- swelling of the legs;
- pain along the veins;
- feeling of heaviness in the legs;
- increased fatigue;
- burning, tingling, bursting.
What to do if your left or right leg is numb from knee to foot
Usually, temporary numbness can be quickly treated with simple methods. If the legs become numb due to a neurological or vascular disease, these methods are not enough. It is necessary to undergo examinations to find the cause. Only after that, treatment is prescribed.
General recommendations
If your legs do not go numb often, it is quite possible to get by with general recommendations. What is recommended to do to get rid of the symptom:
- Change your position, get up from your chair and walk. This will improve blood circulation in the lower leg.
- Choose comfortable shoes. It is better to choose shoes in the second half of the day, as at this time the feet swell more.
- Make a foot bath. You can use folk remedies - chamomile, parsley, mint, sea salt. After a warm bath, you can rub your feet with an ice cube.
- Massage your feet and legs.
- Stretch, do yoga.
These are effective guidelines to help relieve numbness if it is not associated with a medical condition. If the cause is nerve or vascular disease, adherence to these recommendations is not enough.
Shin massage can help with numbness
Survey
Examination for numbness of the limbs is prescribed by a doctor. Both laboratory and instrumental studies can be assigned.
| Research method | Explanation |
| X-ray of the spine in the lumbar spine | Plain X-ray is prescribed to detect gross changes in the spine. This is an accessible, but not a specific research method. It only allows one to suspect a pathology; to further clarify the diagnosis, more specific studies are used - MRI, CT of the spine. |
| Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine | Helps to determine the presence and localization of herniated discs. |
| Doppler ultrasonography of limb vessels | It is prescribed to assess the state of blood flow in the lower extremities. |
| Blood chemistry |
When the legs are numb, tests are prescribed: · Lipidogram (total cholesterol, high and low density lipoproteins, triglycerides) - to determine dyslipidemia; · The level of glucose in the blood - for the diagnosis of diabetes. |
Drug treatment
Numbness should be treated based on the cause that caused it. Treatment is selected by a doctor after a comprehensive examination and identification of the underlying disease. Symptomatic treatment is not applied.
| Disease | Treatment methods |
| Osteochondrosis |
Complex treatment: 1. Medicines. Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers and B vitamins are used. 2. Therapeutic gymnastics. Exercises are aimed at strengthening the muscle corset. 3. Fixation of the spine. To reduce stress on the spine, it is recommended to wear a special belt. 4. Massage. The massage allows you to relieve muscle tension and reduce pain. The duration of treatment is 1 to 3 months. |
| Intervertebral hernia | The main method of treating an intervertebral hernia is surgery. In addition to surgery, traction therapy (traction) can be used. |
| Atherosclerosis |
For the treatment of atherosclerosis, conservative therapy or surgical treatment is used. Conservative therapy includes the following methods: 1. Compliance with a diet that includes a sufficient amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetables and fruits. 2. Regular physical activity. 3. Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol. 4. Medicines aimed at normalizing the lipid spectrum. The most commonly used statins are Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin. Surgical treatment is aimed at restoring blood flow (shunting). |
| Diabetic polyneuropathy |
Treatment is aimed at normalizing carbohydrate metabolism and preventing complications. Most often, insulin therapy, dietary nutrition is prescribed, less often - oral hypoglycemic drugs. It is also recommended to choose orthopedic shoes, to undergo regular examinations by a neurologist. Additionally, polyunsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins are used. |
| Varicose veins |
Treatment can be medical or surgical, the choice of method depends on the stage of the disease. Medical treatment consists in the use of venotonics. Additionally, drugs are used to prevent complications - antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants. |
Video
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Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author
Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".
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