Sometimes it happens that some of the limbs loses its sensitivity for a while, that is, numbness of the legs and arms occurs. The reasons for this can be very different. A bunch of questions immediately appear: why does this happen, is it scary, what should be done in such cases. Detailed information is available from your doctor. And here you will read what you may find useful for an independent assessment of the situation.
Why does numbness of the legs and hands occur: reasons
- Elderly people often suffer from atherosclerosis, in which pain and cramps are added to numbness, a person is very tired and feels weak.
- With an inactive lifestyle, changes occur in the spine: the intervertebral nerves in the spinal cord are pinched. This is how osteochondrosis manifests itself.
- In case of multiple sclerosis, diabetes and other diseases, neuropathy "starts up" in which nerve endings are affected in the legs.
- If the legs regularly become "cottony", they hurt, then perhaps this is multiple sclerosis.
- Reine's disease is still being studied. However, it is known that at the same time blood circulation in the legs weakens, numbness, edema and cramping occur.
- With rheumatoid arthritis, acute pain occurs in the knees, as well as edema, because this is an inflammatory disease in which the joints are deformed, resulting in pinching of the nerves.
- Violation of metabolic processes occurring in nerve fibers.
- There is a compression of the nerve root of the intervertebral hernia.
- In case of circulatory disturbance, less oxygen enters the soft tissues, which causes numbness.
- With neuropathy, nerves are damaged, while a person feels pain.
- Oncological diseases when the tumor is located near the spinal cord.
Other factors
If your legs are numb, the reasons for this may be hidden not only in the disease, but also in the lack of vitamins, etc. For example, when you are frightened , your breath is taken away, which means that less oxygen will enter the bloodstream, and since the vessels are narrowed, then blood does not reach the legs, they become cottony, do not obey.
Suppose you do not have the diseases listed above, then numbness of the legs, the causes of the onset of symptoms lie in your rhythm of life. Sedentary work also puts extra strain on the spine and legs. If you are a programmer, driver, cashier, banker (i.e., sit all day), then you are stooping, moving a little, and it does not matter how old you are.
In any case, a consultation with a qualified specialist is necessary to diagnose numbness of the legs (causes).
Symptomatic manifestations
- Numbness of one leg or both at once.
- There is a feeling that the limbs are like “wooden”.
- It hurts to sit, bend over, cough.
- Like goosebumps running around the body.
- Leg pain is given to the back, especially to the spine.
- Swelling.
- Cramps.
Numbness of one leg
It happens that there is an unpleasant syndrome in one limb, for example, numbness of the left leg. The reasons are the beginning of the development of serious diseases, such as a microstroke, stroke, and a transitory ischemic state of the brain. If there is no pain, and numbness below the knee and does not go away for a long time, then do not self-medicate, but immediately consult a doctor.
If the numbness of the right leg occurred, the reasons here can be much more serious. When this happens periodically, then immediately go to a neurologist, because this can be caused by a violation of sensitivity in the nerve endings. If the doctor does not identify obvious reasons, then contact a surgeon who is engaged in blood vessels, because then numbness is already a signal of lesions in the brain, and, possibly, bypass surgery is necessary.
Thumb numbness
The sensitivity of the thumb is lost, it “tweaks”, the skin shivers? It is possible that when the numbness of the big toe began, the causes of such a problem were most likely in the shoes. Inconvenient shoes cause temporary pinched nerves, hence the discomfort.
When this happens all the time, especially if pain is also characteristic, sensitivity decreases (a person does not distinguish between temperature: cold, warm), coordination of movements is impaired, then this is a signal of diabetes mellitus, intervertebral hernia, frostbite, arterial, nerve pathologies and much more .
Numbness of the toes
Goosebumps run on your fingers, stabbing, as if with an electric shock. Perhaps you are in one position for a long time, and if you change that position, how it goes. But if there is nocturnal or baseless numbness of the toes, the causes of pain can be signs of the disease. This is varicose veins, and vascular insufficiency, in which swelling appears, atherosclerotic plaques are deposited, the lumen of the vessels is narrowed. As a result, blood runs poorly through the vessels, hence the numbness.
Another loss of sensitivity in the toes is possible when the musculoskeletal system suffers (sciatica, osteochondrosis, etc.). Then the fingertips are numb. However, the main cause may be a pinch nerve infringement (or sciatica). With gout, blood circulation in the joints is disturbed, so there is a loss of sensitivity. Usually only one of the thumbs suffers, but both are possible, albeit rarely.
Numbness in the hands: causes
If the connective tissue or muscles squeezed the neurovascular bundle, this will lead to numbness of the hands. Basically, there are only seven places “for compression” in the body, so the diagnosis is usually made quickly. It happens that the work of the spine is disturbed. In this case, it takes much longer to diagnose.
There is also carpal tunnel syndrome, which occurs most often in the working hand. The position of the brush is the same for a long time, here the tendons and swell. People who, for whatever reason, have been working with a computer for a long time, might think that they fall into the category of people at risk of experiencing this syndrome.
However, persons of working professions, such as a painter, seamstress, driver, even a pianist, can get this syndrome faster than PC-schnicks. At the same time, women are more predisposed to such a disease than men, and people of middle (40 years) and elderly (60 years) age run the risk of facing carpal tunnel syndrome even more.
Treatment
After reading about numbness of the legs (causes), you can choose the treatment yourself, but only if you just need to change your lifestyle. In other circumstances, a visit to the doctor is inevitable.
- Wrong pose - change it. Rub the skin to restore blood circulation as soon as possible. Run more often, do exercises, exercise, dance to your favorite music.
- If there are many symptoms, for example, the leg and arm have lost sensitivity at the same time, then call an ambulance immediately, because this may be the beginning of a stroke.
- It may well be necessary to give up coffee, alcohol, strong tea.
- It is advisable to eat more porridge: buckwheat and oatmeal. They also recommend eating sprouted grain and eating vitamins, especially those with iron.
- Try not to overcool the body in the cold.
- Doctors recommend the use of contrast baths. You need 2 tanks: one has hot water, the other cold. It is necessary for half a minute to lower your legs in one or the other, repeating this 5 times in a row. Do this 2 times a day - in the morning and then in the evening. After the bath you will need turpentine ointment and good warm socks. Ointment you smear your legs, and put on your socks on top.
- Wrapping with honey. It will take a piece of natural fabric and honey. A numbed place is smeared with honey, wrapped in cloth. This is done before going to bed, and in the morning it is washed off with water. Usually 3-4 procedures are enough for numbness to go away.
- You will need a liter of cold water and alcohol: ammonia -10 gr., Camphor - 50 gr. Alcohol is poured into water and mixed. It is applied to the skin before bedtime, massage movements are made for better rubbing.
- Garlic, or rather tincture from it. Take 5 heads, press. Pour garlic into the bottom of the dishes, pour vodka. The tincture should stand in the dark and cool for exactly 2 weeks, while shaking it once a day. Take 2 times a day in the morning and evening for at least a month.
- You will need vegetable fat and granulated sugar in half a cup. They mix, this rubs the numb place. Then they prepare a bath of 2 tsp. sea salt and a liter of warm water. Into the solution, for about 15 minutes. legs fall, after which a terry towel is taken and the skin is thoroughly wiped.
The same applies to the problem of numbness of the toes: the causes, treatment are almost identical. Here are some methods directly for prevention, so that the sensitivity of your fingers is not lost:
- Skis, skates, running ... in a word - sports.
- Camphor ointment is taken . She smears that finger that was numb. After that, a sock is taken and put on a foot. Best done at night.
- Also contrasting bathtubs.
- Rotation and movement of the feet, walking on toes. Try to make all sorts of “pirouettes” in the foot; this can be done to the music.
- Stress ... it must be removed. Watch your favorite movie, sleep, take a walk in the park, call a friend or girlfriend and just chat with them about anything. Do something that will enhance your mood.
In conclusion
Now you know what numbness of the legs is, the causes of why there is a loss of sensation, and you can choose a treatment. Do not let everything drift: maybe it will pass over time. Remember, early prevention is much easier than treating a disease.