Leg numbness from the knee to the foot can occur for various reasons.. Some of them do not pose a danger to the body. If the lower limb becomes numb temporarily, due to an uncomfortable posture, you should not worry.. Another thing is if numbness occurs frequently, affects both limbs, there are additional symptoms.. Often such signs indicate a pathology of the spine, a disease of blood vessels or nerves..

Numbness of the lower leg can happen due to an uncomfortable posture, but if it occurs spontaneously and often, you need to see a doctorWhat does the symptom say Numbness (paresthesia) is one of the forms of sensitivity disorders. Paresthesias are characterized by the following features:.

tingling;

goosebumps;

numbness;

burning skin.

These sensations can occur anywhere in the body.. In most cases, they indicate a violation of sensory innervation.. Less often - for circulatory disorders in the affected area. That is, with numbness, one should look for pathology of the nervous tissue, veins or arteries.

Two nerves are responsible for the sensitive innervation of the lower leg:.

Tibial nerve - provides sensation to the back of the leg.

Common peroneal nerve - provides sensation to the anterior and outer surface of the lower leg.

These nerves are paired. If one nerve is affected, symptoms occur only on one side - the right or left leg becomes numb from the knee to the foot. But bilateral lesions are more common..

Numb legs below the knees: reasons Why the lower limbs can go numb? Often this happens due to poor posture, wearing uncomfortable shoes.. In such cases, numbness passes quickly, leaving no consequences.. Less commonly, the legs become numb due to damage to blood vessels and nerves.. The cause may be damage to the peripheral nerves, infringement of the nerve roots, blockage of the arteries.

Non-Disease Causes The most common non-pathological causes of numbness include:.

A posture that leads to clamping of blood vessels in the knee area. For example, cross-legged.

Inappropriate shoes. Tight shoes impair blood circulation, compress nerves. This can lead to numbness in the lower limb..

long walk. A sharp increase in the load on the calf muscles can also lead to numbness..

A feature of these reasons is that the discomfort is short-lived..

Osteochondrosis of the spineTo numbness of the extremities often lead to diseases of the spine - osteochondrosis, disc protrusion, intervertebral hernia. If the pathology is localized in the lumbosacral spine, the lower limbs become numb - thigh, lower leg, toes.

There are other symptoms as well:.

lower back pain that worsens with sudden movements;

pain in the lower extremities;

tingling, burning in the legs.

Paresthesias occur due to infringement of the nerves that are responsible for sensitive innervation..

Neuropathy Often the legs become numb due to damage to the peripheral nerves.. Neuropathy can have a different etiology:.

alcoholic;

diabetic;

due to vitamin B12 deficiency;

with multiple sclerosis.

The causes of the lesion may be different, but the essence is the same - the peripheral nerves cease to perform their functions.. If sensitive nerves are affected, then clinically this is manifested by numbness, tingling, burning, a feeling of crawling, loss of sensitivity. With damage to the motor nerves, other symptoms develop: muscle weakness, paresis and paralysis.

With polyneuropathy, symptoms develop on both sides, unilateral nerve damage is not typical..

AtherosclerosisThe lower limbs 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 blood vessels (atherosclerotic plaques are formed). This leads to narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, deterioration of 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;

paleness and coldness of the skin;

weak pulse.

The level of damage to the limbs depends on which vessel formed atherosclerotic plaques.. Not only the lower leg can become numb, but also the thigh, foot.

Varicose veins Another cause of leg numbness is vein pathology.. Symptom occurs with varicose veins, when venous pressure changes.

Numbness is not the only symptom of varicose veins. The following signs come to the fore:.

leg swelling;

pain along the veins;

feeling of heaviness in the legs;

fatigue;

burning, tingling, swelling.

What to do if the left or right leg becomes numb from the knee to the footTemporary numbness can usually be quickly relieved using simple methods. If the legs go numb due to a neurological or vascular disease, such methods are not enough.. You need to get tested to find the cause.. Only after this treatment is prescribed.

General recommendations If the legs become numb infrequently, it is quite possible to get by with general recommendations. What is recommended to do to get rid of the symptom:.

Change position, get up from a chair and walk. This will improve blood circulation in the lower leg..

Choose comfortable shoes. It is better to choose shoes in the afternoon, as the feet swell more at this time..

Make a foot bath. You can use folk remedies - chamomile, parsley, mint, sea salt. After a warm bath, you can wipe the skin of your feet with an ice cube..

Get a foot and leg massage.

Stretching, doing yoga.

These are effective recommendations that will help get rid of numbness if it is not associated with any disease.. If the cause is a disease of the nerves or blood vessels, following these recommendations is not enough..

Lower leg massage can help with numbness. Both laboratory and instrumental studies can be prescribed.

Research method.

Explanation.

X-ray of the spine in the lumbar region.

Plain radiography is prescribed to detect gross changes in the spine. It is an accessible, but not specific research method.. It allows only 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 the intervertebral hernia.

Dopplerography of the vessels of the extremities.

It is prescribed to assess the state of blood flow in the lower extremities.

Blood chemistry.

With numbness of the legs, tests are prescribed:.

Lipidogram (total cholesterol, high and low density lipoproteins, triglycerides) - to determine dyslipidemia;

blood glucose level - for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

Drug treatment It is necessary to treat numbness, taking into account the cause that caused its appearance. Treatment is selected by the doctor after a comprehensive examination and identification of the underlying disease. Symptomatic treatment is not applied.

Disease.

Treatment Methods.

Osteochondrosis.

Complex treatment:.

Medications. Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers and B vitamins are used.

Physiotherapy. Exercises are aimed at strengthening the muscular corset.

Fixation of the spine. To reduce the load on the spine, it is recommended to wear a special belt.

Massage. Massage relieves muscle tension and reduces pain.

The duration of treatment is from 1 to 3 months.

Intervertebral hernia.

The main method of treatment of intervertebral hernia is surgical intervention.. 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:.

Eating a diet that includes enough polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetables and fruits.

Regular physical activity.

Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.

Medications aimed at normalizing the lipid spectrum. The most commonly used statins are Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin..

Surgical treatment is aimed at restoring blood flow (bypass).

Diabetic polyneuropathy.

Treatment is aimed at normalizing carbohydrate metabolism, preventing complications. The most commonly prescribed insulin therapy, dietary nutrition, less often - oral hypoglycemic drugs.

It is also recommended to select orthopedic shoes, undergo regular examinations by a neurologist. Additionally, polyunsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins are used..

Varicose disease.

Treatment can be medical or surgical, the choice of method depends on the stage of the disease..

Drug treatment consists in the use of venotonics. Additionally, drugs are used to prevent complications - antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants.

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