The severity of leg numbness may be greater than you think, pay attention to these disease risks

Real points:

Momentary numbness is a temporary sensory abnormality that can recover quickly. However, long-term or unexplained numbness may be a sign of underlying diseases, including trauma, diabetes, lumbar and sciatic nerve abnormalities, lower limb arterial ischemic disease, tumors, cerebral stroke, etc.

Verifier: Su Lei | Vascular Surgeon

Recently, the topic of "How serious can leg numbness be" has become a hot search on Weibo, and everyone is sharing their experiences of leg numbness. In fact, in addition to leg numbness caused by maintaining a posture for too long in daily life, there are many other causes of leg numbness related to diseases.

Clinically, there are two main departments that are better at treating various lower limb diseases: one is vascular surgery, and the other is orthopedics. The types of diseases also refer to vascular diseases and bone, nerve and other diseases, so doctors in these two specialties often encounter patients with numbness and discomfort in the legs as their main complaint.

Today, Jiuzhen invites Dr. Su from the Department of Vascular Surgery to give everyone some knowledge related to leg numbness.

1. Momentary numbness is a temporary paresthesia that can be recovered quickly

There are many diseases that cause leg numbness, but the most common cause is excessive force applied to the nerve fibers of the lower limbs or nerve ischemia. For example, when we hit the table with our elbows, we occasionally feel a momentary numbness in our hands and a sense of discharge. This numbness is because the nerves are instantly compressed by external forces and then perceive a strong stimulation signal.

If you squat or sit for a long time, your legs will become uncontrollable when you stand up, and you will suddenly feel tingling, numbness and heat in your legs, which will take a long time to get better. The reason behind this is that the arteries supplying the lower limbs are compressed. When you change your posture, the blood flow will be restored and the numbness will disappear.

2. Long-term unexplained numbness may indicate an underlying disease

Momentary numbness is a temporary sensory abnormality that can be quickly resolved, but long-term or unexplained numbness may be a sign of an underlying disease.

The most common causes of numbness in the legs and feet are:

1. Trauma

Injuries to the trunk, spine, hips, legs, ankles, and feet can put pressure on the nerves and cause numbness in the feet and legs.

2. Diabetes

Some people with diabetes develop a condition called diabetic neuropathy, which can also cause numbness in the feet, sometimes described by patients as a sock-like sensation.

3. Abnormalities of the lumbar spine and sciatic nerve

Lumbar disc or spinal stenosis is caused by compression of nerve fibers by the intervertebral disc, lumbar bones and surrounding soft tissues after they are emitted from the spinal cord, resulting in numbness or sensory impairment.

As the sciatic nerve runs from the waist to the lower limbs, it may be irritated or compressed at certain locations, causing numbness or tingling in the legs or feet.

There are also some nerve compression diseases in the foot and ankle that can also cause numbness, but the difference in the compression location will produce different numb areas.

4. Ischemic lower limb arterial disease

Lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans, the disease with the highest incidence rate, is caused by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which leads to stenosis and occlusion of lower limb arteries, and then to chronic ischemia of the limbs. People with moderate to severe chronic ischemia of the lower limbs will feel pain and cramps in the legs and buttocks when walking or going upstairs, and will also experience numbness and weakness in the legs.

Acute lower limb arterial embolism refers to the detachment of emboli from the heart or proximal arterial wall, blocking arterial blood flow and causing limb ischemia. It develops rapidly and numbness and tingling in the limbs will appear in the early stage. If not treated promptly, it will lead to loss of sensation, limb necrosis, amputation and even life-threatening consequences in a short period of time.

5. Tumor

Various benign or malignant tumors, or cysts, can also cause numbness and discomfort if they compress nerves or blood vessels during their growth.

6. Drinking

Alcohol can cause nerve numbness, especially in the feet. Chronic or excessive drinking can also cause nerve damage, which can cause numbness in the legs.

7. Stroke

If a stroke causes damage to the brain, it will affect the brain's processing of external signals and sometimes cause temporary or long-term numbness in parts of the body.

8. Psychological factors

Psychological factors can also affect the body's senses. I have encountered this situation in clinical practice. A man under 30 years old had no discomfort in his legs before. He accidentally found some red blood on his calves. He was worried that it was varicose veins, which might lead to leg ulcers. As a result, he became anxious and felt discomfort, fatigue, and numbness in his legs, which even affected his sleep. After visiting the vascular surgery department, it was found that it was not typical varicose veins, but only capillary dilation. The patient then relaxed, and the numbness in his legs disappeared.

This condition is clinically known as somatic neurological disorder. Patients may experience discomfort throughout the body, such as chest pain, breathlessness, numbness in the hands and feet, and numbness in the tongue. This feeling will be relieved when the pressure is relatively low. Similar conditions are not uncommon in clinical practice, and diagnosis requires caution.

3. What should I do if my legs are numb?

Correctly identifying the cause of the disease is the basis for correct treatment.

Since there are many different reasons behind leg numbness, the first thing to do is to distinguish the causes of leg numbness and the types of diseases, and then treat them accordingly according to different diseases to achieve better results.

For patients who have ruled out common diseases that cause leg numbness and do have psychological stress, it is necessary to understand the patient's disease process and history. If necessary, ask a psychologist to assist in diagnosis and treatment.

Sometimes, some patients describe numbness in their legs, but in fact they feel weak and swollen. Therefore, doctors need to fully communicate with patients and then draw accurate conclusions.

Editor of this article: yhxi