Numbness of the lower extremities (legs) - causes and treatment

Why do my legs hurt and what to do if my legs hurt? The fact is that pain is a symptom of trouble. But is the pain in the legs really related directly to the leg, and yes and no, very often the pain in the legs has a characteristic pattern, the pain most often appears in the lying position. These pains are often associated with changes in weather and do not have a specific localization, that is, they can be in one place and after some time move to another place. Often these pains are combined with unusual factors such as seizures. These pains prevent the patient from falling asleep, or patients wake up with pain in their legs. Sometimes these pains are combined with symptoms such as a crawling sensation, tingling, numbness, or, conversely, a feeling of hotness in the leg. Such pains can be located in any part of the leg, they can be in the foot, in the calf muscle, in the thigh, they can be combined with pain that bothers a person in the lumbar spine, in the gluteal muscle. This is precisely where the root of the origin of this kind of pain lies. Of course, such pains, due to their very high frequency and the large number of people in whom they occur, are a very common problem; they are combined with varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, problems associated with inflammation of the joints, skin, inflammation that occurs in the form of erysipelas problems on the leg, but still such pains and their causes are quite specific.

Causes

The skin has nerve endings - receptors. They perceive any irritation: changes in temperature, pressure, position. Then they transmit the signal along the nerve fibers to the spinal cord, from there the nerve impulse goes to the brain, is analyzed and processed. A person realizes exactly what he feels. Next, the brain sends a return signal to perform the action. This process is ongoing automatically. If the conduction of a nerve impulse is disrupted at any level, paresthesia occurs.

How to treat leg pain?

It is impossible to effectively treat pain in the leg without attaching importance to or counteracting the processes of deformation of the bones of the spine. The processes of deformation of the bones of the spine, in turn, indicate a gradual change in the density of bone tissue and the entire musculoskeletal system with age in the patient, that is, these are reflections of the aging of bone tissue. It is extremely important to note here that no treatment for such pain gives a lasting result unless a special scheme is used to restore bone density, returning bone density to a younger, denser state. We have developed a special scheme that allows patients to get rid of these pains; it consists of special drugs that stimulate osteogenesis, which cause bone tissue not to weaken with age, but to strengthen. Such schemes are used for six months and they give excellent results, and if the patient begins to do such preventive treatment early, he does not develop a huge number of diseases that are associated with the aging of the musculoskeletal system. These diseases include, first of all, osteochondrosis of various parts of the spine, deforming arthrosis of the knee joints, hip joints, shoulder joints, arthrosis of the ankle joint, these also include heel spurs. You see a huge collection of diseases that affect an older person, can be ruled out and may never occur. If you pay attention to the first appearance of such pain, and take active measures to eliminate the causes of the development of this pain syndrome. Therefore, we recommend not to delay time if such symptoms appear, in order to figure out exactly what the cause of these pains is, contact our center and we will be able to correctly diagnose you, understand the nature of these pains, and most importantly, prescribe effective treatment for these problems, which will not allow the development of complications and the formation of independent diseases, in the form of arthrosis, osteochondrosis.

Pain in the legs due to problems with the musculoskeletal system

Particularly pronounced pain occurs in patients in cases where similar problems such as osteochondrosis lead to such deformation of the vertebrae that uneven pressure occurs on the intervertebral discs and these discs, squeezing the jelly-like contents of the intervertebral core in a certain direction, put pressure on the nerve roots, and already a herniated disc or Schmorl's hernia appears. Such pain can be unbearable and often lead to atrophy of the leg muscles, and all this can be avoided if, during menopause or even a little earlier, they think about the aging processes of their own musculoskeletal system, because doctors warned them about this possibility. In addition to such pains, there are, of course, pains that are caused by local processes, but as a rule, they are all associated with processes of deformation of the musculoskeletal system, for example, pain in the knee joint, pain in the knee joint is local pain and it occurs due to the fact that bone tissue in the area of ​​the knee joint it is deformed and causes destruction and damage to the cartilage tissue on which the higher-lying bone stands. It is the pressure of the upper bone that leads to the wear and tear of the cartilaginous base on which the bone stands and which is the support of the joint, and this damage to the cartilage causes disturbances in the production of synovial fluid and forms dryness of the joint, which further leads to rapid depletion and destruction of the cartilaginous base of the joint meniscus, most often the internal meniscus, a degenerative rupture of the meniscus occurs; sections of destroyed cartilage begin to float directly in the form of fragments in the joint cavity and interfere with the normal flexion movement of the joint. Thus, such a situation leads to the development of such phenomena as inflammatory synavitis, and such fragments are called cartilaginous mice, and all this actually requires active medical intervention. If these fragments do not appear in large numbers, then naturally the problems of arthrosis can be eliminated by conservative measures, a liquid cartilage implant can be introduced into the joint, improving the structure of one’s own cartilage tissue, but still the basic treatment for all these problems, including arthrosis, is treatment with osteogenesis stimulants, without which it is impossible to expect reliable effective treatment for this problem.

In addition, pain in the legs can be naturally provoked by some local processes, for example, inflammation of the skin in the area of ​​the ulcer, or, for example, neuropathic pain associated with damage to nerve fibers in diabetes mellitus, but this is a separate story and a separate nature of the pain.
To help understand this variety of pain, the variety of problems that arise from damage to the musculoskeletal system, from dilation or constriction of the vessels of the lower extremities, is the task of a specialist, and you need to start with a phlebologist who will help determine the nature of the pain and help outline a rational treatment plan . Often the veins themselves do not cause pain, but when they expand, they can irritate the inflamed nerve fibers. Thus, varicose veins themselves turn into a problem that increases the pain syndrome, which is based on deformation of the bones of the spine. Therefore, as you can see, there are a huge number of problems associated with the aging of the musculoskeletal system, advanced chronic venous insufficiency, venous stagnation in the subcutaneous venous system, the formation of diabetes mellitus and the effect of sugar surges on the nerve fibers in the foot area, all this can lead to various types of pain. syndrome in the legs. Therefore, such a concept as pain in the leg can only be clearly and clearly described by good specialists who have extensive experience in examining the lower extremities. We suggest that you quickly and without wasting time, when such symptoms appear, contact the center and find experienced specialists who can answer the main question, what is the cause of the pain in this leg, then the first step towards treatment will be taken, in the future you can outline a clear a treatment plan that is sure to give results. Depending on the speed of your treatment, the result can either be achieved after one course of treatment, or will require multiple, restorative courses that will last for several months, or even years. Therefore, do not waste time, because you have no other option other than proper treatment to maintain your quality of life normally, come to the center and carry out the necessary examinations. Sign up for a consultation

Numbness of the lower extremities. Physiological reasons

Almost all people experience mild paresthesia. Symptoms develop after prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position and are associated with compression of blood vessels. As a result, tissue nutrition is disrupted, which is manifested by decreased sensitivity, “goosebumps” and tingling. When you change position, the sensations disappear.

This is an occupational pathology of representatives of professions that involve prolonged walking or standing: hairdressers, salespeople, waiters, and, to a lesser extent, teachers, doctors, couriers.

Take care of your feet

If you start listing the factors that affect your health and can cause pain in your legs, the number of them will surprise you. We list only the main ones:

• metabolic disease
• poor nutrition
• overweight
• level of physical activity (both too low and too high)
• lifestyle and nature of work (excessive static load on the legs)
• infectious diseases
• bad habits
• wearing uncomfortable shoes, etc.

From this listing it is clear that it is not always possible to immediately answer the question of why your leg hurts. The combination of various factors causes disruption of the joints, ligaments, muscles or blood vessels and discomfort.

Numbness of the lower extremities (legs). Main reasons

Peripheral neuropathies.

Manifestations depend on the localization of the pathological process. More often one limb is involved.

Table 1. Relationship between the localization of sensations and nerve damage

Polyneuropathy.

Sock-like numbness on both feet. Pregnant neuropathy, alcoholic, inflammatory, metabolic, and toxic are more common.

Dorsopathies

– osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, protrusion, scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, spondylopathies.

Restless legs syndrome:

numbness of the limbs (legs) with severe pain during sleep. A multifactorial disease with a genetic predisposition that forces the patient to move actively at night.

Intermittent claudication.

Paresthesia is accompanied by pain. Appear during movement and disappear after rest.

Spinal injuries.

In mild cases, only numbness occurs, in severe cases - paralysis and paresis.

Vascular diseases.

Atherosclerosis of the aortic bifurcation is manifested by widespread paresthesia of the feet with swelling of the feet. Menkenberg's arteriosclerosis is characterized by numbness of the feet.

Other diseases that can manifest as paresthesia: neurocirculatory dystonia, B vitamin deficiency, hysterical neurosis, carpal tunnel syndrome.

You should immediately consult a doctor if numbness is combined with:

• lethargy, loss of consciousness (even short-term);
• speech, breathing or vision problems;
• sudden difficulty walking;
• loss of control over urination, defecation;
• dizziness;
• numbness of the face, neck, back;
• change in the color of the fingers;
• growing weakness.

What to do when your feet hurt?

Our main recommendation is to see a doctor. Self-diagnosis in this case is contraindicated: the symptoms of a number of diseases are similar, therefore, even following our recommendations, you may incorrectly determine the main cause of discomfort. Only a specialized specialist will find the source of pain and prescribe treatment.

After completing a course of therapy, follow simple rules that will help maintain healthy feet in the future. We are sure that complaints that your legs ache or ache will become a thing of the past.

Wear comfortable shoes. Buy new shoes or boots in the afternoon. At this time, the legs usually swell a little and become wider. If you buy shoes in the evening, then in the future they will not squeeze your feet. It is advisable that the shoes be made from natural materials and have a heel no higher than 5 cm.

Strengthen the blood vessels in your legs. In particular, contrast baths, which can be done 2-3 times a week, will help with this. Keep your feet alternately in warm and cold water, and in warm water a little longer. The cold water temperature should be about 15 degrees.

Use compression stockings.
It is believed that it is needed for the treatment of varicose veins, however, wearing compression hosiery can be an excellent prevention of the development of this disease. Don't forget to wear compression stockings or knee socks if you have a long flight or train trip, and you can also purchase special jersey for sports. Watch your diet. Excess body weight puts a lot of stress on both blood vessels and joints. Losing body weight helps reduce pain if joint pathology has already been diagnosed, and serves as a preventive measure for the development of diseases.

Diagnostics

Anamnestic data are important for diagnosis. The doctor asks the patient in detail about the location and characteristics of paresthesia. This helps to suggest the location of the cause that caused the symptom.

Table 2. Relationship between manifestations and pathology

Instrumental and laboratory research methods:

• electroneurography;
• electromyography;
• radiography;
• Doppler ultrasound;
• CT or MRI;
• blood and urine tests.

The list of diagnostic appointments may vary significantly from patient to patient. It all depends on the severity of the symptoms, the localization of the pathological process, and the presumptive diagnosis.