Do you sometimes feel numbness in one or both your feet? Are you wondering what the cause could be and what you can do to help with the pain? I will give you some reassurance on the topic.
As a diagnostic radiographer I have seen patients ask questions about numbness in the feet. I have experienced numbness in my feet myself on so many accessions.
For this reason I was inclined to seek more information about the causes of numbness in the feet and what to do about it.
I consulted some of the doctors at my NHS hospital who are experts in this area. And they were able to contribute their expert knowledge to this article.
Also, I have relied on medical studies published worldwide on the topic (references at the end of the article).
In this article, we will explore the common causes of numbness in the feet, what you can do to relieve the discomfort and when to seek medical advice.
Happy reading!😃
Any questions? remarks? Let’s meet in the comments section at the end of this article.🙏
Last updated: May 2024. Written by Juliet Semakula a diagnostic radiographer
Special thanks goes to Dr Emmanuel .S who contributed to this article.
Disclaimer: no affiliate links.
Summary: Numbness in your feet may be because of a temporary medical problem or it may be a symptom of a chronic condition. While sensation loss is the main symptom of numbness in your foot, you may experience some additional, abnormal sensations such as prickling, pins and needles, tingling and weak feet feeling.
Basics:
What do we understand by the word ‘Numbness’ in our general language?
Numbness describes a loss of feeling in a part of the body or sensation in any area of your body. In medical language numbness is called ‘Paraesthesia’.
▶️ What could be the cause of numbness in the feet?
I will help you better identify possible causes behind the numbness in the feet based on various signs you may have. But remember the list can be endless these may not be the only causes of numbness in your feet.
Cause 1: Excessive Alcohol consumption
Alcohol is not bad as a drink because some people do enjoy it. However, people who drink heavily on a regular basis are at risk of developing tingling sensation (numbness) in their feet.
This happens when alcohol has damaged the peripheral nerves which connect the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, limbs, and sensory organs. Through the peripheral nerves, the brain can control the body and receive sensory information.
When alcohol is responsible for damage to the peripheral nerves, you will develop alcoholic neuropathy which may lead to numbness in the feet.
Cause 2: Spinal cord injury
After a spinal cord injury, you may experience changes in sensation such as numbness and/or tingling in your feet.
After the injury sometimes, you may report feeling numbness since the nerves responsible for sending sensory signals to the brain are often damaged or disrupted.
Cause 3: Sciatica
Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of a medical problem. It is not a medical condition by itself.
When you go to the doctor you may be told you have Neuropathy – sciatic nerve, Sciatic nerve dysfunction, Low back pain sciatica, Lumbar radiculopathy sciatica these are all alternative names having the same meaning of the word sciatica.
Cause 4: Inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis).
Vasculitis involves inflammation of the blood vessels. The inflammation can cause the walls of the blood vessels to thicken, which reduces the width of the passageway through the vessel. If blood flow is restricted, it can result in organ and tissue damage.
Some types of vasculitis can cause numbness or weakness in the foot.
Cause 5: Narrowing of arteries supplying the lower limbs (peripheral artery disease).
The arteries which supply blood to the leg originate from the aorta and iliac vessels.
The narrowing of these arteries can cause a decrease in blood flow. That can cause numbness in the feet and muscle pain in the thighs, calves or feet.
Cause 6: Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation, or balance.
Numbness of the face, body, arms, feet or legs is one of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Cause 7: Herniated vertebral (slipped disc)
Our spine is composed of vertebrae discs. These discs are made up of a jelly-like substance and act as cushions for your spine. when a slipped disc occurs when all or part of a disc is forced through a weakened part of the spine. This may place pressure on nearby nerves or the spinal cord.
Some common symptoms of a herniated are Pain that occurs on one side of the body. Sharp pain in one part of the leg, hip, or buttocks or numbness on the back of the calf or sole of the foot.
Cause 8:Diabetic neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy develops when nerves in the body’s extremities, such as the hands, feet, and arms, are damaged.
Diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy. Half of all people with diabetes will develop neuropathy.
The nerves of the feet are most affected by diabetic neuropathy. The feet are usually numb, and you may experience significant discomfort and pain at times. (Ward 1986)
Cause 9: Sitting for long.
Sometimes when you sit for long, there is compression of the nerves that supply the lower limbs. Prolonged compression of the nerves leads to numbness in the feet.
Furthermore, prolonged sitting limits blood flow to the lower limbs which can cause pins and needles. When you stand and circulation returns, sensation is returned to the feet.
Remember the list is not exhaustive, in our medical world and there are so many diseases that can lead to numbness in any part of the body. So always seek medical advice for any kind of numbness if you need to.
▶️When should you be worried about numbness in your feet.
Firstly, numbness in your feet that follows an injury to your back, neck or head should be treated as an emergency.
Other associated symptoms that may indicate that you need immediate medical assessment include:
🟠Confusion.
🟠Word finding difficulties.
🟠Incontinence of urine or stool.
🟠Severe headache
🟠Difficulty in breathing.
Another equally important point is the speed at which the numbness develops, and number of areas involved.
If numbness develops within minutes or hours as opposed to weeks to months and involves multiple areas of your body, then immediate medical attention should be sought.
▶️Is numbness in the feet related to the heart?
Although not directly related to the heart, numbness in the feet can point towards a risk to your heart if you are living with diabetes.
Numbness can be due to diabetic neuropathy. This damage to nerves in the feet is due to long term poor diabetes control.
If your diabetes control has been sub-optimal, this also increases your risk of heart attack.
So it’s important to improve your blood glucose control which will help to improve nerve structure and function (Ward 1986)
▶️What are the risks of numb feet?
Loss of sensation in your feet increases your risk of cuts and wounds to your feet. In people living with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, these wounds take a relatively longer time to heal compared to other people.
In addition, numb feet increase your risk of trips and falls. This is because your brain may fail to know where your feet are which complicates coordination of your movement and balance resulting in falls risk.
If you have foot pain, numbness, and/or tingling, it is important to consider a broad differential diagnosis of both neuropathic and non neuropathic conditions, including focal and systemic causes.
(Del ,2018)
▶️What symptoms to look for that are associated with numbness in the feet?
Having numbness in your feet means that you lose sensation in your feet. The problem can be in just one foot but can often involve both feet depending on the cause.
Numbness means you lose sensation to touch but sometimes this may affect your balance because you may struggle to feel the position of your feet on the ground.
Additional symptoms that may be experienced with a numb foot include.
🟡Sensation of pins and needles.
🟡Tingling or pricking sensation.
🟡Weak-feeling foot or feet.
🟡Burning and extreme tightness.
🟡Itching and cramping of feet.
🟡Freezing sensations combined with numbness in the legs, feet and toes.
▶️Why is the numbness in one foot and not the other?
The cause of numbness dictates whether one or both feet would be involved. Some causes result in strictly one foot involvement but others can cause either one foot or both feet to be affected.
Some nerve damage that can lead to sciatica, tarsal tunnel syndrome, or a fibular nerve injury can cause numbness to only one side or both.
▶️How is the numbness of the feet treated?
The treatment of numbness will depend on the cause.
There may be a role of surgery if the cause is trauma or compression to the nerves as they leave the spinal cord in the back.
In people drinking excessive alcohol, numbness could be because of deficiency of micro nutrients like vitamin B12 or thiamine. Your doctor will assess these deficiencies and replace them accordingly.
Seeking help to cut down on the amount of alcohol will also go a long way to mitigate the cause.
Some causes of numbness may require assessment by a neurologist and specific treatment targeting inflammation of the nerves may be warranted.
For individuals with chronic numbness, it is important to reduce the risks of cuts/wounds as well as trips and falls.
Involvement of the physiotherapist is key. Their role would be to work with you in designing an exercise program that would improve the blood flow to the nerves involved as well as to improve your balance.
▶️What are the top tips for those with numb feet?
A visit to the podiatrist at least once a year would be a good idea and your doctor is likely to recommend it.
Below are things you could do to minimise complications associated with numbness.
🟩Check your feet daily including in between your toes for cuts, wounds, infection.
🟩Ensure you inspect the soles of your feet- use a mirror if it helps with the inspection.
🟩Avoid dry feet- use moisturisers if required to keep the feet well hydrated!
🟩Promptly seek medical attention if you are diabetic and you notice a wound on your feet.
🟩Ensure your shoes are well fitting and fully protect your entire foot. Inspect them before you put them on to ensure there are no stones or objects that can injure your feet.
🟩Soak in warm water or try an Epsom salt bath.
🟩Avoid smoking and excessive drinking.
🟩Try compression socks some people say it helps.
🟩Stay active-take walks to increase blood flow to your feet.
🟩Resting and massaging your feet is important.
🟩Hot or cold therapy, and using supportive devices.
I have come to the end of this article ,I hope I have answered some of the common questions about numbness in the feet.
I wish you a quick recovery.🙋
📚Source:
Kaplan PW, Kerr DA, Conwit RA. Weak and numb feet in a man with knobby hands. Arch Neurol. 2000 Feb;57(2):271. doi: 10.1001/archneur.57.2.271. PMID: 10681088.
Ward JD. Diabetic neuropathies. Current concepts in prevention and treatment.Drugs.1986 Sep;32(3):279-89.doi: 10.2165/00003495-198632030-00004. PMID: 3530705.
Tay JS, Kim YJ. Efficacy of moxibustion in diabetes peripheral neuropathy.Medicine(Baltimore). 2021 Dec 10;100(49):e28173. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000028173.PMID: 34889293; PMCID: PMC8663870.
Del Toro D, Nelson PA. Guiding Treatment for Foot Pain. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2018 Nov;29(4):783-792. doi: 10.1016/j.pmr.2018.06.012. Epub 2018 Sep 14. PMID: 30293631.
Liyew WA. Clinical Presentations of Lumbar Disc Degeneration and Lumbosacral Nerve Lesions. Int J Rheumatol. 2020 Aug 29;2020:2919625. doi: 10.1155/2020/2919625. PMID: 32908535; PMCID: PMC7475751.