Toes go numb: the reason and what to do
Toes go numb for various reasons, so do not sound the alarm right away. The cause may be an uncomfortable position while sitting, after which numbness and tingling sensations are felt. But it is important to know if such a state is always harmless in order to take action in time.
Most often, numbness occurs after physical exertion or when a nerve is pinched. It is undesirable to sit in an uncomfortable position for a long time or wear tight shoes.
External causes include calluses and injuries that damage nerve endings.
Numbness appears with such serious health problems:
- osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine;
- diabetes;
- multiple sclerosis;
- Raynaud’s disease;
- vitamin B12 deficiency;
- hormonal disorders;
- dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
- benign formations of the musculoskeletal system;
- atherosclerosis of the lower extremities.
In 90% of cases, numbness appears due to osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Any damage to the small arteries and nerve endings of the limbs leads to loss of sensitivity in the feet.
What to do if your toes go numb
After identifying the reason why your toes go numb, you need to decide what to do. If numbness appears due to an illness, then you should entrust the treatment to a doctor. At home, you can only improve blood flow and relieve tension.
If you feel a strong tingling sensation, your toes become numb, then emergency measures are needed.
Get into a comfortable position, better sit on a chair.
Take off your shoes and move your foot in different directions. Make smooth movements, first up and down, to the sides, then circular rotations. Exercise will improve blood flow.
Make warm footbaths at home. Add pine needles extract to the water. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.
Massage your feet, rub each toe from top to bottom.
Repeat these procedures every evening, and over time, the numbness will go away.
For prevention, use vitamin complexes, wear comfortable shoes, and lead an active lifestyle. Strengthen your muscles with specific exercises whenever possible.
In case of problems with blood vessels and damage to nerve fibers, medications and physiotherapy will help.
If the limbs are numb, see a physician, especially if this problem recurs regularly. After the examination, the doctor will diagnose or refer you for additional consultation to other specialists.
– Aches in muscles and joints, especially arms and legs, are usually associated with internal edema. These are general joint pain, soreness, stiffness, carpal tunnel syndrome (pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in the hand, fingers or forearm), tarsal tunnel syndrome – similar to the carpal, but with discomfort in the lower part and toes. Very often, these unpleasant sensations are a sign of hypothyroidism. That is, malfunctioning of the thyroid gland. It produces three hormones: thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and thyrocalciotonin. Without them, the assimilation of nutrients and the normal functioning of all body systems are impossible. If, for some reason, hormones become too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism), the body begins to give distress signals.