A person may feel numbness in their legs and feet due to sitting in a position that puts too much pressure on the nerves or reduces blood flow. However, long-lasting or unexplained numbness may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
Long-term numbness or a tingling feeling in the legs and feet may be due to conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or fibromyalgia. The sensation may be felt in the whole leg, below the knee, or in different areas of the foot.
Posture:
Postural habits that put pressure on nerves or reduce blood flow in the lower limbs are the most common cause of temporary numbness in the legs and feet. Many people say their leg has “fallen asleep,” and the medical term is transient (temporary) paresthesia.
Habits that can cause the feet and legs to fall asleep include:
crossing the legs for too long
sitting or kneeling for long periods
sitting on the feet
wearing pants, socks, or shoes that are too tight
Injury
Injuries to the torso, spine, hips, legs, ankles, and feet can put pressure on nerves and cause the feet and legs to go numb.
Diabetes
Some people with diabetes develop a type of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy can cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the feet, and if severe, the legs as well.
Lower back issues and sciatica
Problems in the lower back, such as a breakdown or herniation of spinal discs, can cause compression of the nerves going to the legs, leading to numbness or sensory disturbances.
Sciatica is the name for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back to the legs. If this nerve becomes irritated or compressed, a person may experience numbness or tingling in their legs or feet.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome occurs when a nerve that runs down the back of the leg and along the inside of the ankle and into the foot is compressed, squeezed, or damaged.
The tarsal tunnel is a narrow space on the inside of the ankle. People with tarsal tunnel syndrome tend to feel numbness, burning, tingling, and shooting pain in their ankles, heels, and feet.
Peripheral artery disease
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) causes the peripheral blood arteries in the legs, arms, and stomach to narrow, reducing the amount of blood they can pump and reducing blood flow. The legs are one of the most common parts of the body impacted by PAD.
Most people with PAD experience pain and cramping in their legs and hips when they are walking or going upstairs. Some people with PAD also experience leg numbness and weakness.
Symptoms of PAD typically go away after a few minutes of rest.
Tumors or other abnormal growths
Tumors, cysts, abscesses, and benign (non-cancerous) growths can put pressure on the brain, spinal cord, or any part of the legs and feet. This pressure can restrict blood flow to the legs and feet, causing numbness.
Alcohol use
The toxins in alcohol can cause nerve damage that is associated with numbness, especially in the feet.
Chronic or excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to nerve damage that causes numbness. This type of nerve damage is linked to reduced levels of B vitamins, such as B-1 (thiamine), B-9 (folate), and B-12, which is caused by excessive alcohol intake.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic or long-lasting condition that causes widespread body pain, aching, and tenderness. Some people with fibromyalgia also experience numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.
Most people with fibromyalgia experience a variety of symptoms including:
stiffness and soreness for no apparent reason, especially in the morning or after sleeping
chronic exhaustion
memory problems and difficulty thinking clearly, sometimes called fibro-fog
restless leg syndrome
Almost everyone with fibromyalgia experiences symptoms in more than one part of their body for at least 3 months at a time. If numbness in the legs and feet is not accompanied by any other symptoms or is not long-term, it is unlikely to be caused by fibromyalgia.
Multiple sclerosis
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience sensory nerve damage that can cause numbness in a small region of their body or whole limbs. Although numbness associated with MS often only lasts for a short period, it can last long enough to become disabling.
Stokes and mini-strokes
Strokes or mini-strokes can cause brain damage that may affect how the mind interprets and processes nerve signals. A stroke or mini-stroke can sometimes cause temporary or long-term numbness in parts of the body.
what patient teaching would you plan to offer this patient to prevent further injury secondary to...
Create a nursing plan of care for patient with high ammonia level. What would you assess? What are the goals for the patient? What nursing interventions are appropriate for this patient? How would you evaluate the effectiveness of your interventions? What patient teaching will you include to prevent increase ammonia level and to prevent its complications?
What should initial nursing management of the ankle involve to prevent further swelling and injury to the ankle
how would you modify your teaching plan based upon your patient input?
PATIENT TEACHING PLAN ON MEGESTROL ACETATE ( GIVEN FOR TREATMENT OF LOSS OF APPETITE) Directions: Teaching Plan is worth 100 points. Each clinical will required a Patient Teaching Plan(s) as denoted on Required Paperwork Form in meeting clinical guidelines. Please refer to your clinical faculty member for specifics regarding patient selection and delivery. PATIENT INFORMATION - 40 YEAR OLD MALE , TRACH IN PLACE, MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS - PNEUMONIA, ACUTE RESPIRATORY FAILURE, ABDOMINAL SEPSIS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, HTN. Assessment ( 20...
What is the priority nursing intervention for an older patient with chronic hyperparathyroidism? A: Prevent injury B: Encourage fluids C: Encourage small frequent meals D: Administer pain medications as ordered Which statement by a client post bariatric surgery demonstrates more teaching is needed about self-care management at home prior to discharge? A: I will eat six small meals daily B: I will limit my fluids to 1000 ml a day C: I will drink fluids after I eat D: I...
develop a teaching plan for a patient with a Chronic Health condition (COPD). for your teaching plan, you will then write a 3-4 page. paper describing your work. Method: Identify a patient with a chronic health condition.(COPD) Identify 1 (one) specific measurable patient learning need. What is it that the patient needs to know or needs to be able to do? Be sure to be specific. Identify 3 (three) measurable, behavioral objectives for the teaching plan. Determine what you...
Design a teaching plan for parents regarding measures for injury prevention. Make sure you include the nursing process steps (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation)
Design a teaching plan for parents regarding measures for injury prevention. Make sure you include the nursing process steps (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation
what are ways to re-evaluate patient understanding and compliance with the teaching plan with the patient who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis? please give a reference
You must develop a detailed teaching plan with an emphasis on self-management. Be sure to include a collaborative suggestion for another professional who would be involved in the teaching plan. Inclusion of culture, client developmental level, and socioeconomic factors should be considered. A nine-year-old male patient with newly diagnosed type one diabetes. You are caring for this child and his parents in the pediatric unit and need to provide essential teaching related to diabetes so the patient can be discharged...