Numbness of the lower extremities is a common symptom that can be present in patients of different genders and absolutely any age. It can occur at any time of the day, but most often the limbs begin to go numb at the moment when a person falls into deep sleep.
There are many causes of numbness. Moreover, it often indicates the presence of a problem not only in the legs, but also in the circulatory, nervous or skeletal system of the body. That is why, if unpleasant sensations occur frequently or are of high intensity, it is recommended to visit a doctor.
As a rule, pathological numbness of the extremities is accompanied not only by loss of sensitivity, but also by other symptoms indicating a malfunction of the body.
Most often, numbness in the legs is combined with the following symptoms:
If the cause of numbness is serious disorders in the body, then these symptoms may be supplemented by:
Most people are afraid of numbness. Especially if it occurs several times in a row. In this case, many stories of serious illnesses in which this symptom was present immediately come to mind. Why do my legs go numb, and should I be afraid of it?
Numbness often occurs as a result of compression of nerve nodes or blood vessels after a person has been in one position for a long time. In severe cases, the limb not only becomes numb, but also moves worse or is completely paralyzed for several minutes. However, after changing the position, the person begins to feel a tingling sensation, after which sensitivity and mobility return. To speed up this process, the patient can perform a light foot massage on his own.
Through the bloodstream, nutrients reach absolutely all tissues in the body, including those that make up the lower limbs. That is why the first symptom of circulatory problems is often numbness of the limbs. There are many pathologies that lead to a similar effect. The most common of these is deep vein thrombosis. With this disease, blood clots form in the veins, as a result of which the blood cannot circulate normally and stagnates in the legs.
In addition to numbness of the limbs during thrombosis, patients also note a change in the shade of the skin (as a rule, they turn blue) and their peeling. Treatment of thrombosis is quite complex. It should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a specialist. Most often, to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, patients are prescribed blood thinning medications, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatory drugs. To quickly eliminate unpleasant symptoms, your doctor may recommend wearing compression garments.
In addition to thrombosis, numbness of the extremities can be caused by obliterating endarteritis, a disease in which the lumen of blood vessels and arteries is greatly reduced, as a result of which blood circulation slows down. In this case, patients note not only numbness of the limbs, but also their cooling. Treatment of this pathology consists of taking medications, blood thinners and antispasmodics. Numbness in the legs during sleep can also occur due to Raynaud's syndrome, a pathology in which the patient experiences severe vasospasm, which also leads to poor circulation. The essence of treatment for Raynaud's syndrome is to take medications that relieve vasospasm and dilate them.
In addition, the cause of numbness may be a disruption of the heart. In this case, the heart may simply not cope with its function, which is why blood will not flow to the limbs in sufficient quantities.
Sometimes numbness is caused by a simple lack of vitamins and minerals, especially a deficiency of cyanocobalamin, due to which metabolic processes occur in the nervous system. Treatment of numbness of the limbs during sleep in this case consists of taking vitamin and mineral complexes selected by the doctor.
The spinal trunk contains a huge number of nerve fibers. Sometimes some of these fibers can be compressed, which will inevitably lead to numbness of the extremities (and not only the legs, but also the arms can become numb). Quite often, numbness appears due to a herniated spine or displacement of the vertebrae. Sometimes numbness in the legs indicates oncological processes in the spine (as the tumor grows, it compresses the nerves and causes various disorders).
Treatment of numbness in this case will depend entirely on what changes in the spine caused the numbness. However, in most cases it is limited to therapeutic massage and taking medications (chondroprotectors, anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers).
In this case, numbness does not occur in the entire leg, but only in a certain area of it (for example, only the foot or the area above the knee becomes numb). Quite often, the cause of such numbness is polyneuritis, an infectious disease in which nerve endings are damaged due to intoxication. In addition to numbness, polyneuritis may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
Treatment of polyneuritis consists of eliminating the cause of the disease. To quickly restore the body, the patient is recommended to remain in bed and undergo physiotherapeutic procedures.
In addition to polyneuritis, the cause of numbness can be neuropathy, a disease in which various pathological and degenerative processes occur in the patient’s nerve fibers. The causes of neuropathy may include poor circulation, viral or infectious lesions, and intoxication. Among the most common symptoms of this disease are numbness, weakness of the limbs and impaired motor function. The essence of treatment for neuropathy is the use of medications and physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, laser treatment, massage).
Women often experience severe numbness in their lower extremities for the first time during pregnancy. This phenomenon is a direct consequence of hormonal changes. It is the change in hormonal balance that leads to the retention of excess fluid, which is why the legs begin to go numb and numb.
Sometimes severe swelling can cause gestosis in pregnant women. This condition in pregnant women requires special attention, because it can cause labor ahead of schedule. In addition, the reason for numbness in the legs of pregnant patients may be improper blood circulation, because in this case the volume of circulating blood increases greatly and the woman’s body does the work for two.
Treatment of numbness in pregnant women may be required if this phenomenon occurs regularly and is combined with dizziness and pain in the extremities. If the numbness is mild and occurs rarely, there is no need to worry. After the baby is born, the unpleasant symptoms will disappear on their own.
For example, from the group of taxanes, which are used to treat cancer (they stop the division of cancer cells). It is worth saying that in this case, numbness can be combined with nausea, vomiting and abnormal bowel movements.
To find out the exact causes of the pathology, the patient is recommended to do the following as soon as possible:
In addition, the doctor must conduct a conversation with the patient, during which he finds out the accompanying symptoms and finds out after which numbness began to occur and how often it recurs.
In addition, the patient is prescribed a general and biochemical blood test (helps to assess hormonal levels and the level of vitamins in the body). In some cases, an additional urine test may be prescribed.
To assess the condition of blood vessels, it is necessary to perform duplex scanning, as well as angiography. These studies will help detect blockage of blood vessels, their pathological narrowing and other negative changes at the initial stages.
Based on this, we can conclude that the exact causes of numbness in the legs can only be determined by a qualified specialist, and only after a thorough examination.
Even if the underlying disease that caused the numbness is eliminated, relapses of numbness can still recur after some time. To prevent this, experts recommend:
If the numbness still recurs, you should consult a doctor. Otherwise, lack of treatment can lead to serious complications.
When legs become numb during sleep, a person cannot fully rest and recover during the night. This situation leads to the fact that numbness of the limbs reduces the patient’s quality of life. The sensation of “crawling”, as well as discomfort in the legs, can be associated with a large number of possible causes, ranging from an uncomfortable position in bed to severe vascular damage. In this regard, if a person goes to bed and his legs become numb during sleep, he should immediately seek medical help from a doctor. A specialist doctor will examine the patient, select additional examination methods and, based on this, choose an effective treatment.
Numbness in the legs during sleep can be caused by various reasons.
Why do children and adults' legs go numb during sleep? As a rule, such sensations in the right or left leg are associated with impaired blood flow through the vessels of the lower extremities and compression of nerve formations. There are a number of factors that can lead to numbness at night without the patient having any underlying medical conditions.
The most common causes of numbness in the limbs are uncomfortable posture or sleeping clothes.
An uncomfortable sleeping position can cause numbness in your arms and legs.
In addition to these reasons, the legs may go numb after sleep as a result of the patient having various diseases. Most often, this situation occurs in the following situations.
Only the attending physician can answer the question of why legs become numb during sleep. Such a variety of possible causes complicates the process of diagnosis and subsequent selection of therapy.
When the patient knows that the leg could become numb due to maintaining an uncomfortable body position for a long time, then there is no reason to worry and go to a medical facility. However, if such a symptom occurs every night, then it is necessary to consult with your doctor for proper diagnosis. What needs to be done to make a correct diagnosis? There is a special diagnostic algorithm.
Performing an ultrasound scan of the vessels of the lower extremities
A specialist doctor must diagnose and interpret examination results in children, adults or during pregnancy. Under no circumstances should you try to do this yourself and select treatment. Such an approach can lead to further progression of the disease and the development of its complications.
As a rule, therapy depends entirely on the original cause and consists of two approaches: non-drug and drug.
Non-drug interventions are the most important part of effective treatment.
The non-drug approach involves changing a person's lifestyle. Each patient, in the absence of contraindications, should exercise regularly, selecting an adequate level of stress. The easiest way to do this is as part of special physical therapy groups at hospitals. Massage also has a good effect, as it improves the nutrition of soft tissues and prevents the occurrence of swelling. A person needs to give up bad habits (abuse of alcoholic beverages and smoking), as they disrupt the regulation of vascular tone and can lead to numbness of the limbs.
The therapeutic exercise program is individual and is developed separately for each patient.
Drug therapy is based on treating the main reason why legs go numb during sleep:
The selection of medications should always be carried out by a doctor. Only he can assess the patient’s indications and contraindications for a particular drug.
Why do my legs go numb in my sleep? There are extremely many reasons for the appearance of this symptom, however, timely access to a medical institution allows you to quickly make the correct diagnosis and select effective treatment. In no case should you self-medicate, due to the possible progression of the underlying disease, the development of its complications or side effects from the medications used.
Good sleep is very valuable for our body. But at times, rest can be disrupted by unpleasant sensations when your arms and legs go numb during sleep. In medicine, this condition is called paresthesia. In most cases, it is associated with poor circulation in the extremities, but other causes are also possible. Let's figure out why this happens and what the numbness may be associated with, and also find out how dangerous it is and when you should see a doctor.
Typically, numbness of the limb is accompanied by other unpleasant sensations, including:
If serious disorders lead to paresthesia, the following will be added to the feeling of numbness:
A condition where numbness in the limbs occurs during sleep can frighten anyone. Especially if it is repeated regularly. Let's look at the possible reasons.
An arm or leg can become numb due to prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position, when blood vessels and nerve endings are compressed. In difficult cases, a person may completely lose sensation in this limb for several minutes. Gradually, after changing the position, the discomfort disappears and sensitivity returns.
To quickly relieve numbness, you can give a light massage to the affected arm or leg.
It is the uncomfortable position during deep sleep that is the main cause of discomfort in the child’s legs.
The circulatory system delivers oxygen and nutrients to absolutely all tissues of the body. A sign of failure in her work is often a feeling of numbness. It is caused by pathologies associated with circulatory disorders:
Limbs may become numb due to a lack of certain vitamins or minerals. Vitamins B6, B12 and zinc are especially important for the body in this regard, which ensure metabolic processes occurring in the nervous system. Treatment consists of taking a vitamin-mineral complex.
Unpleasant sensations in the arms or legs, caused by compression of the nerve endings coming out of the spine, can disturb sleep. This may be a consequence of the development of osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, or displacement of the vertebrae. Additional symptoms are neck pain, headaches.
For treatment, the doctor may prescribe massage, chondroprotectors, painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications. For complex pathologies, surgery will be required.
A stiff finger, palm or foot may be evidence of polyneuritis, an infectious disease. Pathology leads to damage to nerve endings due to intoxication of the body.
Another reason is neuropathy, or damage to nerve fibers associated with degenerative processes in the body. Therapy will consist of taking medications prescribed by a doctor and physiotherapy.
The following pathologies can also provoke numbness and numbness of the limbs:
For many women, a feeling of numbness in the limbs first occurs during pregnancy. Doctors attribute this to an increase in blood volume and hormonal changes in the body, which causes fluid to accumulate in the extremities.
Typically, no treatment is required. After childbirth, the condition should return to normal.
The exception is situations when numbness is accompanied by dizziness, pain in the arms and legs, and the limbs become very swollen. You should immediately report such symptoms to your gynecologist.
Limbs may cramp at night due to the effects of certain medications. Typically, this side effect is caused by taxanes used in the treatment of cancer. In this case, in addition to numbness, the patient will be bothered by nausea and stool disturbances.
To understand why the patient’s limbs become numb or even dead, the doctor will prescribe a series of examinations:
During the visit, the doctor should find out:
The patient will also have to donate blood for a biochemical analysis to determine the level of hormones and other indicators of the body’s functioning. Angiography is used to diagnose the condition of blood vessels.
The doctor will decide what to do after a comprehensive examination and identification of the main cause of discomfort. It is important to remember that any medicine can only be prescribed by a specialist.
To sleep peacefully at night, you need to follow simple rules:
If, even after following all the recommendations, discomfort continues to bother you, you should consult a doctor. Numbness of the limbs can be a consequence of a dangerous disease, so it is important to identify it in time and begin treatment.
Numbness of the feet can manifest itself in the form of loss of sensitivity and flexibility of the limb. The answer to the question of why your feet go numb may be ambiguous. There are quite a few reasons, and they should be discussed in more detail.
So, why do my feet go numb and how can this manifest itself? Numbness of the feet is manifested by a burning sensation, a feeling of tightness and tingling, and in some cases, pain.
The combination of these symptoms is associated with a disruption in the path of nerve impulses from skin receptors to brain structures as a result of compression or injury to the nerve. Sometimes numbness is not pathological in nature - when a person lies in an uncomfortable position during sleep. Then the symptom goes away quite quickly when the posture changes.
Numbness of the left and right legs is still more often of a pathological nature. Quite often it manifests itself in osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernias, as well as other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, numbness of the feet is caused by diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. In order to understand what to do with numbness, it is necessary to correctly determine the cause of the unpleasant symptom. Your doctor will help you do this.
The foot becomes numb more often in middle-aged patients. In this case, symptoms are observed both on both feet, and on one, when the left leg goes numb in isolation or the right leg goes numb.
If a symptom begins to occur regularly, this is a serious reason to immediately consult a doctor. You should not try to correct foot numbness on your own, the causes of which are unclear. This can significantly worsen the condition.
If your feet are numb, there may be various reasons. Perhaps this is how some disease makes itself known, and sometimes bad habits. Smoking and alcohol abuse invariably provokes numbness in the left or right foot, or both.
So, why does the foot of the left or right foot go numb? There are a number of the most common reasons that provoke the appearance of this symptom:
Thus, there are quite a few possible causes of numbness in the feet. In order for foot numbness treatment to be effective, you must consult a doctor. He can make the correct diagnosis, prescribe the correct course of therapy and give recommendations regarding lifestyle changes.
The causes and treatment of foot numbness are closely interrelated. In order to get rid of an unpleasant symptom, you need to identify the provoking pathology and determine how to treat it.
Numb feet are not the safest symptom. As already discussed, it can be a signal of serious pathologies that require timely and proper treatment. Therefore, if cases of numbness recur regularly, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Doctors whose consultations are required are a neurologist and an orthopedist. They take steps to determine the cause of the symptom. For this purpose the following studies are carried out:
According to the results of instrumental studies, the provoking disease is determined and the correct course of therapeutic correction is prescribed.
Treatment may include the following:
The appropriateness of a particular method of therapy is determined by a specialist. The most effective combination of several techniques, that is, complex treatment. It is important to pay attention to the treatment of the underlying pathology, especially if it is severely chronic, as in the case of diabetes mellitus.
In order to prevent the occurrence of this symptom, it is important to follow these recommendations:
For mild numbness, the use of traditional medicine is allowed. Honey wraps and tinctures based on medicinal plants for preparing compresses are useful.
If you need to stay in one position for a long time in the process of professional activity, it is important to sometimes take breaks for simple exercises and short-term rest of the feet. This applies to those people who work standing or sitting for a long time.
If you follow simple recommendations, the likelihood of your feet becoming numb will significantly decrease. Taking care of yourself is the key to good health for many years.
It is important to see a doctor if symptoms of numbness occur. If your feet are numb, the causes and treatment are in any case connected, and only a professional will determine what pathological condition provoked this symptom. The doctor will prescribe the correct course of treatment, and his recommendations should be strictly followed.
Numbness of the hands (or paraesthesia in medical terms) is a fairly common feeling of discomfort that manifests itself mainly at night. Its main symptoms are aching pain and tingling.
Often a person wakes up at night, pain and a feeling of numbness make it difficult to sleep further. When you move your fingers, the tingling at first intensifies, the pain increases, then gradually passes, and you can continue to fall asleep.
According to statistics, up to 45% of the population experiences painful nocturnal paresthesias. It is generally accepted that the cause of numbness in the hands during sleep is improper blood circulation in the extremities. But what causes it?
Of course, if your hand once becomes numb due to an awkward body position during sleep, you shouldn’t worry. But if your hands become numb every night during sleep and constantly interfere with sleep, you should consult a specialist. These are the issues that should be of concern.
Unpleasant sensations can be very diverse in their localization. It is very rare to encounter numbness in the entire arm. More often, some part of it goes numb, which completely depends on the cause of the disease.
It occurs when the nerves leading to the hand are compressed in a narrow canal formed by the bones of the wrist. The reason may be constant, same type of load on the hands (working at the computer, playing musical instruments). In this case, there is numbness of the entire hand or its parts strictly below the wrist, and sometimes numbness of the fingers is observed. The overlying parts of the hand are not involved in the pathological process.
Cervical osteochondrosis, spondylosis, hernia or protrusion of intervertebral discs of the cervical spine, especially when the pathological process is localized in the lower cervical segments (from C5 to C7). It is from this part of the spinal cord that the nerves leading to the arms emerge.
Moreover, depending on the affected nerve root, numbness of the hands during sleep can be localized: along the inner surface of the hand, from the shoulder to the tips of the 5th and half of the 4th fingers (C7); along the back of the shoulder and forearm, the back of the 2nd and 3rd fingers (C6); along the side of the hand to the thumb and index finger (C5).
It is characterized by the presence of manifestations only in the fingers.
Numbness in this case has an ascending nature, begins from more distant parts and gradually, over time, rises up the arm. This happens as larger vessels become involved. Usually two hands are affected at once, the sensations are symmetrical.
Here you should pay attention to which hand is going numb. If unpleasant sensations occur in the right hand, this can most likely be attributed to cervical osteochondrosis. But numbness in the left arm can be a sign of serious heart problems, such as angina or a heart attack. If numbness in the left hand occurs suddenly, especially at night, and does not go away within an hour, you should definitely consult a doctor.
To get rid of numbness in the hands, it is necessary to improve blood flow through the vessels. Regular physical activity will help you cope with this task.
Long walks and morning exercises will help eliminate the discomfort that occurs in the upper limbs during sleep. A course of therapeutic massage will also help a lot, but only after an accurate diagnosis has been established.
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To prevent hand numbness, you need to strengthen the muscles that hold the intervertebral discs. There are specially designed exercises for this, which can only be performed under the supervision of a doctor.
But prevention of numbness should begin before consulting a specialist. Simple steps will help you do this.
If hand numbness continues at night, immediately get examined and consult a doctor. It is better not to ignore such symptoms, because they can develop into a serious chronic disease. In some cases you may have to change jobs. Be healthy!
Numbness of the legs is an alarming symptom, signaling not only the presence of problems in the lower extremities, but also indicating a very serious disease of the nervous, circulatory or skeletal system, which resulted in such complications.
Numbness in the legs is not age specific and can occur in children, able-bodied people, or the elderly. The reasons why legs go numb are known and there are quite a few of them. And if symptoms such as tingling, burning, a feeling of coldness and numbness, as well as loss of sensation in the legs, periodically make themselves felt, then this is a serious reason to consult a doctor for help.
Numbness of the limbs is often accompanied not only by a lack of sensitivity, but also by other signs confirming a disturbance in the functioning of the body. According to the time of occurrence of numbness, it most often appears at night and after sleep, as well as due to physical exertion. Especially often during sleep, a person may experience numbness in the foot, indicating a disturbance in the functioning of the nervous system. In turn, numbness in the lower leg or ankle may indicate injuries received during sports or spinal problems.
Among the most likely symptoms accompanying numbness are:
The reasons why a person completely unexpectedly encounters a situation where the left leg, right leg or foot goes numb may lie in hereditary, chronic or ongoing diseases of the body, as well as due to poor lifestyle and acquired injuries.
Prolonged compression of the vessels of the legs, as well as keeping the legs in one position, contributes to numbness. This occurs due to compression of blood vessels, leading to disruption of blood supply. Because of this, the leg becomes numb and motor activity decreases. True, as soon as the compression stops, sensitivity and mobility of the limb return.
A deficiency of vitamins and minerals in most cases leads to disruption of many body systems. A lack of vitamins can also negatively affect the sensitivity of the limbs. For example, a lack of vitamin B12, which is responsible for the metabolism of the nervous system, explains why the legs become numb and their sensitivity is impaired. In this case, you can simply forget about numbness - compensate for the deficiency with vitamins and constantly monitor their levels in the body.
The reason why the left or right leg goes numb may lie in lesions of the nervous system, when problems with the nerves are directly expressed by complications in the form of numbness and tingling.
One of the diseases - polyneuritis - occurs as a result of deformation of nerve cells due to infectious diseases, impaired metabolic processes and intoxication. Another disease that occurs when the right leg, left leg or foot goes numb is neuropathy. It also occurs due to infection, circulatory problems, intoxication, poor diet and is more common in people suffering from diabetes or multiple sclerosis. Diagnosing this disease and the numbness that accompanies it, doctors prescribe drug therapy, as well as various physical procedures (electrophoresis, massage, magnetic laser therapy). Quite often, treatment takes place at home with bed rest, and in some cases in a hospital.
In addition to the feeling of numbness with polyneuritis and neuropathy, sensations similar to goosebumps may occur, you may feel cold or a sharp, aching pain, motor activity decreases and general weakness appears.
Due to the direct passage of nerves along the trunk of the spine and their possible compression, it is quite logical that joints and limbs suffer. The reason why the legs go numb may be that a person has a herniated disc, which leads to numbness. Similar symptoms can be observed in diseases such as osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, as well as other diseases that are associated with age-related and changes that occur as a result of various circumstances that occur in the vertebrae.
Quite often, numbness occurs in the human spinal system due to displacement and fracture resulting from injuries and sports. Treatment in this case is prescribed by a doctor using anti-inflammatory and painkillers. In particularly serious cases, surgery is performed.
Providing nutrition to all organs and tissues is the responsibility of the circulatory system, so it is quite reasonable that if it is disrupted, malfunctions occur in the body. The reasons why legs go numb lie in this aspect. Among the diseases that lead to the numbness of the left leg or right leg there are a large number.
Among the most common diseases is thrombosis, when blood from the deep veins is not able to move upward and therefore begins to stagnate in the lower extremities. The most popular signs of thrombosis are swelling, numbness, changes in the structure (dryness) and color of the skin, heaviness in the legs. Treatment of thrombosis is based not only on eliminating symptoms, it is prescribed by a doctor and has a multifaceted focus - they take blood thinning drugs that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and venotonic drugs. These remedies, in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs and ointments, give an effective effect and help eliminate the causes.
Another disease that contributes to the appearance of numbness is obliterating endarteritis, which is characterized by intense narrowing of the arteries, resulting in poor circulation. With this disease, in addition to numbness, a person feels coldness and tingling in the legs. Treatment occurs by taking vasoconstrictor drugs and antispasmodics.
Another cause of numbness in the extremities is Raynaud's syndrome, in which spasm of small vessels occurs, contributing to the deterioration of blood flow. By the way, at present this disease has been little studied by doctors, so it is not always possible to name the exact causes of its occurrence. Unlike previous diseases, Raynaud's disease, in addition to numbness, is accompanied by increased swelling, spasms and cramping of the toes. Treatment is carried out by taking medications and prescribing procedures that solve the problem of eliminating vascular spasms, the causes of the occurrence and expansion of vascular walls.
Numbness of the limbs in older people is often associated with heart disease, when improper formation of this organ contributes to poor blood flow to important organs and the lower extremities, including. Among the common diseases of the vascular system that occur in older people is atherosclerosis, which, in addition to numbness, is also characterized by pain and cramps in the legs, as well as general weakness and fatigue. There is also a disease such as multiple sclerosis, in which the activity of a large number of tissues of the spinal cord and brain is disrupted, resulting in numbness and painful sensations.
For the first time in their lives, pregnant women may feel numbness in their lower extremities. The reasons why the expectant mother faces such tests lie in the changes and hormonal changes in the pregnant woman’s body, when there can often be an excess of fluid, which leads to frequent swelling. Quite severe conditions of swelling can lead to gestosis in pregnancy, which requires careful monitoring and can also lead to premature birth.
In addition, during pregnancy, a woman’s heart experiences a heavy load, doing the work of two, and there is an increase in blood volume, which can provoke a disturbance in the circulatory system. Pregnant women especially often experience numbness in their limbs during or after sleep at night. Treatment is required if this phenomenon is permanent and is accompanied by dizziness and pain. If it is rare, no treatment is required and the condition will go away after the baby is born.
Failure to take precautions in winter can cause numbness in the legs when a person is faced with frostbite in the lower extremities. In this condition, tissue nutrition stops and blood does not flow to the legs. When exposed to heat, the legs quickly move away. If exposure to cold is prolonged, this can lead to necrosis and gangrene, which are very dangerous to human health and can lead to amputation of part of the limb.
Conditions in which the left or right leg goes numb can be avoided if timely prevention is carried out by playing sports, spending proper time walking in the fresh air, strengthening the immune system, supplying the body with vitamins and monitoring one’s health.
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The most harmless reason why your hands may go numb during sleep is an uncomfortable posture. Numbness of the hands at night is provoked by sleeping on your back with your arms thrown back behind your head or on your side with one arm placed under your head. In this case, the blood supply and innervation of the extremities is disrupted, as a result of which the hands or fingers become numb, and their movements become impossible. When changing position, compression of blood vessels and nerves is eliminated, and numbness quickly disappears.
Numbness in the arms that occurs after sleep can be caused by the wrong choice of pillow, as a result of which the neck takes an unnatural position. In this case, overstrain of the neck muscles occurs and disruption of the nutrition of the spinal nerves of the cervical spine, which are responsible for the sensitivity and motor activity of the hands.
The occurrence of night paresthesia of the hands and fingers can be caused by a number of diseases in which numbness is one of the symptoms of the pathology:
Numbness of the upper extremities may be due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the body, which is involved in the metabolic processes of nerve fibers. A lack of this vitamin leads to rapid fatigue, impaired sensitivity of the fingers and disruptions in the functioning of the heart.
The reasons why the left arm goes numb during sleep may lie in a disturbance in cardiac activity.
If paresthesia occurs during the daytime, this may indicate an impending stroke or heart attack. If your right hand goes numb at night, the reasons may be arthrosis, cervical osteochondrosis or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Night numbness of the fingers and hands can also occur during pregnancy. The causes of hand paresthesia in pregnant women, in addition to the above, may be the following:
Numbness of the upper extremities in pregnant women can occur against the background of various hereditary diseases, injuries and infectious and inflammatory diseases of the cervical spine, circulatory disorders or iron deficiency anemia.
Changing your posture and choosing the right pillow often helps to get rid of numbness in your hands during sleep. If nocturnal paresthesia of the upper extremities does not go away within half an hour and becomes systematic, you must contact a medical institution for examination and testing. After this, the doctor will be able to determine the cause of numbness in the hands and prescribe adequate treatment for the pathology or prevent its development.