A network of clinics for a healthy spine and joints offers services in the field of diagnosis and treatment of pain in the extremities .
Most adults are familiar with the feeling of pain in their arms or legs. Some people rarely experience discomfort, while others suffer from unbearable pain almost around the clock. In any case, if the pain in the limbs is not isolated, it signals problems in the body. There are many causes of pain in the limbs.
What diseases can manifest themselves as pain in the limbs? Pain in the arms and legs is a symptom of diseases of various organs and systems in our body. Let's list the most common ones.
Diseases characterized by pain in the hands:
1) osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
2) cervical spondylosis;
3) carpal tunnel syndrome;
5) spinal injuries;
6) diseases of the nervous system;
7) severe stress;
8) endocrine system disorders, etc.
Diseases manifested by pain in the legs:
1) intervertebral hernia;
3) osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine;
4) hormonal and endocrine disorders;
5) severe stress, etc.
In addition to pain in the arms and legs, people suffering from the above diseases may experience numbness, weakness, or tingling in their limbs.
In order to lead a full life, not overshadowed by discomfort and pain, it is necessary to undergo diagnosis by a qualified doctor. Diagnosis of pain in the extremities consists of a visual examination, testing, X-ray examination or tomography (computer or magnetic resonance imaging). An ultrasound examination is also possible. Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will prescribe the optimal course of treatment for pain in the limbs for a particular patient.
The Clinic for a Healthy Spine and Joints uses the following methods to treat pain in the arms and legs:
2) therapeutic exercises;
3) therapeutic massage;
4) taking medications;
5) surgical intervention.
In our clinic, we treat not the symptoms, but the cause of pain in the limbs.
The cost of treating pain in the arms and legs in our clinic is low and is affordable to all people who care about their health. Come visit us and see for yourself!
For more complete information on the diagnosis and treatment of pain in the extremities, please call the numbers listed on our website. The specialists at the Healthy Spine and Joints Clinic will try to answer all your questions.
Every person in life may encounter such an unpleasant sensation as burning in the legs. Sometimes it can be accompanied by heaviness and pain. It can appear suddenly and pass just as quickly, or it can accompany our entire day, manifesting itself intensely at any time of the day.
This burning sensation in the legs is not identified by medicine as a specific disease, but is a symptomatic component and a prerequisite for visiting a doctor and examination. The causes of tingling in the hands and feet are varied - from wearing uncomfortable shoes to serious illnesses. Depending on the causes of such sensations and the degree of the disease, treatment can occur using medications or traditional methods.
Often the cause of minor pain and burning in the feet is uncomfortable shoes. This happens because blood flows poorly to the feet when wearing tight or high-heeled shoes. When we take off our shoes, the body tries to make up for the deficiency by increasing blood flow. The result is the appearance of tingling. Diseases may not necessarily be the cause of this feeling. Tingling can also occur due to stress, overwork or sudden changes in weather conditions.
Unpleasant sensations in the legs often occur in pregnant women. In this situation, women sometimes experience disorders of the neurovascular system. In addition, as you gain weight, the load on your legs increases and swelling may occur.
People suffering from neuropathy may experience a burning sensation in their legs, which is caused by damaged nerve endings that send signals to the brain. Tingling in this case is often accompanied by numbness. Leading an unhealthy lifestyle and drinking alcoholic beverages can also cause such a misfortune. But more often, the occurrence of these unpleasant sensations indicates that a person has one of the following diseases:
The causes of tingling in the hands and feet can also be various infections and fungal diseases. A burning sensation occurs as a consequence of gastric bypass surgery. Even a banal lack of vitamins in the body can cause similar sensations.
Typically, if the burning sensation is caused by an illness, it may be accompanied by bleeding, blistering, numbness, swelling and redness. Symptoms can appear not only in the legs, but also in other parts of the body. These include muscle weakness, the appearance of nerve pain, drowsiness or, conversely, sleep disturbance. You should not be negligent about burning in your legs; this sensation, combined with numbness and weakness in one side of the body, can be a prerequisite for a stroke. In such a situation, you should immediately call an ambulance. You should definitely visit a doctor if you have been experiencing a burning sensation in your legs for a long time; it is accompanied by pain and numbness, and the sensations spread higher up the leg.
The causes of burning are obvious when a person suffers from one of the diseases that provokes such sensations. But if the tingling appears suddenly and intensifies in the future, it is necessary to carry out a series of diagnostic procedures. These include:
If you experience discomfort in your legs, you should not self-medicate. Contact your therapist or general practitioner to advise you and prescribe procedures. Only by knowing the true cause of the disorder can you select medications that will help you. Such issues are dealt with by highly specialized doctors: dermatologists, endocrinologists, neurologists.
Without fail, drug treatment must be accompanied by care for your feet, which includes the necessary rest and bathing in cool water. Choosing more comfortable shoes can help relieve fatigue and heaviness in your feet. Simple exercises are recommended - alternately raising and lowering your legs.
If the cause of discomfort in the legs is heredity, then it will most likely not be possible to eliminate the problem completely. In such a situation, anticonvulsants are considered an effective remedy; they block nerve impulses, preventing them from reaching the brain. And the burning sensation practically ceases to be felt. In addition, the use of cold compresses and baths will be effective.
Tingling in the legs that accompanies some cancers can only be treated by eliminating the latter. After which the ease of walking will return by itself. A way out of any difficult situation can be found, the main thing is not to lose hope and seek help from a specialist.
For neuropathy, the most important treatment method is to eliminate the possibility of further destruction of the nerves and restore them to normal functioning. If the causes of burning and pain in the legs are not precisely established, then you should pay attention to the accompanying symptoms. Elimination of unpleasant sensations may directly depend on the treatment of the underlying disease.
For people with diabetes, the only way to avoid burning is to keep your blood sugar levels within normal limits. To achieve this, you need to monitor your diet, avoid eating sweets, and use medications or insulin prescribed by your doctor every day. If there is a lack of vitamins in the body, you should simply replenish it artificially. If the cause of tingling is chronic kidney disease, then a dialysis procedure will be enough to eliminate the symptom of “feet on fire.”
Burning and pain in the legs are eliminated with the help of medications that help eliminate pain. Such drugs include Venlafaxine, Duloxetine, Carbamazepine, Amitriptyline and others. But if the discomfort and pain are severe enough, they are prescribed by a doctor and Tramadol or low doses of opiates are used.
For infectious and fungal diseases, burning sensation is treated by eliminating the causes and symptoms using ointments or special antimycotic compounds - Lamisil, Miconazole, Naftifin, Itraconazole and Fluconazole. All of these products have a long-lasting effect and are available in pharmacies.
In addition to medicinal drugs, various folk methods of struggle are widely used to eradicate the problem of “fiery legs”. They are famous for their effectiveness, naturalness and safety, and can be used in conjunction with pharmacological drugs. Baths based on herbal decoctions and contrast showers are considered very effective.
To reduce the intensity and severity of unpleasant sensations, experts advise replenishing the lack of vitamin B1 in the body every day. This can be done through a special diet or using a multivitamin complex. Whole grains and green vegetables are characterized by a high content of the necessary substance.
Among the herbal ingredients that help combat burning, hawthorn is famous for its ability to dilate blood vessels. Due to this, optimal blood circulation will be restored and discomfort will disappear. It is worth consuming decoctions from it daily. Hawthorn is usually added to tea at the rate of 1 tbsp. per cup of water. Decoctions with thyme also occupy a special place among traditional medicine methods against burning. They are used by adding to hot and cold baths to soak the feet in them. Such actions help dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow to stiff and tired feet.
For the treatment of unexpressed and infrequent burning in the legs, traditional methods will be an excellent solution.
But if such sensations are symptoms or results of diseases, then you should definitely consult a specialist. Because in this case it is impossible to do without a properly selected drug and practical recommendations for its use.
There are two main causes of weakness in the legs:
In case of long-term, ongoing weakness, the patient should definitely be examined for the following diseases:
A huge number of pathologies of the central nervous system can lead to muscle weakness of the limbs.
Often the patient experiences weakness in the arms and legs - this is the so-called total defeat. The reasons for this negative state of the nervous system may be the following:
This group includes diseases such as osteochondrosis, especially of the lumbosacral region, herniated intervertebral disc, and curvature of the spine. With diseases of the spine, along with paresis of the legs, patients report severe pain in the limbs and joints. If a patient, in addition to muscle weakness, has pain in the knees, this is a reason to consult a rheumatologist in order to rule out such a serious disease as rheumatoid arthritis.
This may be diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, or electrolyte metabolism disorder.
There are many other causes of the disease - pregnancy, cancer, old age, but, as a rule, pain and weakness in the muscles are not the main symptom.
Separately, it is worth paying attention to the causes of muscle weakness in old age. Often, older people have many diseases that lead to a person experiencing a loss of strength. However, in addition to this condition, older people also have sagging muscles, they become weaker and lose strength. This is facilitated by both increased body weight and limited mobility.
Older people are afraid of falls, go outside less often, and move less. As a result, the ability of the muscle to contract decreases, and weakness appears in the legs and arms. This sometimes ends in complete muscle atrophy.
Paediatricians also observe limb paresis in their practice. Muscle hypotonia and paresis in a child can be congenital and can be successfully corrected in the first months of the baby’s life.
Sometimes muscle weakness manifests itself at the age when the baby begins to walk. There is an explanation for this. The child gets up on his feet, tries to constantly improve the acquired skill, while the body weight puts pressure on the baby’s fragile muscles, as a result of which rapid fatigue occurs, the legs weaken, and the child complains of pain. In this case, parents should not allow their baby to remain in an upright position for a long time.
The disease in children, as well as in adults, can be caused by diseases of the spine, neurological diseases, sepsis or malfunctions of the endocrine system. It happens that the causes of hypotonia of the leg muscles in children is a lack of vitamin D in the body, which sooner or later leads to rickets. In some cases, hereditary pathologies of the musculoskeletal system cause severe muscle hypotonia and dystrophy, ultimately leading to death.
Weakness in the legs, pain in the knees and heels resulting from fatigue do not require special treatment. It is enough to wear comfortable shoes instead of heavy boots or high-heeled shoes, or be at peace for a while, relax, and the unpleasant manifestations will disappear.
In case of increasing weakness of the left side of the body, the possibility of a stroke should be immediately excluded! General muscle weakness or incipient paresis of the lower part can be a symptom of a serious illness. Treatment in this case should be aimed at existing ailments. It could be:
Under no circumstances should you delay treatment. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent loss of muscle strength in the arms or legs and a decrease in overall quality of life.
You can avoid the manifestation of the disease in your legs and knees by carrying out simple preventive measures in a timely manner:
In old age, limited mobility should be eliminated, try to engage in physical therapy if your health allows, lead an active lifestyle, definitely walk in the fresh air (it’s better if it’s a brisk walk), massage courses for weak limbs.
Do not neglect such safe walking measures as canes, walkers, and when going down stairs, hold on to the handrails.
Sometimes nothing makes you happy: you come home and realize that your leg hurts. The mood disappears, you don’t want to do anything... If painkillers don’t help, the suffering continues at night. It is better to take action and get rid of the unpleasant sensations forever.
The causes of nagging pain in the legs are different; those who are faced with trouble make a preliminary prognosis before consulting a doctor.
If the pain is not caused by fatigue, overexertion, or if you do not perform complex physical exercises that leave your muscles sore, then the range of causes narrows. There is a risk of a serious illness that requires specialized, professional treatment.
More often doctors diagnose diseases:
Depending on the reason, the doctor refers for diagnostic procedures (to confirm the diagnosis), or redirects to another doctor. If there is a suspicion of a pulled muscle, the patient turns to a traumatologist, but if the problem turns out to be more serious, the pain develops due to abnormalities in the functioning of the nervous system, the traumatologist will not help, and he has to go to a neurologist. When injuries occur on the legs, hematomas and swelling form. Depending on the force of the blow, the area affected, and the repetition of injuries, the pain in the leg changes in intensity. What can we say about fractures when they pull with every movement!
Pain may develop after a healed injury. It drags because the area of the bone, joint, or muscles around is damaged and requires restoration. The cause in women is menstruation, which causes changes in the hormonal structure of the body. If a girl has a tendency to inflammation during menstruation, no treatment is needed, the pain will soon go away. Pain develops after strong thermal exposure: lying in a hot bath, visiting a sauna.
If you forget about pain, it becomes a daily companion. There is nothing pleasant about this, it is better to consult a doctor.
Based on the symptom of pulling sensations in the legs, the doctor will not name the cause of the pain or the disease itself. Additional procedures involving electromagnetic radiation are required. The procedures recommended by doctors include computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. X-rays are used less frequently in modern clinics, and the leg is exposed to excessive radiation.
In addition to the standard questionnaire, the doctor asks:
The questionnaire is aimed at creating an accurate, detailed clinical picture of what is happening in the legs. The doctor finds out (tactilely) where the unpleasant sensations are localized in the leg, moving upward, he understands how large the affected area is.
There is nothing to be afraid of - the doctor knows what to do for treatment, without creating new problems in the legs.
When you visit a doctor, you are faced with a number of procedures. To get rid of unexpected pain in the legs, use a loading dose of anesthetics prescribed by the doctor.
The patient needs to regularly massage the leg in which there is pain. Physiotherapy of a different nature is necessary to restore the ability to move painlessly to the limbs. Exercises are prescribed that put little pressure on the limbs, returning the affected leg to its original state. Maintaining a special diet is encouraged.
To avoid pain in your legs, follow the recommendations. Take care of your feet, wear good shoes. If you stay in one state for a long time, change your position. If you sit a lot, get up periodically and walk around. If you stand a lot, sit down.
Get rid of bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle. Go to the gym, go skiing, swimming. Don't sit still, don't wait for the pain to return. This happens when patients refuse to take action. You won't get a fatal outcome, but you can earn disability.
Doctors note groups of people at risk:
Some painful conditions cannot be changed, but you can stop smoking and take better care of your health. Now there are two factors in the body that cause nagging pain in the legs - make sure they don’t come back.
Remember: if you have pain in your legs or a pulling sensation, do not treat yourself! If there is a risk of serious illness, only a professional can determine this. Even a smart person with developed logic, who knows how to decipher sensations, will not find the cause of pain. Treatment prescribed by a non-professional is obviously doomed to failure and negative consequences.
Don't be afraid to go to the doctor. Surgery is a last resort; it can be avoided if you identify the symptoms in time and seek help.
Pain and heaviness in the legs bother people regardless of age. At the same time, the legs are in an uncomfortable state that occurs for various reasons. Feet rarely hurt much on their own. Heaviness and fatigue in the legs may not go away for a long time. Often, a person tired after a day of work cannot sleep all night, he is bothered by buzzing legs. These sensations cannot be attributed to fatigue; it is necessary to timely and accurately determine the cause that is bothering the legs and begin immediate treatment. Let's figure out how to get rid of heavy legs.
There are many reasons for the occurrence of such ailment and severity; for convenience, they are divided into large groups.
The first group includes possible provoking diseases that cause complications on the legs. It is important to start treating these diseases on time.
Heaviness in the legs can appear with thrombophlebitis.
The following groups of possible causes are narrowly focused.
Often, leg pain occurs in overweight people.
Heaviness in the legs is a symptom of many types of diseases. That's why you can't ignore it. The feeling of heaviness in the legs due to various diseases is accompanied by various pain sensations and other troubles. Often the legs are constrained by cramps that do not go away for a long time. With a feeling of heaviness, pain symptoms often occur, and sometimes general weakness. It is not always easy to determine which disease causes the feeling of heaviness.
To understand how to get rid of the feeling of heaviness in your legs, you first need to establish the source that causes it. When heaviness in the legs occurs, it is worth looking for the reasons and starting treatment, starting from the initial diagnosis. It is impossible to cure severity alone, since you cannot get rid of only one symptom, it is necessary to treat the disease. This can only be done with the help of a specialist, having described in detail all the accompanying symptoms. Your attending physician can tell you how to relieve the feeling of heaviness and what to do in such a situation. It is necessary to monitor your body's signals as closely as possible. Most diseases that cause discomfort in the legs are treatable, and if you start treatment in the early stages of their development, it will require much less time and money. Severe, advanced conditions often require surgical intervention. Many folk recipes tell how to relieve the feeling of heaviness in the legs, but treating only the symptom allows the disease to progress. Treatment with folk remedies is more effective when combined with modern medicines. By the way, folk remedies involve the use of not only tinctures and rubs, but also leg exercises.
To determine the cause of heaviness in the legs, you should consult a general practitioner.
If the feeling of heaviness in your legs is caused not by illness, but by static tension or other external factors, you should reconsider your usual lifestyle and make adjustments. A five-minute warm-up will help relieve heaviness; you also need to lose excess weight and walk.
A universal remedy for heavy legs has not yet been invented. To relieve tired legs, you can use ointment or gel. Popular modern products: Virta cream-gel, Troxevasin gel, Venolgon gel. These products can remove swelling and relieve fatigue that accumulates in the evening from long walking. It is necessary to apply the drug to the buzzing parts of the leg in the evening and in the morning and massage without strong pressure, thereby improving the natural blood flow of the leg. Cream for fatigue and pain in the legs can be purchased at the pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. Some pills can also bring relief, but their action is often aimed at the original cause. The medicine should not only relieve the symptoms, but also cure the root cause of their occurrence.
In most cases, pain in the arms, unilateral or bilateral, is associated with physical activity, that is, it is muscular in nature. Sometimes a symptom may have another origin, for example, due to circulatory pathology or injury. There is another category of discomfort that occurs in the upper extremities: pain and discomfort associated with sleep. What reasons can they be caused by?
Are you worried about night or morning pain in your hands? Contact our Center and we will help you effectively! Make an appointment by phone: 8-495-635-69-07, 8-495-635-69-08.
In many cases, pain in one or, less often, both arms that occurs at night or after waking up is caused by neurological disorders, namely, radicular syndrome, which develops against the background of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine. When the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae are affected, their location relative to each other is disrupted (displacement, decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs). Because of this, the spinal roots emerging from the spinal canal can be compressed and mechanically irritated, which leads to pain along the damaged nerve. If the affected root is “responsible” for the innervation of the tissues of the upper limb, unpleasant sensations, accordingly, arise in the hands.
As a rule, signs of osteochondrosis are observed in cases where a large load is placed on the spinal column, promoting displacement of the vertebrae and pinching of the nerves, for example, physical work, bending, carrying heavy objects, etc. So why does the pain associated with this disease appear at night, when there is no load on the back? In some cases, it depends on how you sleep, what kind of mattress and pillow you have. And sometimes unpleasant sensations in the hands can arise due to osteochondrosis itself.
In severe osteochondrosis, lack of exercise and being at rest is no less a significant provocateur of pain than physical stress. In such cases, a “background” inflammatory process develops in the tissues located around the spine, caused by constant irritation of the muscles and ligaments by the marginal bone growths of the vertebrae, as well as degenerative changes in the tissues of the spinal column. At night, due to slow blood circulation and physiological nocturnal acidosis, venous stagnation and edema form in the tissues. As a result, the roots are compressed more strongly, and pain appears.
In less serious cases, nighttime arm pain usually develops due to poor sleep hygiene. In particular, an uncomfortable sleeping place, a mattress that is too soft or hard that does not support the body in a physiological position or prevents complete muscle relaxation, or a pillow that is not suitable in height can cause discomfort. In these cases, moderate or even mild osteochondrosis, which can be observed even at a young age, can make itself felt by night or morning pain in the back, neck and arms.
Arm pain due to restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disease characterized by the appearance of paresthesia (pins and needles sensations), discomfort and other unpleasant sensations, including pain, in the extremities. These symptoms usually occur in the evening or in the first half of the night.
In most cases, RLS is associated with unpleasant sensations in the legs, but already in the first description of this disease, made by Thomas Willis in 1672, it is noted that symptoms can appear not only from the lower, but also from the upper extremities. In a modern test for the presence of this disease (the scale for assessing the severity of RLS), discomfort in both the legs and arms is necessarily assessed.
In some cases, the appearance of evening and night pain in the arms due to restless legs syndrome may be associated with the treatment regimen used. For example, with long-term use of dopaminergic drugs, in 9-30% of cases, the so-called “amplification syndrome” occurs, in which symptoms in the legs can intensify, spread to other areas of the legs and arms, and occur at other times, even in the morning and evening hours. daytime hours.
This disease is extremely rarely associated with the appearance of pain in the arms, but indirectly such a connection is possible.
Sleep apnea and pain in the arms can be related to each other through heart disease, namely angina, the course of which is aggravated by apnea syndrome. As already mentioned in one, oxygen deprivation during episodes of sleep apnea causes myocardial ischemia. As a result, long pauses of apnea can provoke nocturnal angina attacks. The latter, in 20% of cases, do not manifest as typical pain in the left side of the chest, but other types of unpleasant sensations. Sometimes the pain spreads from the heart to the left arm, and in rare cases, only the arm and not the chest may hurt.
Occasionally, angina pain also occurs in the right arm, but such cases account for tenths of a percent, as well as extremely rare episodes of pain in the nose or tip of the tongue, which can also be a sign of heart disease.
If you have not yet been tested for sleep apnea, evaluate yourself for signs of the disease. These are nocturnal shortness of breath, cough, sweating during sleep, severe daytime sleepiness, frequent urination, high blood pressure, decreased potency, heartburn. If you have anything from this list, you should contact a somnologist. You can also take an OSA test.
Patients with sleep apnea should begin treatment as quickly as possible. The disease is dangerous, it several times increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, accelerates the development of cardiovascular and other diseases, contributes to the appearance of endocrine disorders, and daytime sleepiness with OSA greatly increases the likelihood of injury or getting into an accident.
Typically, sleep apnea is treated with CPAP therapy. This treatment is very effective. The sleep medicine center of the Barvikha sanatorium implements a special 12-day program for the diagnosis and treatment of snoring and sleep apnea. You can also treat these problems on an outpatient basis.
Other causes of arm pain
Almost every person has found himself in a situation where he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and discovered numbness and lack of sensitivity in his hand, which he lay resting in an uncomfortable position. In such situations, blood flow in the limb temporarily stops or severely deteriorates, which leads to unpleasant sensations. Over the next 1-2 minutes, as the impaired blood circulation in the arm is restored, quickly passing paresthesia and even pain arise in it. Then they pass, and the person falls asleep again.
Unpleasant sensations in the hands that occur due to sleeping in an uncomfortable position may be caused by the wrong choice of mattress and pillow, on which the sleeper lies in an unphysiological position. In addition, you can “rest” your hand against the backdrop of very sound sleep due to overwork or prolonged lack of rest. In some cases, “restless” sleep can be caused by taking large doses of alcohol or certain drugs (for example, phenazepam for the treatment of insomnia).
An interesting fact is that during CPAP therapy, pain and numbness in the hands are also possible. Having received sleep without waking up against the backdrop of good breathing, a person falls into deep sleep and hardly turns over during the night. Sometimes a night spent in one position results in compression of nerves and blood vessels in the morning, which causes pain and numbness.
Pain in the upper extremities can be caused by “sleepy” reasons, but do not forget that sometimes even an apparent connection with sleep does not mean its presence. For example, with rheumatoid arthritis, after waking up, patients experience pain in the hands and reduced mobility of the joints of the fingers. However, these symptoms are not caused by sleep, but by an autoimmune process that causes inflammation in the joints.
Thus, assumptions about the connection between pain in the arms and sleep should always be checked by contacting specialized specialists. To find the cause of the disorder, you may need to consult a therapist, neurologist or somnologist.
Are you worried about night or morning pain in your hands? Contact our Center and we will help you effectively! Make an appointment by phone: 8-495-635-69-07, 8-495-635-69-08.
A tingling sensation is a common occurrence that does not always alert a person. This is partly correct, because sometimes such a feeling is physiological in nature and does not threaten anything. The main thing is that it passes quickly. But sometimes the causes of tingling are dangerous diseases. In such cases, this symptom is alarming quite often, which should be a reason to consult a doctor.
Characteristics of tingling in the lower extremities
Tingling and pain in the legs can be physiological or pathological. If a person takes a horizontal position and raises his legs up, he will feel a slight tingling sensation (this relates to physiology). Often, when wearing too tight shoes or thin boots in severe frost, such symptoms appear. Cold provokes vasoconstriction, which leads to slight cramps, numbness and a feeling of needles in the legs.
Sometimes such a symptom occurs due to destructive changes provoked by a certain pathology. This could be diabetes, problems with the cardiovascular system and other diseases. It happens that this sign is caused by injuries to the lower extremities. Initially, a person experiences a burning sensation, pain, swelling, and then tingling in the feet and soles of the feet.
Tingling in the arms and legs may occur at the same time. As a rule, this is a symptom that the functioning of certain organs and systems in the body is disrupted. In medicine, the sensation of needles on the body is usually called paresthesia.
The feeling can be triggered by the following factors:
1. staying in an uncomfortable position or immobile position for a long time, when the legs begin to go numb;
2. minor injury or serious bruise of the limbs;
3. muscle strain;
4. the body does not receive enough trace elements, minerals and vitamins (lack of calcium is a common cause of such sensations);
5. taking certain medications (the instructions often indicate that one of the side effects is a tingling sensation in the limbs, numbness);
6. allergies (when allergens enter the body, a person sometimes feels needles in his legs);
7. psycho-emotional state;
8. bad habits (especially smoking);
9. unfavorable environmental conditions that worsen health;
10. dehydration of the body;
11. insect, snake bite.
Often after sleep a person experiences a tingling sensation. The reason is compression of the nerve. In a dream, a person takes an uncomfortable position, and if he sleeps soundly, he does not change it for a long time. And this provokes burning and tingling in the limbs. The symptoms pass quickly, there are no consequences. This also happens in cases where a person sits for a long time and tucks his legs under him. The body puts pressure on the calves, and they cease to be fully filled with blood, which leads to “needles” in the legs. By straightening your legs and waiting a few minutes, the discomfort will go away.
Feeling anxious is another reason. When a person is worried about an upcoming event, he may experience such symptoms. At the same time, sweating increases, and “goosebumps” are felt.
If a person smokes, it causes circulatory problems. After all, damage to the respiratory organs and a decrease in vitamin C reserves (all this is caused by smoking) lead to the fact that cells do not receive enough oxygen. As a result, tingling of the extremities of the legs occurs periodically.
Surgical intervention and any mechanical damage to the legs lead to the fact that a person feels “needles” in the area of injury for some time. These symptoms go away on their own, but they vary from person to person. Some people experience it in a month, while others suffer from this for several years. Sometimes pregnancy can trigger a tingling sensation. A woman gains weight, and this leads to the fact that the lower extremities experience excessive stress, and their vascular system suffers. The expectant mother also feels cramps, which sometimes become very strong.
When the feeling of needles piercing your legs occurs frequently, this may indicate serious health problems. Especially if such a symptom is accompanied by other signs: burning, pain, decreased sensitivity of the limbs.
Often the reason lies in the following pathologies:
1. Diabetes mellitus. It is believed that tingling in the toes and feet is the first sign of diabetic neuropathy. These sensations may spread up your legs and throughout your body. Medical statistics show that most people with diabetes are diagnosed with serious forms of nerve damage.
2. Diseases of the joints. The inflammatory process that occurs in the connective tissue affects the condition of the vascular system of the lower extremities. These diseases include: arthrosis, arthritis, rheumatism, gout.
3. Problems with the spine. Compression of the walls of blood vessels, caused by various pathologies of the spine, leads to deterioration of blood circulation. This causes numbness.
4. Disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. These include: atherosclerosis (growing plaques interfere with proper blood circulation), varicose veins of the extremities.
5. Tumor-like process. Neoplasms can compress peripheral nerves and blood vessels.
When to go to the doctor?
Signs that should prompt you to see a doctor:
It is important not to delay visiting the doctor. After all, sometimes these are the first signs of a serious illness, and the sooner it is identified and treatment begins, the better.
How to improve your condition?
If the tingling in the legs like needles is not provoked by any disease, then a person should be able to help himself:
1. change position if he has been sitting or lying motionless for a long time;
2. massage the limbs to improve blood circulation;
3. refuse to wear tight shoes or high heels;
4. adjust your diet, giving priority to foods that contain large amounts of minerals and vitamins;
5. give up bad habits.
As you can see, the causes of numbness and tingling are varied - from harmless to very dangerous. The main thing is that in cases where such signs bother you quite often, consult a doctor. He will help find out the culprit, and if it lies in any disease, he will conduct an examination and begin treatment. Most often, discomfort in the limbs is caused by diabetes.