Leg numbness
Leg numbness: Introduction
Numbness usually arises from damage or disease of nerves.
Numbness is often associated with or preceded by
abnormal pain-like sensations often described as pins-and-needles,
prickling or burning sensations called paresthesias; see leg paresthesias.
Any numbness or abnormal sensations need prompt professional medical advice.
» Review Causes of Leg numbness:
full list
Causes of Leg numbness:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Leg numbness.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
See full list of 71
causes of Leg numbness
» Review Causes of Leg numbness:
full list
Causes of Types of Leg numbness:
Review the causes of these more specific types of Leg numbness:
See full list of 8
types for Leg numbness
Leg numbness: Symptom Checker
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Leg numbness, as listed in our database.
Visit the Symptom Checker,
to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
Symptom Checker
Symptom Checker
See full list of 2870
Symptom Checker combinations related to Leg numbness
Leg numbness Treatments
Review information on Leg numbness Treatments.
Leg numbness: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers
Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Leg numbness:
Causes of General Symptom Types
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Research the causes of related medical symptoms such as:
Causes of Similar Symptoms to Leg numbness
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Leg numbness:
Diagnostic Guides for Leg numbness
Medical Books Excerpts
Read excertps from published book sections related to Leg numbness
from the following published medical books
for more detailed information about Leg numbness.
Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Leg numbness
Medical Books Excerpts
- LEG PAIN
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Leg pain
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Leg Pain
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Paresthesia
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Leg pain
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Paresthesia
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Analgesia
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Leg pain
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- LEG PAIN
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Leg numbness: Undiagnosed Conditions
Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:
- Nerve Disorders: serious diseases commonly undiagnosed:
- Chronic Pain Disorders -- serious medical disorders that may be undiagnosed:
- more undiagnosed conditions...»
Leg numbness: Research Related Doctors & Specialists
- Nerve Specialists:
- Pain Specialists:
- Arthritis & Joint Health Specialists (Rheumatology):
- more specialists...»
Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:
Misdiagnosis and Leg numbness
Leg cramps at night a classic sign: The symptom of having leg muscle cramps,
particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes.
However, there are also various...read more »
Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency
is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see ...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Leg numbness
Diagnostic tests for Leg numbness:
Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Leg numbness. Some of these are listed below :
- Physical examination
- Feel the pulses in the legs - if reduced or absent should suggest peripheral atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or obstruction of the abdominal aorta and its branches by atherosclerosis.
- Examine for a positive straight leg raising test (straightening the leg at the knee while lying on a bed causing pain in thigh, buttock and back) and/or a reduced ankle reflex- indicates herniated disk of L4-5 or L5-S1, lumbar spondylosis, spinal stenosis, cauda equina tumor or spondylolisthesis
- Examine for a positive femoral stretch test (with the person laying on their stomach, flex knee with hip lifted in extension causes pain in the front of the thigh and the back) or a decreased knee jerk - indicates a herniated disk of L3-4 or L2-3 or lumbar spondylosis.
- Examine the peripheral reflexes. If diffusely overactive may suggest multiple sclerosis, pernicious anemia, spinal cord tumor, syringomyelia (presence of cavities within the spinal cord) or anterior spinal artery occlusion. If diffusely under active may suggest peripheral neuropathy, poliomyelitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, cauda equina tumor, metastatic tumor of the lumbar spine and occasionally pernicious anemia or peroneal neuropathy (disease of the peroneal nerve)
- more tests...»
See full list of 31
diagnostic tests for Leg numbness
Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Leg numbness.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you had the leg numbness? - to determine if acute or chronic.
- Is it unilateral or bilateral? - symmetrical involvement of both legs suggest peripheral neuropathy. If leg numbness is asymmetrical or confined to one limb this may suggest individual nerve disease.
- What area of the leg and/or foot is affected by numbness? - may help determine the cause.
- History of trauma or injury to leg? - e.g. broken leg or foot may damage nerves and cause leg numbness.
- History of a back injury? - may suggest spinal canal stenosis.
- more questions...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Leg numbness (16
listings)
Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition.
The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Leg numbness) may include:
- Pain in the involved leg or foot? - may suggest lumbar spine spondylosis (degeneration), spinal stenosis, tumor of the cauda equina (distal tip of the spinal cord and its nerves), spondylolisthesis (forward movement of one lumbar vertebrae on the one below it), herniated disk or pelvic tumor.
- Incontinence of urine? - If incontinence or urine is present, this may suggest poliomyelitis, cauda equina tumor or metastatic tumor of the lumbar spine.
- Symptoms of spinal canal stenosis? - e.g. long history of backache; pain initially in the lumbar back area and then radiating distally into buttocks and legs; numbness may be present in groin, medial thigh, big toe or little toe.
- Symptoms of peripheral atherosclerosis? - e.g. intermittent claudication (cramp like pain in the calves with exercise, relieved by rest), calf pain with rest, occasionally may have transient numbness of the leg accompanying the pain and fatigue of claudication.
- Symptoms of acute lower limb ischemia? - e.g. sudden severe leg pain, pallor of skin, paresthesia or numbness of lower leg, paralysis or weakness of leg.
- more symptoms...»
See Diagnosis Checklist for Leg numbness (16
listings)
Home Diagnostic Testing and Leg numbness
Home medical tests possibly related to Leg numbness:
- Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
- Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
- more tests...»
Stories from Users for Leg numbness
Real-life user stories relating to Leg numbness:
Symptom specific forums:
The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards
relate to Leg numbness or relevant symptoms:
Videos for Leg numbness
Almost half of all people with diabetes experience some form of nerve damage, which can develop into a complication known as peripheral neuropathy....
Treating nerve damage from diabetes requires a two-pronged approach: controlling blood sugar and alleviating the pain caused by peripheral...
There's a good chance you've never heard of peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. But this blockage of the leg arteries affects an estimated...
When lung cancer spreads to the bone it can cause severe pain and weak bones. Learn how these bone complications can be treated and even prevented,...
See full list of 4 related videos
Patient Surveys for Leg numbness
Medications or substances causing Leg numbness:
The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible
causes of Leg numbness as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
See full list of 14
medications causing Leg numbness
Drug interactions causing Leg numbness:
When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react
causing Leg numbness as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
See full list of 1
drug interactions causing Leg numbness
Organs affected by Leg numbness:
The list of organs typically affected by Leg numbness may include, but is not limited to:
Detailed list of causes of Leg numbness
The list below shows some of the causes of Leg numbness mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 71
causes of Leg numbness
How Common are these Causes of Leg numbness?
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases,
not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Leg numbness.
Of the 71
causes of Leg numbness that
we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
- 4
causes are "very common" diseases
- 3
causes are "common" diseases
- 0
causes are "uncommon" diseases
- 0
causes are "rare" diseases
- 7
causes are "very rare" diseases
- 63
causes have no prevalence information.
See the analysis of the prevalence of 71
causes of Leg numbness
Conditions listing symptoms: Leg numbness:
The following list of conditions
have 'Leg numbness' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
A
Acidic dry cell batteries inhalation poisoning
... numb toesAcroosteolysis neurogenic
... numb feetAmyloidosis AL
... leg numbnessArachnoid Cysts
... leg numbnessArteriosclerosis Obliterans
... limb numbnessB
Brain cancer
... Numbness of arms or legsBroken foot
... numb footBroken leg
... numb legBroken toe
... numb toeBuerger's disease
... leg numbness, foot numbnessC
Celiac Disease
... numbness (legs from nerve damage)Central nervous system lymphoma, primary
... limb numbnessCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder
... numbness in feetChemical poisoning - Allyl chloride
... feet numbnessChordoma
... leg numbnessChronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
... numbness in toes and fingersChronic necrotizing vasculitis
... limb numbnessCiguatera poisoning
... numb feetD
Dana syndrome
... numbness in feetDiabetes
... foot numbnessDiabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
... numbness in legs, numbness in toes, numbness in feetE
Excessive dieting
... numbness in feetH
Halm-Munk syndrome
... toe numbnessHereditary amyloidosis
... numbness in legsHyperventilation
... numb feetHypocalcemia, autosomal dominant
... numbness in feetI
Intervertebral disc disease
... leg numbnessK
Keratosis palmoplantaris - periodontopathia - onychogryposis
... toe numbnessM
Marfan syndrome
... leg numbnessMethylmalonicacidemia with homocystinuria, cbl D
... numbness in legsMultiple Myeloma
... leg numbnessN
Neuropathy - ataxia - retinitis pigmentosa
... leg numbnessNeuropathy ataxia and retinis pigmentosa
... numbness in legsNeurotoxicity syndromes
... limb numbnessO
Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy
... feet numbnessP
Paralytic shellfish poisoning
... leg numbnessPeripheral vascular disease
... leg numbnessPOEMS syndrome
... foot numbnessPolyneuritis
... limb numbness, foot numbnessPolyneuropathy - Ophthalmoplegia - Leukoencehalopathy - Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction
... foot numbnessPorphyria, hereditary coproporphyria
... foot numbnessPyridoxine deficiency
... foot numbnessR
Raynaud's phenomenon
... toe numbnessS
Sjogren's Syndrome
... limb numbnessSpinal intradural arachnoid cysts
... leg numbnessSpinal stenosis
... leg numbnessSubacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord
... numb feetSuperficial siderosis of the central nervous system
... numbness in legsSyringomyelia, lumbar lesion
... toe numbnessT
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
... numb footTransverse myelitis
... leg numbnessType 2 diabetes
... foot numbnessW
Wallerian degeneration
... Limb numbness
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Causes of Leg numbness Based on Risk Factors
This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Leg numbness based
on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:
Travel - has the patient travelled recently?
Diabetes - history of diabetes or family history of diabetes?
Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Leg numbness?
Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Leg numbness, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.
Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :
Classifications of Leg numbness:
Subtypes of Leg numbness:
Foot numbness (21 causes), Toe numbness (8 causes), Numbness in Both Feet, Numbness in one foot
Medical Conditions associated with Leg numbness:
Leg symptoms (1696 causes), Numbness (378 causes), Pain (5609 causes), Sensations (5876 causes), Nerve symptoms (6219 causes), Limb symptoms (1215 causes), Common symptoms (7717 causes)
Symptoms related to Leg numbness:
Leg paresthesia, tingling leg, Leg paresthesias (61 causes), Nerve entrapment, Nerve compression, Wallet pressing on a nerve, Peripheral neuropathy (83 causes), Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Leriche syndrome
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
Medical News summaries about Leg numbness
Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Leg numbness and many other medical conditions:
Evidence Based Medicine Research for Leg numbness
Medical research papers related to Leg numbness include:
Research More Evidence-Based Medicine at TripDatabase.com
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