Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in his assesment of the symptom: Foot numbness.
These may include a physical examination or other medical tests.
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 may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you had the foot numbness?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
- Is it unilateral or bilateral?
Why: symmetrical involvement of both feet suggests peripheral neuropathy. If numbness is asymmetrical or confined to one limb this may suggest individual nerve disease.
- What area of the foot is affected by numbness?
Why: may help determine the cause.
- History of trauma or injury to leg?
Why: e.g. broken leg or foot may damage nerves and cause numbness.
- Risk factors for peripheral atherosclerosis?
Why: e.g. smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure.
- Medications?
Why: some medications may cause peripheral neuropathy with a glove and stocking pattern numbness including isoniazid, vincristine, phenytoin, nitrofurantoin, cisplatinum, amiodarone.
- Dietary history?
Why: may assist in determining the risk of Vitamin B1, B12 and folic acid deficiency.
- Alcohol history?
Why: will help determine the risk of alcohol peripheral neuropathy.
Questions your doctor may ask about related symptoms:
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition. These may include:
- Pain in the involved leg or foot?
Why: 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?
Why: If incontinence or urine is associated with under active reflexes this may suggest poliomyelitis, cauda equina tumor or metastatic tumor of the lumbar spine.
- Symptoms of peripheral atherosclerosis?
Why: e.g. intermittent claudication (cramp like pain in the calves with exercise, relieved by rest), calf pain with rest.
- Symptoms of Diabetes mellitus?
Why: e.g. frequency of urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue, increased infections. Diabetes may be complicated by a painful peripheral neuropathy with a glove and stocking pattern numbness.
- Symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome?
Why: e.g. symptoms begin 7-10 days after an infective illness. It results in muscle paralysis which typically ascends from the lower to the upper limbs. Sensory loss (numbness) is usually minimal.
» Next page: Types of Foot numbness
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