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.

• Leg paresthesias
• Nerve entrapment
• Nerve compression
• Wallet pressing on a nerve - if you are sitting on your wallet it may induce leg numbness.
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• See also causes of numbness, foot numbness, or toe numbness
• Leriche syndrome
• more causes...»

See full list of 60 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:

• Foot numbness (25 causes)
• Toe numbness (21 causes)
• Numbness in Both Feet (41 causes)
• Numbness in one foot (47 causes)
• more types...»

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

• Leg numbness: Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

• Leg numbness and Nerve symptoms (53 causes)
• Leg numbness and Numbness (53 causes)
• Leg numbness and Pain (53 causes)
• Leg numbness and Sensations (53 causes)
• Leg numbness and Leg symptoms (50 causes)
• Leg numbness and Arm symptoms (39 causes)
• Leg numbness and Weakness (38 causes)
• Leg numbness and Paresthesias (37 causes)
• Leg numbness and Limb symptoms (36 causes)
• Leg numbness and Arm numbness (35 causes)
• Leg numbness and Muscle symptoms (33 causes)
• Leg numbness and Foot symptoms (30 causes)
• Leg numbness and Leg paresthesia (29 causes)
• Leg numbness and Head symptoms (26 causes)
• Leg numbness and Muscle weakness (25 causes)
• Leg numbness and Hand symptoms (24 causes)
• more...»

See full list of 1887 Symptom Checker combinations related to Leg numbness

Leg numbness: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Leg numbness:

• Pain
• Arthritis & Pain
• Injury & Recovery
• Leg Care & Injury
• Knee Care & Injury
• Sleeping & Insomnia
• more product offers...»

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Leg symptoms (1585 causes)
• Numbness (436 causes)
• Pain (5505 causes)
• Sensations (5742 causes)
• Nerve symptoms (6069 causes)
• Limb symptoms (1192 causes)
• Common symptoms (7552 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Leg numbness

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Leg numbness:

• Leg paresthesia, tingling leg
• Leg paresthesias (55 causes)
• Nerve entrapment
• Nerve compression
• Wallet pressing on a nerve
• Peripheral neuropathy (286 causes)
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• Leriche syndrome
• more symptoms...»

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

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:
  • Diabetic Neuropathy -- Undiagnosed
  • Peripheral Neuropathy -- Undiagnosed
  • Multiple Sclerosis -- Undiagnosed
  • more ...»
• Chronic Pain Disorders -- serious medical disorders that may be undiagnosed:
  • Fibromyalgia -- Undiagnosed
  • Arthritis -- Undiagnosed
  • Chronic Pain Syndromes -- Undiagnosed
  • Migraine -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Leg numbness: Research Related Doctors & Specialists

• Nerve Specialists:
  • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
  • Neurology (Brain/CNS Specialists)
  • Pediatric Neurology (Child Brain Specialist)
  • Spinal Cord Injury Medicine
• Pain Specialists:
  • Pain Medicine
  • Rheumatology (Arthritis / Joint Pain)
• Arthritis & Joint Health Specialists (Rheumatology):
  • Rheumatology (Joint Health)
  • Pediatric Rheumatology (Child Joint Health)
• more specialists...»

Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:

• Rate Your Doctor by Taking a Survey Online
• Research Your Doctor
• View Online Patient Surveys from Other Patients of Your Doctor
• Research local doctors and specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

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...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 symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency or ...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)
• Blood tests
• 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:
  • Home Diabetes Testing
  • Home Blood Glucose Test Kits
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Health Tests
  • Home Eye Health Tests
• Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Test Kits
  • Home Blood Glucose Testing Kits
• more tests...»

Stories from Users for Leg numbness

Real-life user stories relating to Leg numbness:

• Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
• Numbness in legs and right knee, help please
• numbness and tingling in legs
• constant diarrhea with numbness of my legs.
• Tremors and numbness doctor can't find a reason, please help
• Numbness in foot and pain in leg
• Numbness and Tingling from left torso down into both legs?
• My Fallice is numb
• numb tingling feet, back of legs.
• Somebody please help! Advice needed on numbness.
• numb arms and legs, hypothyroid, dizzy, stiff toes
• Numbness, tremors, clear MRI
• Numbness
• Handpain,numbness and dizzyness
• Constant Dizziness, Numbing of the Fingers, Legs and Feet
• Neuropathy or MS? Leg numbness
• Soooooo Tired and numb
• Funny feeling in left leg
• elderly relative with numbness in feet and legs
• Numbness

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Leg numbness or relevant symptoms:

• Neurological (Nerves) (606)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Eye twitch
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • So many symptoms but no diagnosis...GGRRR
  • More user stories
• Endocrine (Growth and Metabolism) (160)
  • Symptoms of Cushing's - Tests all negative
  • Has anyone been diagnosed with Wilson's Temperature Syndrome and are being treated??
  • I am at my wits end with these symptoms
  • Pitutary tumor
  • I think I have Cushings, can you help?
  • More user stories
• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (333)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Palpitations, inner left arm pain
  • Hand numbness
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • More user stories

Videos for Leg numbness

Patient Surveys for Leg numbness

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• Survey about diseases related to your Leg numbness
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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.

• Fungizone Intravenous
• Capace
• Thalidomide
• Thalomid
• Stavudine
• Zerit
• more causes...»

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.

• Dihydroergotamine and Nitroglycerin interaction
• more interactions...»

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:

• Leg nerves
• Legs
• Skin

Detailed list of causes of Leg numbness

The list below shows some of the causes of Leg numbness mentioned in various sources:

• Acidic dry cell batteries inhalation poisoning - numb toes
• Acroosteolysis neurogenic - numb feet
• Amyloidosis AL - leg numbness
• Arachnoid Cysts - leg numbness
• Arteriosclerosis Obliterans - limb numbness
• more causes...»

See full list of 60 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 60 causes of Leg numbness that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 3 causes are "very common" diseases
• 2 causes are "common" diseases
• 0 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 0 causes are "rare" diseases
• 3 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 55 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 60 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.

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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: