Chiropractic Healing Works

Struggling With Numbness In Your Feet? Three Potential Causes

26 August 2015 by Charlie Berry

If you're experiencing numbness in your feet that's persisted over time, you'll want to talk with a podiatrist or other medical professional about your concerns. Unlike brief or temporary numbness that can be caused by the pressure of sitting on your foot too long, this persistent numbness may be an indication of a serious health problem. Here are a few concerns that you should discuss with a podiatrist and your primary care doctor, as they can all cause persistent numbness in your feet.

Orthopedic Issues

Conditions such as sciatica, spinal stenosis and herniated discs can cause radiating pain from your back to your legs. Sometimes, it can even cause numbness that can spread to your feet. In addition, some spinal injuries can lead to nerve damage, which will also contribute to some numbness, even in your feet.

Sometimes, osteoporosis can cause persistent problems with weakness and numbness due to the weakening of the bone that's supposed to be the core support for your muscle and nerve system. If you visit a podiatrist who cannot identify anything that's clearly wrong with your ankles or your feet, you might want to visit an orthopedist to see if you have a spinal problem that's causing your numbness.

Conditions like tarsal tunnel syndrome cause pinched nerves in your ankle area. These nerves regulate some of the feeling in your feet, which can cause numbness. Often, this exhibits as pain in your ankle along with the numbness and some muscle weakness in your foot.

Circulatory Difficulties

Numbness that's isolated to one foot is commonly the result of problems with your circulatory system. For example, peripheral artery disease is a common problem that plagues older people due to narrowing of the arteries over time. This is not only caused by age, but can also occur with poor dietary habits.

The condition of your veins can also contribute to numbness in your feet. For example, deep vein thrombosis is one cause for these symptoms. This condition is serious, because it can lead to blood clots forming in other areas of your body, which could be a long-term health risk. If you have any reason to suspect deep vein thrombosis, such as a family history, see your doctor right away.

Another concern is persistent exposure to cold temperatures. If you've been outside in the extreme cold for a long period, you should have your feet assessed for frostbite. It can cause long-term damage if not treated, so make sure you see a podiatrist and your primary care specialist if you think you may have frostbite.

Neurological Problems

Neurological problems are another common reason for numbness in your feet. For example, if you have diabetes that's poorly controlled, numbness in one foot or both could be caused by neuropathy. If you don't have diabetes, you may still be affected by neuropathy in a different form, known as peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is often the result of a systemic condition or a traumatic injury. Conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, lupus and even vitamin deficiencies can be to blame for neuropathy and numbness in your feet.

You should, however, be particularly concerned if the numbness in your feet comes on suddenly and coincides with slurred speech, dizzy spells and poor muscle control. These symptoms together all indicate the potential of a stroke, so you'll want to seek medical treatment right away. In these cases, you'll need a primary care doctor, not a podiatrist.

If your numbness is centrally located in your feet, you'll probably want to start with a visit to a podiatrist. He or she can help you narrow down the source of your discomfort or recommend that you see another care provider. Sometimes, the best treatments for this type of discomfort involves a combination of efforts from both a podiatrist and your primary care doctor. To find a podiatrist near you, visit a site like http://www.westmorelandfootdoctor.com.

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