Numb patch on calf

Top Symptoms: distal numbness, muscle aches, joint stiffness, numbness on both sides of body, loss of muscle mass. Peripheral artery disease is also called PAD, intermittent claudication, or vascular disease. The large main artery from the heart is the aorta, and its smaller branches are the peripheral arteries. In PAD these peripheral arteries are blocked with plaque, which is debris that builds up in the lining of these arteries and eventually cuts off the blood flow.

PAD usually involves arteries that lead to the legs, but can affect any artery. Symptoms include numbness and pain in the legs, especially with exercise when more circulation is needed but the flow is blocked. It is important to seek treatment for these symptoms. PAD can lead to increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and infection as well as to gangrene, a life-threatening medical emergency. Diagnosis is made through patient history, physical examination, blood tests, and sometimes a treadmill test, MRI, and arteriogram.

Treatment involves medication and surgery to open or bypass blocked arteries, and lifestyle changes regarding diet, exercise, and smoking cessation. Top Symptoms: leg numbness, spontaneous foot pain, decreased exercise tolerance, cold feet, thigh pain. Symptoms that never occur with peripheral arterial disease pad : calf pain from an injury, thigh pain from an injury. Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease of the central nervous system.

The body's immune system attacks nerve fibers and their myelin covering. This causes irreversible scarring called "sclerosis," which interferes with the transmission of signals between the brain and the body. The cause is unknown. It may be connected to a genetic predisposition. The disease usually appears between ages 20 to 50 and is far more common in women than in men.

Other risk factors include family history; viral infections such as Epstein-Barr; having other autoimmune diseases; and smoking. Symptoms include numbness or weakness in arms, legs, or body; partial or total loss of vision in one or both eyes; tingling or shock-like sensation, especially in the neck; tremor; and loss of coordination. Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, blood tests, MRI, and sometimes a spinal tap.

There is no cure for MS, but treatment with corticosteroids and plasma exchange plasmapheresis can slow the course of the disease and manage symptoms for better quality of life. Top Symptoms: severe fatigue, constipation, numbness, decreased sex drive, signs of optic neuritis. Fibromyalgia is a set of chronic symptoms that include ongoing fatigue, diffuse tenderness to touch, musculoskeletal pain, and usually some degree of depression.

The cause is not known. When fibromyalgia appears, it is usually after a stressful physical or emotional event such as an automobile accident or a divorce. It may include a genetic component where the person experiences normal sensation as pain. Anyone with rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may be more prone to fibromyalgia. Poor sleep is often a symptom, along with foggy thinking, headaches, painful menstrual periods, and increased sensitivity to heat, cold, bright lights, and loud noises.

There is no standard test for fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is usually made when the above symptoms go on for three months or more with no apparent cause. Top Symptoms: fatigue, arthralgias or myalgias, anxiety, depressed mood, headache.

Some causes of lower leg tingling can be managed with at-home treatments while others require evaluation and treatment by a medical professional. Depending on the cause and other complications related to your lower leg tingling, you may require further medical treatment that can be recommended by your physician. Lower leg tingling with walking can be associated with diseases that affect the blood vessels in your legs. Claudication is the term used to describe pain or tingling in your lower legs with walking, caused by a partial blockage of the blood vessels in your legs.

Lower leg tingling that worsens with walking or exercise may also be due to a spinal issue. Either of these problems can cause lower leg tingling that is worse with movement and better with rest.

Lower leg tingling that is worse at night, with rest, or while lying down may be due to restless leg syndrome. Restless leg syndrome RLS is characterized by uncomfortable or unpleasant sensations in the leg s that may be tingling, burning, itching, aching or a creepy-crawly feeling.

These sensations cause an urge to move the legs when lying down, and usually, movement decreases the symptoms of RLS. If your tingling lower leg is also associated with sudden, severe back pain, trouble with balancing, sudden changes in bladder or bowel control, and numbness or weakness in one or both legs, buttocks, inner thighs or back of your legs, this could be symptoms suggesting your spinal nerves are being compressed and you should seek medical attention immediately.

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions. Questions may relate to diseases, illnesses, or conditions you may have or that may run in your family.

Your answers will help us provide you with medical information and identify services that may be relevant to your health. Buoy Health uses reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards such as firewalls, encryption, identity management, and intrusion prevention and detection to protect your information.

We will not share your information with third parties unless you give your consent or unless permitted by applicable law. Try our AI assistant here. Informed by current CDC guidelines. Skip to main content Skip to accessibility services Buoy Logo.

Nav Close Icon. Nav Open Icon. Health articles Chevron Icon. Featured topics. Symptom checker. Editorial standards. Who we serve Chevron Icon. Brokers and Consultants. Solutions Chevron Icon. Sections Icon.

Buoy Chat Icon. Symptom Checker. Verified By Experts Icon. Verified by experts 18 min read. No Ads. Ivy Maina, MD. Jeffrey M. Last updated November 24, Heart Icon. Speech Bubble Icon. Share Icon. Share Facebook Icon. LinkedIn Icon. Pinterest Icon. Pocket Icon. Share Link Icon. Copied to clipboard. Table of Contents. Tingling lower leg questionnaire Use our free symptom checker to find out what's causing your tingling lower leg. Symptoms associated with tingling in lower legs Lower leg tingling is a common complaint that drives many people to their doctors in search of relief.

Common accompanying symptoms of a tingling lower leg If you're experiencing a tingling lower leg, you may also experience: Numbness Pain in the leg s with or without activity Weakness of the affected leg s Aching in the leg s relieved or worsened with movement Trouble standing or sitting upright Back pain that may or may not shoot down the leg s Duration of symptoms The duration of your lower leg tingling can vary depending on the cause.

Acute: Lower leg tingling can resolve on its own over time, usually within days to a few weeks, if it is due to a nerve injury that heals over time. Chronic: Lower leg tingling can also be chronic, lasting for several weeks or indefinitely. Sudden-onset: Lower leg tingling that comes on suddenly is more concerning and should be evaluated by a medical provider. Is my tingling lower leg serious?

Lower leg tingling can vary in severity and can be evaluated by the following. Spinal nerve compression: If your tingling lower leg is also associated with sudden, severe back pain, trouble with balancing, sudden changes in bladder or bowel control, and numbness or weakness in one or both legs, buttocks, inner thighs or back of your legs, these could be symptoms suggesting your spinal nerves are being compressed and you should seek medical attention immediately.

If it occurs with the absence of other severe symptoms: If your lower leg tingling is not severe and not associated with any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it may not require immediate medical attention, but you should talk about your symptoms with a medical provider to identify the cause and best course of treatment.

What causes a tingling sensation in lower legs? Neurological injuries Causes that are more severe due to a neurological injury may include the following. If you have any of these symptoms you should seek immediate medical attention.

You are only feeling numbness in one lower leg and not both because the nerve or nerves in that leg have been affected whereas the nerve in the other leg has not. Depending on the specific cause of your symptoms, you may experience numbness and other symptoms in other parts of your body.

For example, if you suffer from diabetes you may have neuropathy that causes numbness in the hands as well. The duration of your symptoms will depend on the specific cause. For example, mechanical causes of lower leg numbness can have a range of causes from benign to severe. A compressive cause such as too-tight clothing will have a much faster resolution than a fracture or compressive tumor.

Discuss your specific prognosis with your physician to get more detailed information for the duration of your symptoms. Usually, numbness in the lower leg is not life-threatening, especially if it is related to compressive etiologies of leg numbness. Usually, these conditions are associated with severe trauma and symptoms such as paralysis, lack of pulse and changes in the color of the extremity.

Also Guillain-Barre Syndrome can result in numbness and weakness spreading to other parts including the breathing muscles and is an emergency needing immediate medical attention.

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions. Questions may relate to diseases, illnesses, or conditions you may have or that may run in your family. Your answers will help us provide you with medical information and identify services that may be relevant to your health. Buoy Health uses reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards such as firewalls, encryption, identity management, and intrusion prevention and detection to protect your information.

We will not share your information with third parties unless you give your consent or unless permitted by applicable law. Try our AI assistant here. Informed by current CDC guidelines. Skip to main content Skip to accessibility services Buoy Logo. Nav Close Icon. Nav Open Icon. Health articles Chevron Icon. Featured topics. Symptom checker. Editorial standards. Who we serve Chevron Icon. Brokers and Consultants. Solutions Chevron Icon. Sections Icon. Buoy Chat Icon. Symptom Checker.

Verified By Experts Icon. Verified by experts 14 min read. No Ads. Claudia Gambrah-Lyles, MD. Resident at Children Hospital of Philadelphia. Jeffrey M. Last updated November 24, Heart Icon. Speech Bubble Icon. Share Icon. Share Facebook Icon. LinkedIn Icon. Pinterest Icon. Pocket Icon. Share Link Icon. Copied to clipboard. Table of Contents. Lower leg numbness questionnaire Use our free symptom checker to find out what's causing your numbness.

Symptoms of lower leg numbness Lower leg numbness is characterized by loss of sensation or tingling in the lower extremities. Common accompanying symptoms of lower leg numbness If you're experiencing lower leg numbness, it is also likely to experience: Pain: This may shoot up or down the leg with certain movements or positions.

Burning Pins and needles sensation Increased or decreased sensitivity to touch Difficulty walking Weakness in the legs, ankles or feet Lower leg numbness in one or both legs can be a serious cause for concern as it often signals an underlying process that requires medical attention. Causes of lower leg numbness Numbness in the lower leg occurs when there is injury or disruption to the nerves of the lower extremity. Mechanical causes Any process that causes physical damage or disruption to the nerves in the lower legs can result in a mechanical cause of numbness.

Compression: Compression of a nerve or multiple nerves in the lower leg can result from various causes such as compressive clothing or leg positions such as crossing the legs or tumors that directly grow on or into the nerve or nerves.

Sometimes the vertebrae or disks of the back can become damaged leading to injury of the spinal cord. Trauma: Traumatic injuries that cause fractures to the bones or damage to the muscles surrounding the nerves in the lower leg can result in direct damage that results in numbness. Systemic: Dysfunction in the systemic processes that your body uses day-to-day, for example, glucose and insulin dysregulation in diabetes, can damage many nerves in the body causing numbness that may not only appear in the lower extremities but in other body parts such as the fingers as well.

Toxins: Toxins that cause injury to the nerves include heavy metals such as lead and substances such as alcohol. Too much exposure to either can cause nerve damage that can lead to lower leg numbness. Inflammatory causes Inflammatory causes of lower leg numbness may include the following.

Autoimmune: Many inflammatory diseases that result in the body attacking itself can also affect the nerves and cause injury that results in numbness. Conditions such as multiple sclerosis and lupus are examples of such autoimmune diseases. Infections: Bacterial infections can sometimes be the cause of Guillain-Barre Syndrome that may cause numbness in addition to weakness usually bilateral.

Multiple viral infections such as shingles can cause inflammation and nerve injury that may result in lower leg numbness. Some infections can cause large abscesses in the spine that can also cause compression of the nerves in the lower leg. Central nervous system causes Issues within the central nervous system can result in lower leg numbness. Brain or spinal cord: Processes in the brain and spinal cord can result in lower leg numbness, but often these conditions present with serious symptoms as well such as a loss of bladder control or consciousness.

A primary condition in the brain or spinal cord that is resulting in leg numbness is most likely a vascular injury in the brain or serious injury in the spinal cord that can cause paralysis.

Genetics: There are many nervous system conditions that people are born with such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth that can result in numbness and other symptoms in the lower legs. This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have. Herniated slipped disk in the lower back The backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. Rarity: Common Top Symptoms: lower back pain, moderate back pain, back pain that shoots down the leg, back pain that gets worse when sitting, leg weakness Urgency: Primary care doctor Restless legs syndrome rls Restless leg syndrome RLS is a chronic condition characterized by uncomfortable sensations while lying down and a strong urge to move the legs.

Vertebral osteomyelitis Vertebral osteomyelitis, or spinal osteomyelitis, is an infection in the bones of the spine. Diagnosis is made through blood tests, imaging of the spine, and sometimes biopsy. Rarity: Rare Top Symptoms: upper back pain, spontaneous neck or back pain, fever, foot numbness, upper leg numbness Urgency: Hospital emergency room Fibular nerve injury The fibular nerves are also known as the peroneal nerves.

Rarity: Uncommon Top Symptoms: pain in the distribution of fibular nerve, numbness in fibular nerve distribution, difficulty walking or weakness with foot dorsiflexion Urgency: Wait and watch Diabetic neuropathy Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by longstanding or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus DM. Diabetic neuropathy can present as a number..

Stroke or tia transient ischemic attack Transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is sometimes called a "mini stroke" or a "warning stroke. Rarity: Common Top Symptoms: dizziness, leg numbness, arm numbness, new headache, stiff neck Symptoms that never occur with stroke or tia transient ischemic attack : bilateral weakness Urgency: Emergency medical service Chronic idiopathic peripheral neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy refers to the feeling of numbness, tingling, and pins-and-needles sensation in the feet.

Rarity: Rare Top Symptoms: distal numbness, muscle aches, joint stiffness, numbness on both sides of body, loss of muscle mass Urgency: Primary care doctor Peripheral arterial disease pad Peripheral artery disease is also called PAD, intermittent claudication, or vascular disease.

Risk factors for PAD include smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Warm the mustard oil before applying on leg. Numbness in thigh or leg discomfort can be caused by poor blood circulation , especially after sitting with crossed legs or sitting on the side of your leg.

Elevate your leg to promote proper circulation. Place it in an upward position or prop it with a pillow for several minutes. Performing yoga stretches and positions on a daily basis can promote good blood circulation to prevent numbness of legs.

It can also be done for immediate relief of numbness. Just as yoga offers circulation benefits, doing at least 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis can also help. This can be walking, running, jogging, or swimming activities. With some cases of numbness caused by blood vessels dysfunction, use of herbs such as Gingko biloba may be helpful.

Medicinal herbs have been known to help with improving blood circulation and treat circulatory disorders. Lifestyle changes can be overwhelming and should be approached slowly and steadily. Other activities to help with treating and preventing numbness include staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy weight, using of proper footwear, keeping warm when exposed to cold temperatures, and avoiding smoking.

In addition to changing daily lifestyle habits and adding essential nutrients, you may also want to try some foods that could prevent bouts of numbness.

Take one tablespoon of Indian gooseberry powder, and mix it with one glass of milk or water for a daily morning beverage. Incorporate one avocado in your daily diet to promote good blood circulation with the magnesium component.

Add soybeans to your dinner dishes to prevent numbness by strengthening the muscles. Combine cayenne, ginger, garlic, and water to create a broth.

Enjoy three times each week. Increase blood flow by drinking a glass of milk and honey with one teaspoon of turmeric. Drink one glass each day. In a glass of warm milk, add one tablespoon of cinnamon for a daily drink. Eat foods enriched in vitamin B6 and B12 such as eggs, dried fruits, milk, fortified cereals, bananas, cheese, fish, oatmeal, yogurt, nuts, and seeds. Promote blood circulation and proper functioning of the central nervous system with magnesium enriched foods.

These include seeds, nuts, peanut butter, low-fat yogurt, dark green vegetables, and dark chocolate.