What Causes Leg Numbness? When to Contact a Doctor

Medically Reviewed By Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP

Leg numbness is a condition in which you feel a loss of sensation in one or both legs. It can be temporary as a result of sitting on your legs or staying still for too long. In some cases, however, it can indicate a more serious underlying condition. Numbness, or paresthesia, occurs when there is a problem with the nerves sending signals to the brain. A numb leg may occur with feelings of tingling or “pins and needles,” and it may result in falling over if you try to put weight on the limb.

Typically, you will not feel sensations such as a light touch, pain, or temperature on a numb leg. This makes it harder to be aware of any injury or sores.

The loss of sensation in the leg may disappear quickly. However, if the numbness persists, a doctor will be able to carry out tests to identify any underlying conditions.

Read on to find out more about the causes of leg numbness, as well as related symptoms and treatment options.

Symptoms of leg numbness

When leg numbness occurs, you may experience a range of sensations in your leg.

Some symptoms you might feel with a numb leg include:

  • numbness
  • tingles
  • pins and needles
  • skin crawling
  • itchiness

Temporary numbness typically occurs if you sit with your legs crossed for too long or if you sit on one leg for too long. Once the pressure from the nerve is released, the sensation quickly goes away.

However, if your leg is often numb without reason, or if you experience severe pain alongside the numbness, this could be a symptom of an underlying condition.

When to contact a doctor

If leg numbness does not go away on its own after a few minutes, or if you experience leg numbness that you cannot relate to your posture or position, seek medical advice.

Contact your doctor if your leg might be numb due to a recent injury or if you find that any of the following symptoms occur alongside leg numbness:

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience numbness and any of the following:

What causes leg numbness?

Temporary leg numbness may occur if you have been sitting in the same position for an extended period of time, as this compresses the nerves in that area. If this is the case, the numbness should go away after a few minutes.

However, a numb leg can be a symptom of a recent injury or an underlying condition that either restricts blood flow or causes injury to the nerves.

Some examples of conditions that can cause leg numbness include:

You may also experience leg numbness due to:

  • a recent injury
  • radiation therapy
  • unusual levels of some vitamins and minerals in your body
  • hardening of the arteries
  • chemotherapy medications
  • excessive alcohol use
  • tobacco use

If you experience leg numbness frequently or if the sensation does not go away after a few minutes, contact your doctor to discuss this.

Diagnosing the cause of leg numbness

Your doctor will be able to carry out a number of tests to determine the cause of your leg numbness.

These tests will depend on other symptoms you may be experiencing but might include:

Your doctor will be able to consider all of your symptoms before carrying out or arranging tests for you. Inform your doctor of any symptoms that you feel may be relevant to help with an accurate diagnosis.

Treatments for leg numbness

Treatments for leg numbness will depend on the cause and symptoms.

For example, if a leg numb occurs due to spinal stenosis, treatment options may include physical therapy such as massage, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or surgery.

When numbness occurs due to nerve damage, treatments can include medications, skin creams, physical therapy, and sleeping with a bed cradle to prevent blankets and sheets from adding weight to the legs.

Long-term numbness may require treatment with medications such as antidepressants, corticosteroids, gabapentin, or pregabalin.

Following a diagnosis, your doctor will advise on the best treatment options for you.

Complications of leg numbness

When your leg is numb, it increases your risk of falling over or hurting yourself. If you experience temporary numbness in your leg, it is best to remain still until the numbness passes.

Having a numb leg also means that you are more likely to experience an injury or sore without being able to feel it. If this happens and the injury goes untreated for any length of time, it may lead to further complications.

Ignoring a numb leg may cause underlying conditions to worsen. It is important to contact your doctor if you experience frequent or severe numbness, particularly if you cannot identify the cause of the numbness. This will help reduce the risk of complications that result from leg numbness.

How to prevent a numb leg

The following steps may help prevent leg numbness:

  • Massage your leg to improve blood flow.
  • Apply an ice pack or heat pack to the area for around 15 minutes, taking care not to damage the skin with extreme temperatures.
  • Exercise frequently to encourage blood flow and improve circulation.
  • Eat a healthy diet and avoid alcohol.
  • Make sure you get enough rest.

If you are prone to leg numbness, contact your doctor to discuss the types of preventive methods that may be best for you.

If you experience leg numbness as a symptom of another condition, it is best to contact your doctor before taking any preventive steps.

Summary

Temporary leg numbness is a common sensation that occurs as a result of sitting on the leg or staying still for too long. However, if leg numbness occurs frequently or does not go away after a few minutes, it could be a symptom of an underlying condition.

Your doctor will be able to assess your other symptoms and arrange diagnostic tests, which might include an MRI or CT scan, and physical exams to test your leg movement. Following diagnosis, they will advise on suitable treatments to alleviate leg numbness and any other symptoms that may occur due to an underlying condition.

It is also possible to help prevent the onset of leg numbness by massaging your leg, applying an ice or heat pack, and frequently

exercising. This encourages blood flow and circulation.

Contact your doctor if you experience persistent leg numbness or if your numb leg occurs alongside other symptoms.

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Medical Reviewer: Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP
Last Review Date: 2022 Feb 28
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