Weakness in the arms and legs

Many people are familiar with this sensation: sudden or increasing weakness in the arms and legs, when the legs feel like they are “filled with lead”, and the hands cannot even hold a cup of tea.

Most often, such weakness is transient and disappears quickly enough, leaving no trace. However, is it possible to breathe a sigh of relief? Experts believe that periodically occurring weakness in the limbs can indicate quite serious problems in the body.

Causes of weakness in arms and legs

What could be the causes of weakness in the arms and legs? This could be a sign of neurological disorders with impaired nerve conduction of muscles or neuromuscular impulses. Weakness could be caused by metabolic or electrolyte imbalance disorders, which happens when following strict diets and drinking disorders (with a lack of fluid in the body). The cause could also be a malfunction of the liver, kidneys, digestive system, etc.

Weakness in the arms may indicate the presence of:

• cervical osteochondrosis;
• cervical spondylosis;
• shoulder arthritis;
• traumatic or inflammatory lesions of the scapular, shoulder, and wrist areas.

Of course, these are far from all the reasons that cause weakness in the arms, but these are the most common ones.

Weakness in the legs occurs with the following diseases:

• lumbar hernia in the spine;
• lumbago;
• lumbar osteochondrosis;
• hormonal changes (during puberty, before menstruation, during pregnancy, during menopause);
• endocrine diseases (diabetes, thyroid pathologies);
• nervous stress, anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome.

By the way, sometimes there is more than one reason, but it appears in combination with other factors. Therefore, it is very important to diagnose all possible pathologies.

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Weakness of the muscles of the arms and legs

When complaining of weakness of the muscles of the arms and legs, you should first make sure whether this symptom is the only one, or is accompanied by pain, numbness, sensory disturbances, etc. For example, arthritis, which is accompanied by weakness of the limbs, is almost always characterized by pain in the joints, and dermatomyositis is characterized by damage to the skin.

True muscle weakness usually occurs symmetrically, regardless of physical activity. Most often, weakness begins in the lower extremities, gradually moving to the arms.

Muscle weakness can be a consequence of many diseases and conditions of the body. Perhaps, most often such weakness indicates the following pathologies:

• about protein deficiency in the body;
• about an inflammatory process in any organ;
• about the penetration of infection into the body;
• about exposure to toxic substances or poisoning;
• about dehydration;
• about electrolyte imbalance;
• about anemia or hypovitaminosis;
• about diabetes;
• about thyroid diseases with metabolic disorders;
• about neurological pathology;
• about the presence of rheumatoid arthritis;
• about the improper use of certain medications;
• about asthenic syndrome;
• about emotional overload and experienced stressful situations.

In any case, to determine the cause of the disease, you should consult a doctor, since treatment should be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease.

Weakness of the left arm and leg

Usually, if the left arm and leg become weak, the first thing they suspect is a stroke - an acute cerebrovascular accident. Indeed, a characteristic symptom of this pathology is numbness of one half of the body, in this case the left. This is quite likely, but not the only factor that can manifest itself in limb weakness. So what else can cause this condition?

• vegetative-vascular dystonia, obliterating endarteritis;
• cardiopathology (diseases of the heart and coronary vessels);
• disease of the left kidney, including tumor process;
• spleen disease;
• obliterating atherosclerosis, or thromboangiitis;
• diseases of the spine, including curvature of the spinal column, disc protrusion, hernia, tumor process in the spine.

It is almost impossible to diagnose such diseases without special research methods. Therefore, the doctor must send the patient for additional examination to accurately identify the possible cause of weakness of the left arm and leg. If a stroke is suspected, a visit to the doctor should be immediate.

Tremors in the hands and weakness in the legs

Tremor of the limbs is an involuntary frequent contraction of various muscle groups of the arms or legs. The condition when the arms shake and the legs become weak is common and is not always the result of any one cause. This condition can be physiological, essential, Parkinsonian and cerebellar. Let's consider these conditions in more detail.

• Essential tremors and muscle weakness can be hereditary or age-related. This pathology is aggravated by physical activity: it is not dangerous, but significantly affects the patient's quality of life.
• Parkinsonian tremors and muscle weakness are common in Parkinson's disease and are usually accompanied by hypokinesia or not. Symptoms are more likely to occur at rest.
• Cerebellar tremors and muscle weakness are observed when the cerebellum, which controls movement, is damaged. This can be a manifestation of multiple sclerosis, congenital cerebellar ataxia, etc.
• Physiological trembling of the hands and weakness in the legs is the most common condition. It is associated with nervous overexcitation, anxiety, fear, fatigue, hypothermia, withdrawal syndrome and some diseases of the nervous and endocrine systems. Often, trembling in the hands and weakness in the legs appear after taking large doses of caffeine or after prolonged exposure to the sun.

Numbness and weakness in the arms and legs

A condition in which a person feels weak and his arms and legs go numb can be a sign of an impending cold or other infectious disease. Poor sleep, insufficient nutrition, and overwork can also be indirect causes of such a condition.

If numbness of the limbs and weakness appear gradually, over a week or a month or even a year, one may suspect damage to the brain or spinal cord, as well as the neuromuscular system. In such situations, a thorough examination is necessary, since all the causes are quite serious and require careful medical supervision.

Numbness of the arms and legs combined with weakness may be a sign of a disease of the musculoskeletal system: the spine, intervertebral discs, joints and bones. It may also be a consequence of an old back injury.

In addition, it is necessary to remember the most common cause of numbness and weakness of the limbs (usually one-sided) - a stroke. A stroke develops quite quickly, as a result of a violation of the integrity of the vascular wall or the cessation of blood flow in one of the vessels of the brain.

Sudden numbness of the arms and legs, combined with weakness, headache or dizziness, is a characteristic sign of a brain disease. This is more than enough reason to immediately contact a doctor.

Treatment of weakness in arms and legs

If weakness in the arms and legs suddenly appears, the patient should lie down, ensuring maximum possible rest and relaxation. It is necessary to lie down or sit quietly for about 15-20 minutes: as a rule, the condition should return to normal during this time.

In addition, it would be a good idea to take some sedative, such as valerian extract, Novo-Passit, Fitosed, etc.

In no case should you smoke or drink alcohol. It is recommended to brew a calming tea or infusion with chamomile, mint, linden, honey. However, all these tips are only a temporary solution to the problem. A real qualified treatment for weakness in the arms and legs should be prescribed by a doctor, depending on the underlying disease: a neurologist, rheumatologist, endocrinologist, toxicologist or therapist.

In addition to the main treatment prescribed by the doctor, it is necessary to competently review the daily routine, allocating time for both work and rest). Physical activity must be present, but moderate, not exhausting. You should drink enough water, ensure that the diet is complete and contains enough calories, corresponding to age and lifestyle.

In some cases, weakness in the arms and legs goes away after treatment with acupuncture, manual therapy and massage, sessions of therapeutic hypnosis. Physiotherapy and spa treatment are indicated.