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Numbness of the toe
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Causes of the numbness of the big toe
Rheumatologists share the causes of numbness of the big toe in two categories: everyday and pathological.
The following can be classified as household:
- Inconvenient position.
- Inconvenient, narrow, stiff shoes.
- High heel or uncomfortable shoe.
- Long walking or prolonged standing.
- Legs are soaked or frozen.
- Chronic alcoholism.
Diseases that can cause numbness of the big toe:
- Vertebral hernia.
- Spinal problems localized in the lumbar region (4 and / or 5 vertebrae affected).
- Avitaminosis.
- Infringement of nerve roots in the lumbar region of the spine (radiculoneuritis).
- Osteochondrosis.
- Gout.
- Varicose veins of the inguinal zone and / or lower limbs.
- Polineuropathy is a complex neurological pathology affecting elements of the peripheral nervous system.
- Protrusion of the intervertebral disc.
- Tuberculosis of the spine.
- Violation of metabolic processes.
- Diabetes.
- Endarteritis.
- Infection.
- Arthritis and arthrosis.
- Stroke.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Oncology affecting the lumbar region of the spine.
- Metastases.
- Necrosis of tissues.
Symptoms of the numbness of the big toe
Paresthesia is not a disease, it is itself a symptom of many diseases. Numbness can manifest itself:
- Burning sensation.
- Itching.
- Stitching while moving.
First signs
Numbness of the big toe begins with a loss of sensitivity in this part of the human body. Gradually, the feeling of tingling, itching and "running goosebumps" may join.
If the numbness touched the big toe of the left leg, the reason could be trivial: "I put out my leg," problems with shoes. Provoke a similar symptom is capable of varicose veins, gout, swelling or metastases localized on the left leg.
A similar situation with the causes of numbness of the thumb on the right leg.
If paresthesia is traced on both legs, this may indicate a general disease (metabolic disorder, infection) or pathology of the lumbar spine (nerve injury, vertebral hernia and a number of others). But such a clinical picture is rare.
Diagnostics of the numbness of the big toe
If this symptom occurs, the diagnosis of numbness of the big toe begins with a physical examination of the patient, an analysis of his complaints, an evaluation of the concomitant symptomatology, and an examination of the patient's anamnesis.
Analyzes
The doctor appoints a number of laboratory studies:
- General blood analysis.
- Blood test for sugar.
- General urine analysis.
Instrumental diagnostics
For the diagnosis, the attending physician uses the results and instrumental diagnostics:
- MRI of the spine.
- Radiography.
- Ultrasound of the vessels of the lower extremities.
How to examine?
Differential diagnosis
When setting the diagnosis, the doctor resorts to differential diagnosis. Based on the results of laboratory and instrumental studies, the doctor receives a complete clinical picture of the disease. On the basis of this, a diagnosis is made:
- Household etiology of the problem.
- Endocrine disorders.
- Pathologies of a neurological nature.
- Violation of the vascular system.
- Spinal injury.
Who to contact?
Treatment of the numbness of the big toe
Methods of treatment depend on the cause of numbness of the big toe. If a person simply "has served" a leg, it will be enough to stand up and walk around, change the situation. To the lower limb, the flow of blood will flow and its sensitivity will be restored. There is a possibility - you should stretch your foot and finger, doing a small massage.
If the cause of numbness of the big toe - pathological changes in the patient's body, then the protocol of therapy is appointed depending on the diagnosis.
With problems of neuromuscular conduction, a neurologist is prescribed drugs that improve the conductivity of nerve endings (anticholinesterase drugs).
As a detoxification therapy prescribed diuretics (diuretics). Muscle relaxants, relieving muscle tension, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamin-mineral complex (vitamins of group B) are prescribed.
Prescribed drugs that reduce the number of cholesterol plaques - statins.
Medications
Preparations of anticholinesterase action, improving the conductivity of nerve endings: deoxypeganine, deoxypeganine hydrochloride, oxazyl, galantamine hydrobromide, mestinone, nivalin, neuromedin, calamine forte.
Deoxypeganine hydrochloride is taken orally. Recommended reception schedule:
- for adult patients - 50-100 mg three times a day;
- for adolescents older than 14 years - 25 to 50 mg, but not more than 200 mg daily;
- children aged 12 to 14 years - from 10 to 25 mg, but not more than 100 mg per diem.
The duration of therapy is two to four weeks.
Contraindication to the administration of deoxypeganine hydrochloride is an increased sensitivity of the body, hyperkinesis, stomach and duodenal ulcer, epileptic seizures, bronchial asthma, angina pectoris, arterial hypertension.
Side effects of the drug include: increased work of salivary glands, a decrease in heart rate, dizziness, pain in the legs.
Diuretics, which activate urinary excitatory properties of the body: euphyllin, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, kanefron, triamterene, phytolysin.
Furosemide should be taken orally 40 mg once a day (in the morning) before meals. If necessary, the dosage can be increased to 80-160 mg per day, divided into two or three doses. But after reaching a therapeutic effect, the dose of the drug administered is reduced to the starting dosage.
Furosemide is not prescribed for patients with acute glomerulonephritis, hepatic and hepatic insufficiency, hypersensitivity to the drug, including sulfonamides, with mechanical obstruction of the urinary tract, in violation of water-salt metabolism, in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Side effects of the drug are expressed by such symptoms: hyperemia, hypotension, nausea and vomiting, dehydration and hypovolemia, itching, disturbances of heart rhythm, vision and hearing.
Statins that allow you to get rid of excess cholesterol plaques: acorta, rosacard, crucifer, deaden, rosuvastatin, tevastor.
The starting dosage of the rosicard is 10 mg, taken once a day for a month. Then the dosage is doubled. If necessary, the taken amount of the drug can be brought up to 40 mg daily.
Contraindication to the appointment of a rosewood is hypersensitivity to lactose and other components of the drug, renal and / or hepatic insufficiency, lactose deficiency, myopathy, glucose-galactose malabsorption, pregnancy and lactation, children and adolescents under 18 years.
Side effects of the drug include: constipation, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea, dizziness and headaches, symptoms of an allergic reaction of the body, coughing, memory impairment.
Miorelaxants: myocaine, mephedol, sibazon, midokalm.
Sibazon appointed inside. The recommended dose for adult patients is 5 to 15 mg, depending on the clinical picture of the disease, the condition of the patient, the sensitivity to the drug. The number of daily receptions is three. The maximum allowable dosage is 60 mg.
Sibazon is contraindicated in taking it with increased sensitivity to diazepam or other benzodiazepines, severe myasthenia gravis, chronic hypercapnia, as well as alcohol or drug dependence.
Painkillers: ketans, nimesil, ketorol, citramone, ketalgin, actasulide.
Anti-inflammatory: sulindac, ibuprofen, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, nimesulide.
Ibuprofen for adults and children over 12 years is prescribed one - two tablets three times - four times a day. Children from one year to 12 years of age, the dosage is calculated: 20 mg per kilogram of the child's weight, divided into three to four doses.
It is recommended to take the medicine after eating. The maximum daily dose is 2.4 g.
Contraindication to the appointment of ibuprofen is ulcerative lesions of the mucous organs of the digestive tract, ulcerative colitis, severe violations of the liver and kidneys, leukopenia, bronchial asthma, heart failure, hypersensitivity to the drug.
Side effects of the drug include: constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, vomiting and nausea, flatulence, erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, dizziness, headaches, swelling, allergy symptoms, visual impairment, sleep disturbance.
Vitamins
Necessarily appointed and vitamins. Advantage is given to vitamins of group B: neurobion, beviplex, neurorubin, tigamma, compliments B.
Beviplex is prescribed to adults three to four dragees one - twice a day. Children this dosage is reduced to two or three pills.
Contraindications to the vitamin complex include individual intolerance to one of the components of the drug.
Physiotherapeutic treatment
With numbness of the big toe, high efficiency shows physiotherapy.
- Paraffin applications.
- Massages.
- Electrophoresis.
- Physiotherapy.
- Contrast baths.
- Mud baths.
- Magnet.
- Electromyostimulation.
Alternative treatment
Alternative treatment will come to the rescue, which can offer many effective prescriptions for eliminating the numbness of the big toe. Here are just a few of them.
Recipe number 1 - honey wraps.
- Before going to bed, apply a small layer of honey to the skin of your thumb.
- Overlay gauze and fix with adhesive bandage or bandage.
- Top with a sock.
Prescription number 2 - contrasting trays. We recommend 10 such procedures.
- Take two pelvis. One fill with hot water and the other with cold water.
- In each container, keep your feet for half an hour, alternating. The number of changes of the pair is cold - hot water - five.
- The thumb is rubbed with turpentine.
- Top with a sock.
Recipe number 3 - lemon-garlic elixir.
- One lemon and cloves of garlic from one head to grind.
- Insist in half a liter of water.
- Drink before eating a quarter of a glass for several days.
Recipe number 4 - camphor grind.
- Before going to bed, grind the troubling finger thoroughly, rubbing the camphor ointment.
- To put on a sock.
Herbal Treatment
Used in the treatment of numbness of the big toe and medicinal herbs: chicory, chernobylnik (Artemisia vulgaris), Leonurus, Ledum.
Massages with the infusion of Ledum.
- Insist a medicinal plant on apple cider vinegar.
- Three times during the day, rub the obtained tincture.
Homeopathy
Doctors - homeopaths are ready to make and their contribution in solving the problem with numbness of the big toe. They offer:
Calcarea fluorata is assigned in the third and sixth dilutions.
Crotalus horridus (Crotalus horridus) is the poison of the rattlesnake. Ointment based on it is used for external treatment. Therapy involves rubbing the medicine before going to bed for a week.
Hypericum (Hypericum) - St. John's wort. Its doses are recommended in one- and three-time dilutions, orally. Outer - in a 5% solution for applications or 10% ointment.
Escolus compositum is assigned in the third decimal, third or sixth dilution.
Nervocheel is taken one tablet three times a day. The drug is placed under the tongue for half an hour before meals or an hour after it. The duration of therapy is 14 to 21 days.
Possible side effects of the drug are symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Contraindications include hypersensitivity to the components of the drug and children's age to three years.
The granules of the lycopodium are placed under the tongue and maintained until complete dissolution. The drug is recommended to dissolve between meals. The duration of treatment is controlled by a doctor.
Contraindications to the use of homeopathic medicines is increased sensitivity to their constituent components, a tendency to manifest allergic reactions, pregnancy, lactation and children under three years of age.
In rare cases, drugs can cause side effects in the form of intensifying the already existing negative symptoms. In this case, they do not cancel the medicine.
Operative treatment
Depending on the clinical picture of the disease and the established cause of numbness of the big toe, surgical treatment can be introduced into the treatment protocol.
If the reason for the numbness of the big toe was varicose veins, it may be that a phlebectomy is prescribed and performed by a doctor.
If the spine function is impaired, for example, with a spinal hernia or tumor, an operative intervention to eliminate the disease is performed.
The very numbness of the thumb of the finger by an operative intervention is not cured.
Prevention
First of all, prophylaxis of numbness of the big toe is prevention of diseases that can cause this symptomatology:
- Rational, proper nutrition, rich in trace elements and vitamins. Refuse from products that adversely affect the condition of the circulatory and nervous system.
- Healthy lifestyle: refusal from smoking, alcohol, drugs.
- Active way of life, but without excessive extreme.
- Do not overload the spine.
- Timely and fully treat colds and infectious diseases.
- Exclude hypodynamia. In the case of sitting work, periodically take breaks, changing the position of the body. This allows to avoid clipping of the blood and nervous structures.
- Regularly undergo preventive examinations by specialists.
- Do not jam the nerve spinal roots or central nervous lines.
- Protect yourself from injuries to the spine and lower limbs.
- Wear comfortable and high-quality shoes.
- Do not allow prolonged freezing of legs and their wetting.
- Daily performance of morning exercises.
- Contrast baths in the evening.
- Walks in the open air.
- Weight control.
- In case of any ailments, consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Forecast
In most cases, the forecast of numbness of the big toe is favorable. An exception may be, untimely recognized cancerous tumor with metastases, the ending that becomes disability or death. In the rest, with timely and adequate treatment, a person can partially or completely get rid of the problem.