If the numbness is caused by ill-fitting shoes or a toe injury, the symptom is usually normal and can heal on its own. However, chronic toe numbness that does not appear to stem from a known acute concern may point to underlying health issues like diabetes, blood disorders, or other illnesses.
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How do I get rid of numbness in my toes?
A change of shoes, shoe inserts, rest, and ice may help. But if those things don’t do the trick, and the pain and numbness in your toes last more than a few days, it may be time to call your doctor.
When should I worry about a numb toe?
Numbness or tingling in the toes typically isn’t a medical emergency. But you should get an emergency medical evaluation for any quick and severe change in feeling — especially if there are other signs of a stroke like facial droop or severe headache.
What does it mean when your toe are numb?
The most common cause of toe numbness is direct compression of the nerves of the foot from footwear from shoes. Numbness of the toe can occur because of injury to the foot, nerve damage (neuropathy), and poor circulation to the foot (such as with diabetes and peripheral vascular disease).
What causes permanent numbness in toes?
There are many causes of numbness in the toes. Some people find that it goes away if they change shoes or avoid exposure to cold conditions. In other cases, numbness may be due to a medical condition that requires treatment, such as diabetes, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or multiple sclerosis (MS).
Can you reverse numbness in your feet?
While you can’t reverse the damage from neuropathy, there are ways to help manage the condition, including: lowering your blood sugar. treating nerve pain. regularly checking your feet to make sure they are free of injury, wounds, or infection.
Can numbness in feet be cured?
Many of the conditions that cause leg and foot numbness, such as nerve pressure, improve with rest. Ice. Ice can help reduce swelling that can put pressure on nerves. Apply cold compresses or wrapped icepacks to numb legs and feet for 15 minutes at a time several times daily.
What kind of doctor treats numbness in feet?
Orthopedic Doctors
You may want to see an orthopedic doctor for numbness in your toes if you are dealing with a condition like multiple sclerosis or arthritis.
Is numbness in toes a symptom of diabetes?
High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout the body. Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in the legs and feet. Depending on the affected nerves, diabetic neuropathy symptoms include pain and numbness in the legs, feet and hands.
When is numbness an emergency?
Also seek emergency medical care if your numbness is accompanied by: Weakness or paralysis. Confusion. Difficulty talking.
Can a pinched nerve cause numbness in big toe?
Big toe numbness can also be caused by things like poor circulation or even a pinched nerve between the toes themselves, but it’s more commonly due to a nerve.
What is neuropathy of the toes?
Peripheral neuropathy is damage of the peripheral nerves. Your peripheral nerves are the nerves that travel to your arms and legs. When the nerves are damaged, they don’t function properly. People with peripheral neuropathy have decreased or abnormal sensation in their toes and fingers.
How do I know if nerve damage is healing?
How do I know the nerve is recovering? As your nerve recovers, the area the nerve supplies may feel quite unpleasant and tingly. This may be accompanied by an electric shock sensation at the level of the growing nerve fibres; the location of this sensation should move as the nerve heals and grows.
What vitamins help with nerve damage?
B Vitamins
Vitamins B-1, B-6, and B-12 have been found to be especially beneficial for treating neuropathy. Vitamin B-1, also known as thiamine, helps to reduce pain and inflammation and vitamin B-6 preserves the covering on nerve endings.
What are the signs of nerve damage?
The signs of nerve damage
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
- Feeling like you’re wearing a tight glove or sock.
- Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs.
- Regularly dropping objects that you’re holding.
- Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
- A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.
Is numbness in feet serious?
Numbness in feet can have many causes. Most often, numbness occurs due to nerve damage or restricted blood flow. Conditions such as PAD or peripheral neuropathy are more serious causes of foot numbness. Without treatment, they can increase a person’s risk of heart attack, stroke, or even limb loss.
Does numbness from neuropathy go away?
The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may lessen or go away over time, but in some cases they never go away. These are some ways to learn to live with it: Use pain medicines as your doctor prescribes them.
Is walking good for neuropathy in feet?
Regular exercise, such as walking three times a week, can reduce neuropathy pain, improve muscle strength and help control blood sugar levels. Gentle routines such as yoga and tai chi might also help.
Do damaged nerves ever heal?
Nerves recover slowly, and maximal recovery may take many months or several years. You’ll need regular checkups to make sure your recovery stays on track. If your injury is caused by a medical condition, your doctor will treat the underlying condition.
Can back problems cause numb toes?
A herniated disc is one of the more common back injuries that can bring about numbness in your toes. That’s because a herniated disc can affect your nerves.
When is nerve damage permanent?
As a specialist in peripheral nerve surgery, Dr. Seruya wants his patients to know that after a period of 12-18 months nerve damage can become permanent.