Should You Be Concerned If Your Toes Are Numb?
When the blood circulation in your feet is impaired, you may experience toe numbness as a symptom. The sensations you may encounter also include tingling or even burning. Walking may become unpleasant and challenging as a result.
Toe numbness may be a passing symptom or a chronic and long-lasting problem. Persistent toe numbness can make it difficult for you to walk and may even cause cuts and injuries you may not be aware of. Get your feet checked to understand the reason for your numbness.
Your sensation of touch is provided by a sophisticated sensory nerve network in your body. Damaged nerves can create an abnormal or decreased sensation in your toes and fingers.
Some people suffer toe numbness after exercising, particularly after high-impact activities like jogging or playing sports. This is due to the nerves often being crushed during exercise. If you stop exercising, the numbness should go away pretty fast.
Although less frequent, numbness in the toes might indicate a more severe neurological condition. This is when one side of your body suddenly becomes numb.
Concerned about your numb toes?
Numb toes are often not a medical emergency. Nevertheless, peripheral neuropathy usually indicates an underlying medical condition, so you should talk to your doctor about these symptoms.
Is the numbness serious?
There are several signs that should make you go to an emergency room. Warning signs to look out for include:
- Stiffness of muscles that make it challenging to walk or balance.
- Numbness that rapidly spreads up your legs and feet.
- Any feeling that develops suddenly and coexists with other neurologic alterations, such as dizziness, excruciating headaches, or lack of sensation.
The reason for numb toes determines the course of treatment. For instance, controlling sugar levels in your blood is the best strategy to stop diabetes related numbness in your toes from getting worse.
Taking care of your feet
- You should properly clean and inspect your feet daily if you get toe numbness for any reason. This is to check for an injury or damage that you might not be feeling.
- Using orthopedic shoes, which are made to aid the feet and surrounding joints, is another way to improve your foot health.
- Don’t disregard foot pain if you experience it. Your feet are trying to tell you something has to change. If you don’t do anything, the discomfort can grow worse and numbness might start to appear.
- Until the soreness goes away, refrain from engaging in any intense activity, such as running or sprinting.
- Consult your podiatrist for important tips to improve your foot health.
The foot experts at Desert Podiatric Medical Specialists in the Tucson, Oro Valley, and Green Valley areas of Pima County, Arizona, have unparalleled experience treating all aspects of foot and ankle care. If you have any questions or want to make an appointment, please call (520) 575-0800.
