What causes leg pain and numbness?

Generally speaking, leg pain and foot numbness are mostly caused by lumbar disc herniation. If a nerve is compressed, it could be more troublesome. You can do some physical therapy to relieve the pain, and traction is particularly effective for lumbar disc herniation. If you are frequently exposed to cold, you may suffer from lumbar disc herniation, which is a disease that is generally difficult to cure. Try to avoid lifting heavy objects and pay more attention to keeping warm. Whatever the reason, don't stress about it.

The cause is a herniated disc, and the symptom should be sciatica caused by the herniated disc. Once the cause and symptoms are understood, the corresponding measures can be taken.

1. Treatment of lumbar disc herniation

Lumbar disc herniation is one of the more common lumbar diseases in clinical practice and is a common and frequently occurring disease in orthopedics. This is mainly because the various parts of the lumbar intervertebral disc (nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus and cartilage plate), especially the nucleus pulposus, have different degrees of degenerative changes. Under the influence of external factors, the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc ruptures, and the nucleus pulposus tissue protrudes (or falls out) from the ruptured part to the back or inside the spinal canal, causing adjacent tissues, such as spinal nerve roots and spinal cord, to be stimulated or compressed, resulting in a series of clinical symptoms such as low back pain, numbness and pain in one or both lower limbs.

Lumbar disc herniation is a diagnosis of Western medicine, and there is no such disease name in traditional Chinese medicine. Instead, the disease is generally classified under the category of "low back pain" and "low back and leg pain". Traditional Chinese medicine has long recorded and has a deep understanding of low back and leg pain.

Causes of Lumbar Disc Herniation

(1) Degenerative changes of the lumbar intervertebral disc: The degeneration of the nucleus pulposus is mainly manifested by a decrease in water content, which can cause small-scale pathological changes such as joint instability and loosening. The degeneration of the annulus fibrosus is mainly manifested by a decrease in toughness.

(2) The effect of external force: Minor damage caused by long-term and repeated external force acts on the lumbar intervertebral disc over time, aggravating the degree of degeneration.

(3) Weaknesses of the intervertebral disc’s own anatomical factors: ① The intervertebral disc gradually lacks blood circulation after adulthood and has poor repair ability. Based on the effects of the above factors, some inducing factors that can cause a sudden increase in the pressure on the intervertebral disc may cause the less elastic nucleus pulposus to pass through the annulus fibrosus that has become less tough, thereby causing nucleus pulposus herniation.

The triggering factors of lumbar disc herniation may include:

①Sudden weight-bearing or lumbar sprain is the main cause of annular fibrous rupture.

② Trauma to the lumbar region causes the degenerated nucleus pulposus to protrude.

③Improper posture can induce nucleus pulposus herniation.

④ Nucleus pulposus herniation may also occur when abdominal pressure increases.

⑤Exposure to cold and damp. Cold or dampness can cause small blood vessel constriction and muscle spasm, which increases the pressure on the intervertebral disc and may also cause degenerative disc rupture. External factors include excessive weight bearing or rapid bending, lateral flexion, and rotation resulting in rupture of the annulus fibrosus, or lumbar trauma, improper daily working posture, etc., which can also cause lumbar disc herniation.