What causes thigh numbness? What are the causes?

I believe everyone has this experience in daily life. After standing or sitting for a long time, our legs always feel numb. Some people do not take limb numbness seriously. In fact, limb numbness is a very serious disease. So do you know what limb numbness is?

What causes limb numbness?

Limb numbness is a disease of the nervous system. There are many causes of limb numbness. Some are symptoms of hemiplegia, while others have other causes. Limb numbness refers to the loss of the limbs' sense of external stimuli, such as cold, heat, and pain. Healthy limbs are sensitive to external stimuli. When the skin comes into contact with external stimuli, a certain sensation may be produced and transmitted to the brain through the nervous system. After analysis and synthesis by the brain, the nature of the stimulus is correctly determined.

Patients with hemiplegia mainly suffer from cerebral atherosclerosis, which causes the inner membrane of our arterial walls to become rough and uneven, making the blood in the body easy to coagulate and form blood clots, blocking the already narrowed blood vessels and causing acute cerebral ischemia.

In addition to the known hemiplegia as a precursor to limb numbness, there are many other diseases that have precursors to limb numbness, such as:

1. Peripheral neuropathy

It is mostly caused by vitamin B deficiency, drugs or heavy metal poisoning, and manifests as numbness in the extremities and a loss of sensation like wearing gloves or socks. Some elderly women may also suffer from peripheral nerve nutrition disorders due to long-term exposure to cold water, resulting in swelling and numbness of small joints of the fingers, which will quickly improve after hot compress treatment.

2. Cervical spondylosis

It is divided into several types, including nerve root type and spinal type. For example, in cases of radiculopathy of cervical spondylosis, numbness of one or both upper limbs may occur, mainly in the first, second, third fingers or the fourth and fifth fingers. This is caused by intervertebral disc deformation and bone hyperplasia, which is different from the numbness caused by hemiplegia. Symptoms can be improved through treatments such as neck traction.

3. Lumbar disc herniation

Symptoms include numbness in the lower limbs and pain in the back of the thigh. Through symptomatic treatment, symptoms can be gradually alleviated. Surgery may be required in severe cases.

4. Lateral femoral cutaneous neuritis

It is characterized by numbness of the outer thigh. It has good results after treatment with acupuncture, physical therapy and taking vitamin B. Even if the effect is not obvious, it will not affect the movement of the lower limbs.

5. Spinal cord disease

It manifests as numbness on one side of the limbs and weakness on the other side, or weakness in the lower body accompanied by numbness. It is caused by spinal cord lesions caused by inflammation, tumors or trauma, and has nothing to do with hemiplegia.