Expert: Scott F. Gillman, DC, DACBSP - 10/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello - I was reading a previous post to Dr. Leatherman from a person named Alexandra, and I have the same symptoms.  A few weeks ago while I was in the shower shaving I realized that my left leg and top of my left foot felt numb.  I didn’t think too much of it because I had just been sitting on my leg while on the computer.  The numbness mostly went away during the day, but it came back and I noticed it again a few days later while I was shaving.  It has been about 3 weeks now and the numbness is still there (comes and goes – but I really notice it while shaving).  I am 28 years old, healthy and very active.  I have made an appointment to see my doctor, but unfortunately cannot go until November 11 as I just started a new job.  Do you know what this could be??

ANSWER: Karen,

I can give you a laundry list of conditions that cause numbness, everything from lumbar disc herniation, multiple sclerosis, to the late effects of an old injury or surgery.   It cannot be diagnosed without more data, including past medical history, more detailed history of your body positons that cause the numbness, and also including some physical examination data.   Maybe if you provide more info I might be able to home in on it.

Dr. G

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks - in terms of past history, I really haven't had anything thus far to mention (besides  getting my tonsils out when I was 8!)...in terms of the numbness...it is just there no matter what position I am in.  It doesnt feel like pins and needles it feels more like I was given medicine to put it to sleep.  Not sure what other data I can provide?  It doesnt hurt at all and seems to be local to that area (particularly right above my ankle). The reason I notice it when shaving my legs is because I am pressing on my legs - other than that, unless I purposely feel my leg - I dont really notice it because it doesnt hurt.

Answer
Karen,

No pain?  No swelling? No loss of ability to walk on heels and toes?  No tenderness to squeeze your calf muscles?  No knee arthritis?  No diabetes?  No back pain?   This rules out a lot of things.  If you spend a lot of time sitting with your leg crossed in the same way, day in and day out, there is the chance you can develop adhesion formation that will tether around a nerve sheath and alter how the nerve transmits information from your skin to your spinal cord and brain.  When you cut off circulation to the blood supply to a nerve, your limb will go numb.  Everyone's experienced this, e.g. sitting in one positon too long and your foot falls asleep.  It's called "transient neuropraxia."  If you have scar tissue, it can also affect the nerve and cause funny sensations or altered sensation to touch.  The first thing to consider is having a completely normal medical/physical examination.  I would be curious if your skin sensation is the same with light touch, pinwheel, 2-point pin determination, and vibration sense (your doctor should do all of these).  All of your reflexes should be tested and your arterial pulses felt in your knee, ankle, and foot.  If all is normal, then get examined by a chiropractor that is skilled at soft tissue therapy, e.g. www.grastontechnique.com  or in active myofascial release methods.  See if working out the deeper soft tissues of the leg and thigh alter the senation.  If these soft tissue methods are going to work, you'll know within a few weeks if not right away.

'Hope this was helpful.

Dr. G