What causes numbness in toes
If you’re dealing with numbness in your toes, it can really get you down. It may make it difficult to stay active, cause you to trip and fall, or even make it painful to just walk around.
If foot pain or numbness makes you change the way you walk, it can cause issues like knee pain or back pain. In addition, the loss of feeling can result in foot injuries you might not be aware of.
Sometimes toe numbness can go away on its own. In other cases, it’s a symptom of a serious health condition. Here’s what you need to know about the possible causes of toe numbness and what to do about it.
What is TOE Numbness?
Toe numbness describes the loss of feeling in your toes, but it can also involve some related symptoms such as:
- Tingling
- Burning
- A pins-and-needles sensation
The symptoms can sometimes extend upwards to the foot and leg as well. And it may only affect one side of your body or both.
What Causes Numbness in Feet and Toes?
A wide variety of health conditions can cause numbness in feet and toes. The most common causes include:
- Foot dysfunctions
- High arches
- Flat feet
- Bunions
- Hammer toes
- Claw toes
- Certain diseases
- Improper footwear
- Herniated disk
- Spinal cord injury
How is Numbness in Toes Diagnosed?
To start diagnosing the cause of your toe numbness, your doctor will speak with you about your medical history and symptoms. Afterwards, you’ll receive a physical examination. This may include testing your sense of feeling in your feet, such as checking your ability to sense temperature.
Depending on what they find, they may use diagnostic tools like MRI and CT scans to check for conditions such as spinal issues or a stroke.
Nerve conduction studies may also be used to check for pinched nerves. This test uses an electric current passing through the nerves to check if the nerve signals are being transmitted normally.
Treating Chronic Foot Numbness
If your toe numbness doesn’t go away on its own and sticks around for several months, it’s referred to as chronic. There are a number of options for treating chronic foot numbness.
The appropriate treatment will depend on the underlying cause for your toe numbness. But there are also some things you can do to relieve the symptoms and reduce the risk of developing cuts and sores.
- Wearing soft, thick socks, such as diabetic socks
- Wearing well-fitting shoes or custom orthotics
- Checking your feet daily for cuts (use a handheld mirror to check the bottoms of your feet)
FAQs About Numbness in Toes
How do I get rid of numbness in my toes?
There are a number of remedies that can help reduce numbness in your toes, including getting better footwear or custom orthotics. But to actually get rid of the numbness for good, you should see a doctor for help identifying the cause.
Is numbness in toes dangerous?
No, having numbness in your toes is not considered dangerous. However, it is sometimes a symptom of a serious condition, so its a good idea to get it checked out. The only real direct danger that comes from numb toes is the risk of falling due to being unable to feel the ground with your feet, and the risk of developing wounds on your feet.
Will numbness in toes go away?
It depends on the cause and the particular case. In some cases, numbness in toes will go away on its own. In other cases, it will go away and return periodically. And sometimes, it sticks around for good and requires treatment to get any improvement. So if you’ve tried simple remedies (like ensuring you have proper shoes) but your toe numbness remains, you should consider getting it checked out.