Where does weakness in the legs come from and what to do with it
Educational Program Health / / December 30, 2020
Wadded feet that become disobedient are a common case of muscle weaknessFight Back Against Muscle Weakness. Most often, this unpleasant condition is temporary and quickly goes away by itself. But sometimes, especially if you constantly notice weakness in the legs, it can signal serious disruptions in the body.
When to Seek Help Immediately
Sudden muscle weakness may be a sign stroke - interruption of blood flow in the brain. Call 103 or 112 if a sudden feeling of sagging legs is accompanied by other symptoms:
- acute, very severe headache;
- dizziness;
- loss of balance;
- deterioration in coordination of movements;
- unilateral numbness - for example, one of the hands is suddenly taken away or one side of the face becomes numb;
- blurred vision in one or both eyes;
- problems with speech - the language becomes naughty, it is difficult for you to pronounce the simplest words.
Any of these symptoms, together with weakness in the lower extremities, are sufficient to suggest a stroke. In this case, the slightest delay is deadly, urgent medical attention is needed.
If there are no dangerous signs, try to figure out what exactly is happening to your lower limbs.
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What are the causes of weakness in the legs
Feet can become wadden for a variety of reasons.What causes muscle weakness?. Here are the most common ones.
1. Severe or prolonged stress
"Fear paralyzes" is not a form of speech, but a really existing phenomenonMuscle Weakness Anxiety Symptoms. When you are very afraid or worried about something, your body triggers a fight-or-flight response. Trembling knees, feeling of weakness in the legs can be a subjective manifestation of it.
Muscle weakness often occurs in those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety disorder, and depression.
2. Iron-deficiency anemia
Anemia occurs when the level of red blood cells - red blood cells that carry oxygen to organs and tissues - decreases in the blood. Most often this happens due to the fact that the body does not receive enough iron. This trace element is necessary for the production of hemoglobin - a key protein that is part of red blood cells.
Other symptoms of anemia include fatigue, easy shortness of breath, and cold, numb limbs.
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3. Lack of certain nutrients
It's about electrolytesWhat causes muscle weakness?, which include calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium. These substances are necessary to maintain water-salt balance and, among other things, help to ensure the correct transmission of nerve impulses and proper muscle function.
An electrolyte deficiency is often caused by dehydration caused by insufficient drink, profuse sweating, diarrhea, vomiting. An unbalanced diet or medication, such as certain antibiotics and immunosuppressants, can also be culprit.
4. Elderly age
Muscles weaken over the years. This condition is called sarcopenia. As a rule, muscle mass begins to decline from the age of 30β40, and by the age of 60β70 this process becomes obviousFight Back Against Muscle Weakness.
Every muscle in the body is affected, but weakness in the legs is often the most visible, simply because the lower limbs are more likely to be stressed.
5. Passive lifestyle
If you spend a lot of time sitting or lying down, temporary weakness in your legs after you decide to use them is quite an expected phenomenon.
6. Taking certain medications
Muscle weakness is a side effect of these drugs.What causes muscle weakness?like corticosteroids, interferons, cholesterol-lowering medications, and even conventional over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen.
7. Pinched blood vessels or nerve endings
Probably everyone knows what it means to sit a leg. When a limb (or both) are in the same uncomfortable position for a long time, there is a risk of pinching blood vessels or disrupting nerves. Disruptions in blood circulation, incorrect transmission of nerve impulses are often accompanied by numbness, tingling, and severe weakness in the affected leg.
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8. Peripheral neuropathy
This is a disorder in which peripheral nerves are affected, that is, nerves located far from the spinal cord and brain, for example, those located in the legs. Peripheral neuropathy can have different causesPeripheral neuropathy.
- Age. The nerves get disrupted over the years. Over 20 million suffer from peripheral neuropathy in the United States aloneTingling in hands and feet people, most of whom are elderly people.
- Starting diabetes. In this case, we are talking about diabetic neuropathy.Weakness in Legs: 11 Causes, Symptoms and Treatment.
- Hypothyroidism. This is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too few hormones.
- Love for alcohol. Binge drinking leads to alcoholic neuropathy.
- An unbalanced diet that lacks vitamins. In particular, we are talking about vitamins E, B1, B6, B12, as well as P, which are critical for the normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Poisoning with toxins. As a rule, we are talking about poisoning with salts of heavy metals - lead, arsenic, mercury, thallium, as well as some industrial chemicals (for example, cleaning agents). Disruption of the nerves in this case is called toxic neuropathy.
9. Spinal injury or swelling
Lingering weakness in the legs can be a symptom of spinal cord injuryAsk Dr. Choi: Why Do Legs Give Out Without Warning?.
10. Autoimmune diseases
Multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroiditis (thyroid damage), Guillain-BarrΓ© syndrome - many conditions, with which the immune system goes crazy and begins to attack its own body, make itself felt by weakness in the legs.
11. Parkinson's disease
The first signs of this kind dementia are just problems with the limbs: tremors in the arms and weakness, uncertainty in the legs, the appearance of a shuffling gait.
What to do if your legs feel weak
First, analyze your condition. If weakness in the legs appears only from time to time and you can associate it with the stress experienced or, for example, a prolonged sitting position, there is nothing to worry about.
But if trembling in the knees becomes regular and you notice weakness in the legs almost every day, this is a definite reason to visit a therapist. The doctor will conduct an examination, take an interest in your lifestyle, habits (including harmful and food habits), and clarify what medications you are taking. You will most likely be asked for blood and urine tests to check for any abnormality, such as anemia, diabetes, or hypothyroidism.
Depending on the results of the examination and tests, the therapist will send you to a specialized specialist - endocrinologist, neurologist, surgeon, psychotherapist.
Although, perhaps, in order to get rid of weakness in the legs, it will be enough to adjust the lifestyle:
- move more;
- go in for sports or at least exercise therapy to strengthen the muscles;
- make changes to the diet by adding foods high in iron, vitamins, electrolytes;
- reduce the amount of sugar consumed;
- give up alcohol;
- learn to deal with stress.
The therapist will give you detailed advice. Follow them.
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