Having Numbness And Tingling Sensation In Feet. Is This Neuropathy?

Posted on Mon, 25 Mar 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 Answered on

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My left leg is almost always numb and I have tinkling sensations in my foot. Is this neuropathy? I am not diabetic.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (-4 hours later)

Hello!

Thank you for the query.

One side leg numbness and tingling is most likely caused by leg nerve compression. Such compression can be due to spine disc herniation or due to compression by pelvis muscles (piriformis syndrome). As you have mentioned about sciatica, most likely this is it.
Diabetes does not cause one side tingling or numbness. Moreover tingling starts from feet. Lack of pain feeling is characteristic for diabetes.

I suggest you to visit orthopedist, and have spine MRI performed.
Depending of the present physical therapy or surgery can be helpful.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (1 hour later)

I'm also experiencing a severe headache today above my left eye. And I NEVER get headaches. Even 600 mg. Ibuprofen hasn't helped. Related to nerve compression?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (4 hours later)

Headache is for sure unrelated to nerve compression. Spine diseases do cause headaches, however you would get it frequently.

If you do not suffer from headaches, and this episode is much different than any others in your life, I suggest you to visit your doctor. Reasons of headaches is so many that very often without head CT it is impossible to tell anything.
And it is always very important to rule out the worst reasons like stroke or aneurysm rupture.

Hope this will help.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar