Numbness in one part of the body in the world is called hypesthesia. This complaint may indicate mild and temporary conditions, or severe conditions and require certain medical treatment.
Causes big toe numbness
Some possibilities that could cause the big toe numb are:
Pernicious anemia.
Your body has two nervous systems: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Your central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, and your peripheral nervous system includes nerves that supply sensations throughout your body, including the extremities. Your circulatory system is also responsible for providing oxygen and sensations in your extremities. Big Toe Numbness usually occurs as a result of abnormalities in the peripheral nervous system or circulatory system.
To make healthy red blood cells, your body needs vitamin B12 present in sufficient quantities. Without enough B12, the production of red blood cells is reduced, which leads to a condition called pernicious anemia. Vitamin B12 may not be available to make red blood cells for various reasons. These reasons include a lack of adequate B12 in your diet and a malabsorption of B12 by your body due to a medical condition, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
The most common symptom of pernicious anemia is fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath. Since vitamin B12 is responsible for proper nerve function, deficiencies can also cause nerve damage. It causes abnormal sensations, such as tingling and numbness in the big toe. Pernicious anemia can usually be treated with a lifelong B12 injection.
Other causes:
- Excessive emphasis, such as when using a footwear that is too narrow,
- Sits cross-legged too long.
- Deficiency of vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium.
- Buerger disease (thromboanggitis obliterans, i.e. capillary blood circulation disorder due to smo**king).
- Peripheral neuropathy, e.g. Due to diabetes.
- Vasculitis.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Raynaud’s phenomenon.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
- Stroke.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Chronic kidney and liver disorders.
- Psychosomatis, etc.
If you feel the complaint is very disturbing, it is inconvenient to do the activity, then it is good to have checked in to the neurologist. So that the doctor can perform a physical examination directly and can be supported by blood check, or EMG.
Handling of Big Toe Numb
Meanwhile, what you can do:
- Avoid long emphasis on the same place,
- Enough daily water needs,
- You can consume vitamin B according to the dose,
- Eat a nutritious diet.
Here are foot care tips in patients with diabetic neuropathy:
- Check the foot every day, whether there is cracked skin, blister, wounds, bleeding.
- Clean the feet at bath time with clean water and bath soap. When necessary, rub the foot with a soft brush or pumice stone. Dry the foot with a clean towel, between the toes must be dried, especially between the toes of 3-4 and 4-5.
- Give moisturizer / lotion to dry leg areas to keep the skin from cracking, but not on the sidelines of the fingers.
- Toenail scissors, straight follow the normal shape of the toe, not too short or too close to the skin, then miser so that the nails are not sharp. Avoid injury to the tissues surrounding the nails. When the nails are hard, hard to cut, soak the feet with warm water for approximately 5 minutes. Clean the nails every day at bath time and give it a nail moisturizing cream.
- Wear footwear or sandals protect the feet from injury, including when doing activity in the home.
- Use good shoes or sandals according to the size and nice wear, with the space in the shoes are enough for the fingers. Wear socks /stocking that fit and clean made of cotton-containing material.
- Check the shoe before using, whether there is gravel / other sharp objects. Remove the shoes every 4-6 hours and move the wrist and toes to keep the blood circulation good.
- If there is a small wound, treat the wound and cover with a clean sanitary pads Ensure the presence or absence of signs of inflammation.
- Periodically and routinely consult a doctor.
Read also: Tingling in Face: Causes, Symptoms, Diseases, and How to Prevent It.