In addition to helping you get rid of occasional numbness, regular exercise can also help prevent numbness in the first place. Try to incorporate some physical activity into your daily schedule, even if it’s just a short walk. High impact exercises like jogging can cause numbness in the feet and toes for some people, so try lower impact exercises like swimming or biking. Stretch well before workouts, wear appropriate exercise shoes, and exercise on level surfaces.
If you have to sit for long periods of time, you might want to try elevating your feet periodically to increase blood flow.
Seek emergency treatment if your foot numbness accompanies symptoms such as weakness, paralysis, loss of bladder or bowel control, or slurring of speech. Pregnancy often causes swelling of the feet and toes, which can cause numbness. If your doctor tells you that your numbness is due to pregnancy and not to any other condition, follow the recommendations for relief of occasional numbness. [3] X Trustworthy Source FamilyDoctor. org Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors Go to source
Numbness can be extremely serious for people with diabetes because it may cause them not to feel pain in the feet caused by things like heat, punctures, or blisters. Decreased circulation also means that the person’s feet will heal much slower, so infection is a serious concern. For this reason it is very important that you take especially good care of your feet if you have diabetes.
Check your blood sugar regularly with a blood glucose meter and get your A1C levels tested a few times each year. Although numbness in your feet and other symptoms of diabetes may make it difficult to exercise, do you best to stay active. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise each day, whether it is going to the gym or walking up and down the stairs at home. Eat a healthy, balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish, and low-fat dairy. Do your best to avoid foods that trigger blood sugar spikes, such as cookies and soda. Take all of your prescribed medications, including insulin, regularly. Smoking can worsen the symptoms of your diabetes, so ask your doctor for help quitting.
Losing weight may also help you lower your blood pressure, which may also help reduce numbness. If losing weight is not enough to get your blood pressure under control, consider talking to your doctor about medications. [5] X Research source
Your doctor may also prescribe medication to address your numbness, although it is likely to be an off-label use of the drug. [8] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
Never stop taking your medications without first discussing it with your doctor. For some medications, you will need to reduce your dosage slowly.
If you have not been diagnosed with any chronic conditions, numbness in your feet and toes might be the first sign. Be sure to discuss all of your symptoms with your doctor so she will know what tests to run. If you already have a diagnosis, but the numbness is a new symptom, be sure to bring it up at your next doctor’s appointment to find out if there are additional medications you should take or other treatments you should pursue.
