Sudden leg weakness can be a sign of a serious underlying health issue and should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible. In some cases, it may indicate a medical condition that requires emergency care.
Here we’ll discuss 11 common causes of leg weakness and other symptoms you need to know.
Aslipped discoccurs when the gelatinous substance inside the discs that cushion your vertebrae protrudes through a tear in the exterior, causing pain. This can happen because of injury or age-related degenerative changes in the spine.
If the slipped disc compresses a nearby nerve, it can cause pain and numbness along the affected nerve, often down your leg.
Other symptoms include:
- muscle weakness
- pain that’s worse when standing or sitting
- tingling orburning sensationin the affected area
See your doctor if neck or back pain extends down your arm or leg or you experience numbness,tingling, or weakness. Conservative treatment, including rest followed by physical therapy, usually relieves symptoms within a few weeks.
Astrokeoccurs when the blood supply to your brain is cut off because of a blockage, or a blood vessel in the brain bursts. It can cause sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs.
Othersigns and symptoms of strokeinclude:
- suddenconfusion
- difficulty speaking
- sudden, severe headache
- drooping of one side of the face or uneven smile
If you or someone else is having a stroke, call 911 immediately. Prompt treatment is vital to recovering from a stroke. Early treatment can reduce the risk of long-term complications.
Guillain-Barré syndromeis a rare autoimmune disorder in which your immune system attacks your nerves, causing tingling and weakness that usually begins in the feet and legs. The weakness can spread quickly and eventually paralyze the whole body if not treated right away.
Other symptoms can include:
- prickling or pins and needles sensations in your wrists, fingers, ankles, and toes
- severe pain that worsens at night
- difficulty with eye or facial movements
- problems controlling your bladder or bowels
The cause of the condition isn’t known, but it’s often triggered by an infection, such thestomach fluor a respiratory infection.
马上去看医生如果你经历任何these symptoms. There’s no cure, but there are treatments that can relieve symptoms and reduce the duration of the illness.
Multiple sclerosis (MS)is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. In MS, your immune system attacks the myelin, which is the protective sheath around your nerves. It’s most often diagnosed in people aged20 to 50.
MS can cause a wide range of symptoms that vary from person to person. Numbness and fatigue are the most common symptoms. Other symptoms include:
- muscle weakness
- muscle spasticity
- difficulty walking
- tremors
- acute and chronic pain
- 视觉障碍
MS is a lifelong condition that can include periods of relapses of symptoms that are followed by periods of remission, or it can be progressive.
Treatments for MS, including medication andphysical therapy, can help you regain strength in your legs and slow progression of the disease.
Sciatica, which is caused by apinched nerve in the lower back, is pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which extends from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down the legs. It usually affects one side of your body.
Sciatica can range from a dull ache to sharp burning pain, and worsen with prolonged sitting or sneezing. You may also experience leg numbness and weakness.
Mild sciatica usually goes away with rest and self-care measures, such asstretching. See your doctor if your pain lasts longer than a week or is severe.
Get emergency care if you experience sudden, severe pain in your lower back or leg accompanied by muscle weakness or numbness, or trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, which is a sign ofcauda equina syndrome.
Peripheral neuropathyis nerve damage to your body’s peripheral nervous system, which connects the nerves from your central nervous system to the rest of your body.
It can be caused by injury, infection, and a number of conditions, includingdiabetes(diabetic neuropathy) andhypothyroidism.
Symptoms usually start with numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, but can spread to other parts of your body. Other symptoms include:
- weakness
- pain that worsens at night
- burning or freezing sensation
- shooting or electric-like pain
- difficulty walking
Treatment depends on the cause of the nerve damage and may begin with treating an underlying condition. Prescription medications and different therapies are also available.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects an area of the brain called the substantia nigra.
Symptoms of the condition develop gradually over the years. Problems with movement are usually the first signs. OtherParkinson’s disease symptomsinclude:
- small handwriting or other writing changes
- slow movement (bradykinesia)
- limb stiffness
- problems with balance or walking
- tremors
- 声音的变化
Treatment for Parkinson’s disease involves a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and therapies. Medications and physical therapy can help reduce muscle loss caused by Parkinson’s disease.
Myasthenia gravis (MG)is a neuromuscular disorder that causes weakness in your voluntary skeletal muscles. It can affect people of any age, but is more common in
Symptoms include:
- muscle weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
- drooping eyelids
- double vision
- trouble speaking
- difficulty swallowingor chewing
There’s no cure for MG, but early treatment can limit disease progression and help improve muscle weakness. Treatment is typically a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes surgery.
A spinal lesion or tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue within or surround the spinal cord or column. Spinal tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous, and originate in the spine or spinal column or spread there from another site.
Back pain, which is worse at night or increases with activity, is the most common symptom. If the tumor presses on a nerve, it can cause numbness or weakness in the arms, legs, or chest.
Treatment depends on the type and location of the lesion or tumor, and whether or not it’s cancerous or noncancerous. Surgery to remove the tumor, orradiation therapyorchemotherapyto shrink the tumor, can usually resolve leg weakness.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s a progressive neurological disease that damages nerve cells and often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in the legs.
Other early symptoms include:
- difficulty walking or performing daily tasks
- trouble swallowing
- slurred speech
- difficulty holding up your head
There’s currently no cure for ALS, but treatments are available that can help control symptoms and complications and improve quality of life.
Toxic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by toxic substances, such as cleaning chemicals, insecticides and pesticides, and lead. Drinking a lot of alcohol can also cause it. This is calledalcoholic neuropathy.
It affects the nerves of your arms and hands or legs and feet, causing nerve pain, numbness or tingling, and weakness that can lead to loss of movement.
Treatment involves medication to relieve nerve pain and limiting exposure to the toxin.
Leg weakness should always be evaluated by a doctor as it may be caused by a serious underlying condition that requires treatment.
Get emergency medical care if:
- Your weakness is accompanied by sudden, severe pain in your back or leg.
- You experience loss of bladder or bowel control.
- You or someone else experiences anywarning signs of a stroke.
突然腿软弱外壳d be a sign of a serious medical issue, such as a stroke. Head to the nearest emergency room or call 911 if you’re not sure what’s going on.
Other conditions can also cause leg weakness or difficulty walking. See your doctor as soon as possible if you experience leg weakness, numbness or tingling, or changes to how you walk.