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Numb or tingling leg or foot

Also called: Pins and needles, foot fell asleep, loss of feeling

A numb or tingling leg or foot can feel like pins and needles or like the area has fallen asleep. Often it's from sitting in one position too long and goes away quickly. Numbness with weakness, or after an injury, is an emergency.

Most common causePressure on a nerve, like sitting cross-legged
Long-lasting causeOften diabetes or a pinched nerve in the back
Emergency signWith weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control
If you think it's an emergency, call 911.Thinking about suicide? Call or text 988.

Overview

Numbness and tingling happen when a nerve is squeezed, damaged, or not getting enough blood. When your foot falls asleep, the feeling comes back in a few minutes once you move.

Numbness or tingling that lasts, keeps coming back, or has no clear reason can be a sign of a nerve problem. A low back injury or a slipped disk can cause tingling down the back of the leg.

When to get medical care

Call 911Numbness or tingling with weakness, or you can't move. It starts right after a head, neck, or back injury. You can't control an arm or a leg, or you lose control of your bladder or bowels. Confusion or passing out, even briefly. Slurred speech, a change in vision, or trouble walking.
See a doctor soonNumbness or tingling with no clear cause. It gets worse in your legs when you walk. You're peeing more often. You also have a rash, dizziness, or muscle spasms.

Causes

Common causes include sitting or standing in one position for a long time, a pinched nerve from a slipped disk, and nerve damage from diabetes. Other causes include low vitamin B12, poor blood flow from hardened arteries, shingles, an underactive thyroid, heavy alcohol use, some medicines including chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.

OwieClear has pages on 8 conditions that can cause numb or tingling leg or foot. Each shows how soon to get care.

Common causes

  • SciaticaSee a doctor if it doesn't get better

    Irritation of the sciatic nerve, often from a bulging disc in the lower back.

  • Vitamin B12 deficiencySee a doctor if it doesn't get better

    Low vitamin B12 can cause tiredness, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, balance problems, and memory trouble.

  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseaseSee a doctor if it doesn't get better

    An inherited nerve disease causing weakness and numbness that starts in the feet and lower legs, with high arches, curled toes, foot drop, frequent tripping,…

Less likely causes

  • Inhalant and whippet useOften needs care today

    Sniffing or huffing chemicals like spray paint, glue, gas, or computer duster, or using nitrous oxide (whippets), can cause dizziness, headache, a rash around…

  • Guillain-Barré syndromeOften needs care today

    A rare condition where the immune system attacks the nerves, often after an infection.

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)See a doctor if it doesn't get better

    A condition where the immune system damages the coating around nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

  • Vitamin B6 deficiencySee a doctor if it doesn't get better

    Low vitamin B6 can cause numb or tingling hands and feet, cracks at the corners of the mouth, a sore tongue, a scaly rash, low mood, and confusion.

  • Vitamin E deficiencySee a doctor if it doesn't get better

    Low vitamin E is rare and usually comes from conditions that block fat absorption, like cystic fibrosis, liver disease, or weight-loss surgery.

What you can do at home

  • Change position often, and don't sit with your legs crossed for long.
  • If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar in your target range.
  • Protect numb areas. Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, or burns you can't feel.
  • Don't start high-dose vitamins on your own. Ask your doctor first.
  • Don't stop or change a medicine without talking to your doctor.

At the doctor

Treating the cause may make the numbness go away or keep it from getting worse. If your feet are numb long-term, seeing a foot doctor regularly helps prevent problems.

Questions you may be asked

  • Where the numbness is, and which side
  • When it started and how long it lasts
  • What makes it better or worse
  • Whether you have diabetes or a thyroid problem
  • Your work, medicines, and alcohol use

The exam

A physical exam and a careful check of your nerves, reflexes, and strength.

Tests

  • Blood tests, including blood sugar, vitamin B12, and thyroid
  • An MRI, CT scan, or X-rays
  • Nerve tests (nerve conduction study and EMG)

Check your symptoms

Most symptoms have more than one possible cause. The symptom checker looks at all of your symptoms together, plus your age, and shows how soon to get care.

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Sources

Last updated 2026-11-13.