my left toe has gone numb...

[Kristine]

Yesterday, I've realized that my left pinky toe has gone completely numb. I'm completely baffled by this. The rest of my foot seems okay, at least at this time.

[Harrison]

I'm sorry Kris. Take confidence in the fact that you are doing much to work towards an appropriate solution. In the meantime, can you contact your new PCP about this? He should at least be notified about this new development, right?

[Alastair]

Hi Kris,
If any toes go blue etc its time for the ER.Take care its probably just a "Blip" we all have them
Best
Alastair

[Kristine]

Thanks Harrison and Alastair. I do have a follow-up with my new PCP on Wednesday, I figured that I would wait and tell him then.

I'm not sure if it is urgent or not. As I'm typing though, I'm thinking it doesn't hurt to put in a phone call to him and also my spine surgeon. Unfortunately, it does seem that it may be getting worse. The numbness is also in the side of my foot too. This whole thing seems just strange to me!

I will certainly go to the ER if anything turns blue. Thanks for the tip Alastair.

[Mariaa]

Kristine,
My right big toe and the 2 toes next to it started going numb back around '99. It was distressing as it happened mostly when flexing my foot on the gas pedal. Really freaked me out as the numb feeling spread to my inner ankle and above that area leg feeling. Almost like my foot went to sleep.
I told my OSS about it and for me he said it was compression due to my L5S1 L4 situation, brought on esp. when sitting and flexing my foot tho it did advance to nearly all the time for quite some time.
All necessary tests were done to make sure that nothing new and disturbing was happening.
It's time to go to the ER when you have numbness in an extremity and/or loss of function and/or muscle tone.
When you go to the OSS and he makes you walk on your heels and toes, and squat and stand on tip toes he's testing the strength and functioning and muscle tone involved with L4,L5S1 as related to function, strength and muscle tone.
So if you're ok with all this, likely you're ok to wait to be seen on Weds. however a call into your doc's office sounds good.
I also was given some selective nerve root injections for this feeling and pretty much while I have it to some degree, it's much better than it was. Sometimes tho the numbness returns.
If your toe feels completely dead numb..let the doc know ASAP.

[andromeda1111]

My left last two toes and the side of my foot are numb and have been that way for the last 6 years..since I nailed my Sciatic nerve in
'98. Never had any discoloration.

Andro1111

[Poncho]

Hi Kristine,

The left pinky toe seems to correspond with the S1 being irritated or compressed. This all seems to go together with your history of your problems regarding the disc at L5-S1.

Definitely let your OS or NS know about the new onset of symptoms re: numbness. Also, if you can heel toe walk at home without experiencing foot drop - that is a good sign that you are not losing loss of strength or function. (as Maria mentioned above) Also, if you have brisk reflexes at the achilles - it's a good thing. Surgeons will most likely make note of the numbness, but if no loss of function or decreasing reflexes or increased weakness - they are usually (seemingly) not too concerned. Though, I know & understand how distressing this feels when you experience it. I hope it is not a constant symptom and hope that it will go away. This is not a pleasant numbness - unfortunately, I've been there myself.

Hoping this is transient for you.