Causes of numbness of the heel and sole of the foot include physiological factors, lumbar spine disease, spinal cord disease, peripheral neuropathy and so on.
1. Physiological factors: If the patient’s posture is incorrect when lying down or sitting, the leg is compressed, local blood circulation may be impaired, which is manifested as numbness of the heel and soles of the feet, and the sensation may return to normal after the compression is lifted.
2. Lumbar spine diseases: including lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, etc., which lead to lumbar nerve root compression and numbness of the heel and sole of the foot. It can be diagnosed by lumbar spine CT or MRI.
3. Spinal cord disease: When spinal cord trauma, spinal cord cavity and other diseases can appear below the segment complete or incomplete sensory dysfunction, which can be manifested as numbness of the heels and soles of the feet. Examinations and diagnosis such as lumbar spine MRI can be performed.
4. Peripheral neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy due to environmental factors, medication factors, heavy metal poisoning, diabetes mellitus, etc. can manifest as numbness of the heel and sole of the foot. It can be diagnosed by combining with nerve electrophysiology and other examinations.
Patients with numbness of the heel and sole of the foot are recommended to exclude physiological factors and seek medical treatment in time to clarify the cause and then carry out targeted treatment.