My foot is asleep, worry?
July 27, 2016 5:11 PM   Subscribe

My right foot has been asleep for 24 hours, I am annoyed but should I be worried?
posted by Cosine to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)
 
That is not good. Sounds like blood is not circulating as it should. Go to the emergency room.
posted by w0mbat at 5:17 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


24 hours?! Go to the emergency room!
posted by dis_integration at 5:21 PM on July 27, 2016 [20 favorites]


Yes. I'd go to my on call gp walk in clinic or an urgent care. I like to go late at night as its generally empty and you get treated faster anyway. Around here the ER is very slow if you're not actively bleeding out at the good hospital and it's really just for true emergencies.

If you're diabetic or it seems to be getting worse or anything I'd go to the er though
posted by fshgrl at 5:21 PM on July 27, 2016 [2 favorites]


Is it cold? Is it red or pale? Does the flesh spring back when you press on it (compare with other foot)? Is it swollen? Can you feel anything at all when you touch it? How do the nails look? (Again, compare with other foot).

Do you have any other symptoms? Is it getting worse? Do you have pain? Are you able to urinate as normal?

IANAD. I am a total hypochondriac. If it were my foot and it were red or pale, swollen, hot or cold, etc, I would get to the ER right away.

If it just feels tingly and a bit numb and hadn't changed in the last 24 hours - that is, it's not progressing - I might just call the nurse line tonight and/or see a doctor first thing tomorrow, because I would suspect something like a pinched nerve that is not an actual emergency.
posted by Frowner at 5:22 PM on July 27, 2016 [10 favorites]


As someone with both a cervical fusion and a lumbar one, if, as noted hypochondriac Frowner answered above, it has not gotten worse or there are no other symptoms other than tingling in your foot, I would suspect something is pinching on the nerve. That is what happened to my hand/fingers when I found out I had a herniated disc pushing on the nerve.

If no other symptoms, I would call your PCP now and set up an appointment for tomorrow or go to a walk in clinic in the morning. If other symptoms are present, I would monitor it and if I saw it getting worse, would probably go into the emergency room to check it out.

IANAD
posted by AugustWest at 5:29 PM on July 27, 2016


Response by poster: I asked here before googling to not freak myself out. It is mildly tingly and is not cold or otherwise altered. Thanks all, I will see my family doctor in the morning if it is still prickly.
posted by Cosine at 5:34 PM on July 27, 2016


If it's functioning and getting circulation, it may be a particularly bad flare of Sciatica or similar nerve compression.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:37 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


Is it actually asleep or mildly tingly? The latter sounds more like peripheral neuropathy type symptoms.
posted by fshgrl at 5:50 PM on July 27, 2016


Response by poster: Mildly tingly, for sure.
posted by Cosine at 5:57 PM on July 27, 2016


Try taking a bath to relax your muscles and stretch it gently. Maybe the goofy thing will un-goofy.
posted by littlewater at 6:10 PM on July 27, 2016 [2 favorites]


Do you have a sexy partner to massage your lower back with coconut or olive oil? Because if you have a pinched nerve somewhere and you're making an appointment for tomorrow, you may as well have your sexy partner massage you down with coconut oil... to ease up on the pinched nerve.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 6:37 PM on July 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


This is a long shot, but I will mention it. I just spoke to a friend who had something mildly similar. He asked if you were constipated. He had some pain in a nerve in his foot and outside of his calf that cleared up as soon as he worked it out so to speak. His doctor was not surprised.

(And, since he is an accountant and told me this joke that is sort of related, I leave it here with the hope it takes your mind off your foot. Did you hear about the constipated accountant? He worked it out with a pencil. Sorry.)
posted by AugustWest at 7:33 PM on July 27, 2016 [2 favorites]


IANAD, but you could have a pinched nerve or injured an area of your lower spinal cord. Any lower back pain or injuries lately?
posted by vivzan at 9:58 PM on July 27, 2016


Response by poster: Yes, spasmy lower back for a few days last week. Thanks all.
posted by Cosine at 10:17 PM on July 27, 2016


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