Leg weakness can be caused by a variety of medical conditions, some of which are serious. Possible causes include stroke, systemic diseases, inflammatory conditions, nerve damage, muscle disorders, and medication side effects.
Muscle weakness is commonly due to lack of exercise, ageing, muscle injury or pregnancy. It can also occur with long-term conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. There are many other possible causes, which include stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME).
Weakness in the legs can be caused by many different conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or called Lou Gehrig's disease), bulging/herniated (slipped) disc, Cauda equina syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, peripheral neuropathy, pinched ...
Weakness in your leg(s) may occur from problems in the nerves and/or muscles in your lower body and is usually treatable. Rarely, the underlying cause may be a serious medical condition requiring immediate medical attention. A feeling of sudden weakness in the legs may be due to nerve and/or muscle dysfunction.
Multiple medical issues can cause muscle weakness, including neurological conditions, infections, and chronic illnesses. To diagnose the underlying cause, a doctor will discuss a person's symptoms, medical history, and what makes the symptoms worse or better.
Muscle weakness that is slowly getting worse needs to be checked by a doctor. Sudden muscle weakness and loss of function in one area of the body also needs to be checked by a doctor right away. It can be a sign of a stroke or of a problem with the spinal cord or a nerve.
Causes of Sudden Weakness
On the non-life-threatening side of the spectrum, you may experience muscle weakness if you suffer from nerve impingement, fibromyalgia, influenza, mononucleosis, or a mood disorder. Less common causes include electrolyte deficiencies or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
The sensation of heavy legs, also known as venous insufficiency, is related to poor circulation. It occurs when blood flow from the legs to the heart is impaired, causing the heaviness.
Medical causes– unrelenting exhaustion may be a sign of an underlying illness or condition (such as flu, glandular fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disorders, heart disease or diabetes). Lifestyle-related causes – alcohol or drugs or lack of regular exercise can lead to feelings of fatigue.
When difficulty walking is an emergency. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience, walking difficulty symptoms such as: Sudden-onset numbness or weakness that impedes your ability to stand up or get up from a chair. New bladder or bowel dysfunction (incontinence or retention)
These symptoms and signs may reflect dehydration from an infectious cause or adrenal insufficiency. The symptoms and signs could be the result of any infection or malignancy that causes high or prolonged fevers or decreased drinking and eating.
Another common symptom of chronic anxiety is weakness in the muscles, most commonly experienced in the legs and sometimes the arms. During the fight or flight response, the body is preparing to take action against danger.
Muscle weakness in the legs may indicate a neuromuscular disease is present. These diseases lead to a loss of functioning in nerves and muscles throughout the body. They include muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), myasthenia gravis and fibromyalgia.
A Fatigue Blood and Urine Test Panel includes a Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP-14), Complete Blood Count with Differentials, Iron with Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Sedimentation Rate, Westergren (SED), Urinalysis, Complete with Microscopic Examination.
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels. If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition.
Asthenia and myasthenia are different conditions that involve weakness in one or more parts of the body. Myasthenia or myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease. In MG, the immune system recurrently attacks a particular part of the body's nerves and muscles. This causes the muscles to become weak and tire easily.
Key points about ataxia
People with ataxia lose muscle control in their arms and legs. This may lead to a lack of balance, coordination, and trouble walking. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and eye movements. Some injuries or illnesses can cause ataxia to appear suddenly.
Injuries, such as fractures (broken bones), sprains, and tendinitis. Movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis and peripheral nerve disorders. Vision problems.
With age — and occasionally without it — a number of conditions can result in leg pain after walking and make walking difficult. Some are very familiar, such as arthritis that makes knees and hips creaky; others, such as peripheral artery disease, aren't.
Leg fatigue or heaviness can be caused by various conditions. They include: Varicose veins: The leg veins become enlarged. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD): Buildup of fat deposits in the artery walls, thus, causing inadequate circulation of blood in the legs.
Muscle weakness due to vitamin D deficiency is predominantly of the proximal muscle groups and is manifested by a feeling of heaviness in the legs, tiring easily, and difficulty in mounting stairs and rising from a chair; the deficiency is reversible with supplementation (15–18).