Numbness in my toes - what is it?

[CinnabarRed]

Whenever I stand for long periods of time, I lose sensation in my toes. Most noticeably in my little toes, graduating to almost nothing in my big toes. Both feet. The lack of sensation is so wierd it keeps me awake.

I went to the doctor last time it happened, after an active holiday with the children. She thought it might be a pinched nerve and recommended nothing but flat shoes. I stuck to her advice and the numbness improved dramatically.

However, I now wonder whether that was because I returned to my normal sedentary lifestyle, because I spent most of yesterday on my feet in flats (first time standing for many hours since I'd seen the doctor) and it's back with a vengence.

My DM has multiple sclerosis so I'm feeling very anxious.

Any ideas what this could be?

There is a big difference between flat sensible shoes and flat pinchy shoes, ideally you need a wide fitting shoe that isnt a slip on.

Shoes ought to fasten over the bridge of the foot and you should not be able to take the shoes off without undoing the fastening.

In a flat shoe with no fastening the shoe has to fit tightly to stay on or you would walk out of it, so it will pinch your feet.

Try a mens/boys trainer for standing in if possible, they cut wider than ladies shoes do.

I've been wearing trainers to/from work, ballet pumps in work (no choice, have to keep a certain standard to meet clients) and things were definitely on the up. But I was wearing in bare feet the day that the tingling came back - do you think that was too unsupported? I wasn't walking, BTW, just lots and lots of standing.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it.

Possibly yes because.the majority of us have a degree of being flat footed to some extent and when the bones rotate abnormally they can pinch the nerve.

Thank you again.

I had this before I was diagnosed with b12 deficiency It has gone apart from one toe since the injections!

Vitamin deficiency isn't something that would have hit my radar in a million years as a possible cause! I'll get some vitamins tomorrow. Can't hurt to try. As I'm wearing my new boy's trainers.

Thank you.

If it is advanced enough to cause numbness tablets won,t work

What other symptoms would there be with vitamin deficiency? Or is it just numbness?