numbness of soles of feet


 For the past 5 months, my husband has numbness of the pads of his sole and along the outer side of his feet.  He has had an EMG and a MRIslight herniation of s45. Three orthos have no answers. he has had ankle ligament surgery 30 yrs ago and episodes of plantar fascitis and nowm is being referred to a neurologiat. Could this be a b12 def??

 

I would continue the follow up with the neurologist to rule out any serious neurological issues.  B12 deficiency may be an issue but there are probably other factors involved to create such pronounced symptoms.  If he is a vegetarian he is at greater risk for B12 issues.

With this said, it is clear that his nerves are under some distress.  This may be a result of the compression from the budging disks in his low back or something else not yet identified.  A slight lenition does not quite account for the severity of his symptoms.  There is no harm in supporting the nerves with nutritional approaches such as B12.  Vitamin B6 is also very important for nerve function so that is one you should also consider. 

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a condition in the foot equivalent to the carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist.  This can cause symptoms of burning and shooting pain as well as numbness in certain individuals.  B6 and B12 can be very helpful in supporting this type of issue.  I would also have him consider a high quality fish oil to get the benefits of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.  Compression on the nerve from any cause is likely to be a result of some type of inflammation.  The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil help to reduce inflammation throughout the body. 



Back to all Questions     View More by Dr. Kevin Passero


Lead Medical Director

As a certified and fully trained Naturopathic Doctor, Passero has trained and preceptored with some of the nation's leading doctors in the field of natural medicine, working under the guidance of MD’s, Chiropractors, Naturopaths and Acupuncturists. Furthermore, he is currently the Vice President of the Maryland Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

View Profile


The products and the claims made about specific products on Vitabase.com have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided by Vitabase is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on Vitabase.com for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Neither Vitabase nor Dr Passero will be liable for negative outcomes of supplements that are taken as a result of information given on Vitabase.com.