ask: Why would someone have numb legs?

Hi Cindy

Great question!

There could be many reasons for the numbness in your mom's legs. It could be an issue with her blood circulation that causes it to slow down and cause numbness in her limbs.

Poor blood circulation can be a result of a heart problem. Do you know if she has problems with her heart?

Diabetes, lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure can also be factors in poor circulation.

She could also have a back injury that she isn't even aware of. A herniated disk could be the culprit. From our Encyclopaedia :

Symptoms include:

Pain—the severity and location of the pain depend upon which disc is herniated and how large the herniation is.
Pain may spread over the buttocks, down the back of one thigh, and into the calf
Pain may be in one or both (more rare) legs
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs or feet

Any nerve damage of the lower back (spine) can cause numbness in the legs.

Do any of these suggestions ring true to you?

As her symptoms are getting worse, encourage her to see a doctor.

Thank you for the information. I actually spoke with my Mom about these things which she falls into a few of the categories that you spoke of and she made an appointment with her physician. I will keep you updated and thank you so much.