A 70-year-old elderly person suddenly experiences numbness in one leg.

Generally, sudden leg numbness in a 70-year-old elderly person may be caused by physiological factors, or it could result from conditions such as calcium deficiency or lumbar disc herniation. Treatment should be based on the specific underlying cause. The details are as follows:

1. Physiological Factors

If an elderly person frequently squats for prolonged periods, local blood circulation may be affected, leading to leg numbness. Symptoms usually improve after appropriate massage and walking. This is considered normal and typically does not require concern.

2. Disease-Related Factors

1) Calcium Deficiency

Severe calcium deficiency in the elderly can impair nerve function and cause blood vessel spasms, resulting in numbness in the legs and feet. Additional symptoms may include poor sleep quality and arrhythmia. In such cases, treatment under medical supervision with medications such as calcium carbonate D3 tablets or calcium lactate tablets is recommended.

2) Lumbar Disc Herniation

In elderly individuals with lumbar disc herniation, flare-ups of the condition can irritate nerves that control the lower limbs, causing numbness along with symptoms such as lower back pain and restricted movement. Following a doctor's instructions, medications like diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets or loxoprofen sodium tablets may be used to relieve symptoms.

Besides the common causes mentioned above, other possible factors include piriformis syndrome, lower limb arterial stenosis, and peripheral neuropathy. Prompt medical evaluation and treatment are essential to avoid delays in managing these conditions.