Squatting for too long can cause a temporary numbness in the legs, but this symptom will soon alleviate. Let's take a look at the specific reasons for numbness with the author!
Why do legs go numb when squatting
In fact, "numbness" is not a sensation.
It is a signal sent by the uncomfortable sensory nerves.
In other words, "numbness" is an abnormal sensation.
Our body's sensations are transmitted between nerves and the brain. When we squat for a long time, we compress the nerves and blood vessels in our legs, causing ischemia and hypoxia!
In this way, how can the nerves transmit signals to the brain?
If the brain cannot receive signals from the legs, it cannot give commands, and your legs will experience numbness, as if they have lost sensation.
But when you stand up, the blood vessels and nerves are released, and you can feel again.
The blood vessels can finally flow freely, and the severed nerve signals can also be restored to normal.
The difference between the sensation of being numbed by Sichuan pepper and the sensation of numb legs when squatting
The numbness caused by Sichuan pepper is related to the activation of nerves by chemical substances, while the numbness of the legs when squatting is mainly due to ischemia and hypoxia, which leads to abnormalities in the mechanically sensitive neurons.
The dangers of squatting for too long
1. Constipation
Some people always have to use their phones in the bathroom, which results in spending 40 minutes squatting instead of the 5 minutes it originally took to finish the business.
Using a phone in the bathroom is not a tool to help with bowel movements, but an obstacle to bowel movements.
When attention is distracted, defecation becomes difficult, leading to delayed or absent urge to defecate.
But the urge to defecate is precious. Once missed, who knows when it will come again.
This inhibition of the urge to defecate causes the disappearance of conditioned reflexes, and prolonged inhibition can cause constipation.
2. Insufficient blood supply to the head and lower limbs
Squatting for a long time causes blood to flow downward, leading to insufficient blood supply to the head and lower limbs. After squatting for a long time, even standing up suddenly can cause dizziness and a throbbing sensation in the head for normal people.
The circulation of blood is hindered, and prolonged hindrance can result in insufficient oxygen supply to cells. Blood may flow back, leading to numbness in certain nerves, such as leg numbness.
3. Induce hemorrhoids
Research has shown that squatting for too long can lead to congestion and varicose veins in the rectum, thereby inducing hemorrhoids.
4. "Invasion" of toxic gases
The bathroom is a place filled with toxic barriers, so one should try to minimize exposure to toxic substances.
Sitting on the toilet forms a closed space between the body and toxic substances. Prolonged exposure to this environment may cause toxic gases to enter the body, which can potentially cause inflammation, such as chronic vaginitis, proctitis, and even gynecological tumors such as cervical cancer.
