We've all been there, you use the toilet, try to stand up, and suddenly your legs go numb. That odd pins-and-needles feeling can be surprising and uncomfortable. Though it might feel like a small inconvenience, it does have a scientific explanation. The numbness, also called transient paresthesia, happens when pressure blocks blood flow or presses on nerves in your lower extremities. It is normally harmless, but frequent occurrences can be signs of underlying health issues or poor toilet habits that must be addressed.

That weird numbness you experience after going to the bathroom is typically just a temporary annoyance, most often due to bad posture, straining, or sitting for an extended period. But if the numbness continues or gets worse, it is important to get medical guidance to make sure there are no underlying health issues. We discovered the top three reasons that could be responsible for this tingling and how can you avoid it? Let's dissect.

3 Reasons Your Legs Go Numb on the Toilet

1. You’re Straining Too Much

Struggling to push during a bowel movement can put excessive pressure on your abdomen and spine. This increased pressure can shift spinal discs, pressing against nerves that extend into your legs and feet. The result? A temporary loss of sensation, tingling, or weakness in your lower limbs.

Straining usually results from constipation, which in turn can be caused by a low-fiber diet, dehydration, or inactivity. If you notice that you're straining frequently, perhaps it's time to change your eating and drinking habits to help move your bowels more easily.

2. Inadequate Sitting Posture

The way you sit on the toilet can also be a cause of that numbness in your legs. Most people are prone to hunching over when they are using their phones, reading, or just focusing too intensely. But this position can compress nerves and blood vessels in your pelvis, causing tingling or numbness.

When you sit slumped forward, you cut off blood supply to the lower half of your body, compressing nerves that travel from your pelvis to your toes. That's why the numbness will often radiate past your thighs and into your toes.

3. Sitting for Too Long

The more time you spend sitting on the toilet, the higher your chance of getting numb legs. Protracted sitting continually puts pressure on the nerves within your lower limbs, slowing blood flow and leaving you with the familiar pins-and-needles feeling.

If you habitually stay on the toilet for a long time, either from digestive problems or distractions such as browsing your phone, you may find that there is more numbness over the course of time. If constipation is leaving you on the toilet longer than normal, diet changes can calm your system.

How to Stop Your Legs from Falling Asleep on the Toilet

Although periodic tingling is not a health issue, recurring numbness is a problem that needs to be addressed. Below are some professional-recommended ways of preventing it:

1. Proper Posture

Being seated with your knees higher than your hips can make all the difference. Sitting this way enables your colon to unwind, facilitating smooth bowel movements while minimizing pressure on the lower parts of your body.

Don't slouch, as this squishes nerves and blood vessels, making numbness more likely. If necessary, lean your back against the toilet tank or wall to keep your posture good.

2. Don't Spend Too Long on the Toilet

Specialists recommend five to ten minutes of toilet time per visit. If you are straining, stand up, walk around, and try later. Forcing the bowel movement can cause more damage than benefit, putting greater pressure on your spine and worsening numbness.

If constipation is a chronic problem, being hydrated and consuming fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can get your digestive system back in working order.

3. Use a Toilet Stool

Raising your feet using a toilet stool may position your body for a more natural and strain-free bowel movement. A squatting position keeps the rectal canal open, minimizing the need to push and reducing the risk of leg numbness.

4. Try a Padded Toilet Seat

Hard toilet seats can restrict circulation in your lower body, increasing the risk of numbness. A cushioned or padded toilet seat can provide better support, improving blood flow to the legs and feet while reducing pressure on the pelvis.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While it's normal to have some numbness in your legs from time to time when sitting on the toilet, ongoing tingling or numbness in your lower extremities may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. If you find yourself experiencing:

• Bathroom-use-independent frequent numbness
• Muscle weakness
• Pain or discomfort in legs or lower back
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

It's best to see a healthcare expert to exclude conditions such as nerve compression, circulatory disorder, or spinal condition.

Permanent hair dyes promise vibrant, long-lasting colour, but many contain a hidden risk: a chemical called p-phenylenediamine, or PPD. While essential for keeping hair shades bold, PPD has been linked to allergic reactions, skin inflammation, and, in rare cases, life-threatening poisoning. Experts warn that even everyday use can trigger unexpected skin issues, making awareness and caution crucial for anyone coloring their hair.

PPD in Hair Dyes: What You Need to Know

Most permanent hair dyes sold in the US and Europe contain an ingredient called p-phenylenediamine (PPD), an aromatic amine. This chemical is essential for keeping hair colour long-lasting and resistant to washing or drying. However, research increasingly links PPD to severe allergic reactions, potential cancer risks, and even life-threatening poisoning.

How PPD Affects Your Skin

Even in normal cosmetic use, the body absorbs only small amounts of PPD, but it can still trigger a variety of health issues. Allergic reactions and contact dermatitis are the most common. About 72 hours after exposure, PPD can provoke immune sensitization and inflammation, which may show up as redness, swelling, blisters, and intense itching.

People with pre-existing skin conditions such as eczema, dandruff, or other rashes are more susceptible. While 1.5% of the general population may react to PPD, this rises to 6% among those already prone to dermatitis.

PPD and Cancer Risk

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies occupational exposure to hair dye as “probably carcinogenic,” but personal use hasn’t been conclusively linked to cancer. A 36-year study in 2020 found no strong association between regular hair dye use and most cancers, although it noted potential links to specific types, including estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer and basal cell carcinoma. Experts caution that these findings are not definitive and require further investigation.

Life-Threatening Risks of PPD Poisoning

While cosmetic exposure carries minimal systemic risk, ingesting PPD can be deadly. Oral exposure can cause rapid multi-organ failure, with initial signs including unpredictable swelling of the neck and airways, known as angioneurotic edema. Even with medical intervention, the mortality rate for severe PPD poisoning is around 14.5%.

Safer Alternatives and Precautions

Rising awareness of PPD’s risks has prompted the development of PPD-free dyes using alternatives like p-toluenediamine sulfate (PTDS). However, research shows that about half of individuals allergic to PPD may also react to PTDS.

The safest way to reduce risk is by performing a patch test 48 hours before every use. Professional users should wear protective gloves, and improved consumer education on potential sensitivities can further minimize danger.

How To Check If You’re Allergic To PPD

Finding out if you’re sensitive to PPD is relatively straightforward. You can visit an allergy clinic for a professional assessment, or do a patch test at home before applying any PPD-based hair dye.

What To Watch For On The Label?

PPD may appear under different names on hair dye packaging. Look out for any of the following terms, as they all indicate the presence of PPD:

• P-phenylenediamine
• Para-phenylenediamine
• 4-aminoaniline
• 1,4-benzenediamine
• p-diaminobenzene

COVID-19 and influenza are major causes of illness and death worldwide, particularly in countries like the US and UK. Vaccines can prevent infection or reduce the severity of illness, yet many people struggle to stay up to date due to time constraints or lack of motivation. If you are eligible for both vaccines around the same time, combining them in a single visit can save time and effort.

Doctors suggest that receiving both vaccines at the same visit can be a convenient approach, but a common question arises: which arm should you use? Is it safe to administer both vaccines in the same arm, or is it better to use separate arms?

One Arm or Two: Which One To Use For Both Shots?

Getting both shots in one visit sounds efficient, but you still need to decide whether to use one arm or two. Often, it comes down to personal preference, although sometimes the healthcare provider will make the decision. Is there evidence to guide this choice? Should both vaccines go in the same arm or one in each?

Which Arm Works Best for COVID and Flu Vaccines?

Animal studies suggest that administering the COVID and flu vaccines in the same limb may enhance immune responses. The mRNA COVID vaccines include a built-in immune booster called an ionizable lipid, which is a fatty molecule that protects the mRNA inside the vaccine.

Flu vaccines usually lack an adjuvant, but the built-in adjuvant in the COVID shot could potentially boost the flu vaccine’s immune response if both are given in the same arm.

However, giving two shots in one arm can increase the risk of arm soreness, the most common side effect. To explore this in humans, researchers at the University of Melbourne conducted a randomized controlled trial with 56 healthy adults. The study compared giving the Moderna COVID mRNA vaccine and the CSL influenza vaccine in the same arm versus opposite arms.

Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the “same arm” group received both vaccines in the non-dominant arm (usually the left arm for right-handed people), while the “opposite arm” group had the COVID vaccine in the non-dominant arm and the flu vaccine in the dominant arm. This setup was chosen because the COVID vaccine is more likely to cause a sore arm compared to the flu shot. Researchers collected blood, saliva, and nasal samples, and participants reported on any side effects.

Same Arm vs. Opposite Arm

The trial found no significant differences in key immune responses, such as neutralizing antibodies, whether the vaccines were given in the same arm or separate arms. Secondary analyses suggested a slightly higher immune response to COVID in the opposite arm group.

Nearly all participants reported mild arm soreness. Those in the same-arm group experienced more tenderness in that single arm, while participants in the opposite-arm group had reactions in both arms, particularly in the non-dominant arm that received the COVID vaccine.

What This Means for You

Overall, receiving both vaccines on the same day, whether in one arm or two, provides strong protection against both infections. Choosing opposite arms may slightly improve immune response and reduce soreness in any one arm, but it comes with two mildly sore arms.

For anyone looking to save time, having both vaccines in the same visit is convenient and effective. Most side effects are mild, making the benefits of dual vaccination well worth it.

Although herbs and plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, they have recently gained a surge in popularity, partly thanks to TikTok posts where users highlight the benefits of supplements such as ashwagandha, turmeric, and green tea.

While many consider herbal supplements “natural,” this does not automatically make them safe. Unlike prescription medicines, they do not require approval or review from the U.S. FDA before hitting the market. Users may experience side effects, and some herbs can interfere with medications they are already taking.

Can Herbal Supplements Cause Liver Damage?

Some herbal supplements can harm the liver. A recent study from the University of Michigan suggests that around 15.6 million adults in the U.S., about 5% took at least one herbal supplement in the last 30 days that may be harmful to the liver, known as hepatotoxic. This study was published in JAMA Network Open.

6 Potentially Hepatotoxic Botanical Products

Researchers analyzed data from over 9,500 U.S. adults, with an average age of 47.5, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2017 and 2020. They examined participants’ use of both prescription medications and herbal supplements.

The study focused on six herbal supplements previously linked to liver toxicity:

• Ashwagandha
• Black cohosh
• Garcinia cambogia
• Green tea extract
• Red yeast rice
• Turmeric or curcumin

“Potentially hepatotoxic botanical products contain plant-based ingredients that may contribute to liver damage,” explained Alisa Likhitsup, MD, MPH, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and lead author of the study.

“How these supplements cause liver injury isn’t fully understood, but it likely involves how the liver metabolizes these products,” she added.

Data from the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network show liver injuries linked to botanical products have risen from 7% in 2004–2005 to 20% in 2013–2014.

‘Natural’ Doesn’t Always Mean Safe

After reviewing the study, Rosario Ligresti, MD, FASGE, chief of Gastroenterology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, said that while hepatotoxic botanical products are derived from plants, the lack of oversight and testing means they may do more harm than good.

“They’re unregulated before reaching the market, so it’s not surprising that they pose significant health risks, especially to the liver. They can interfere with the liver’s ability to process and detoxify substances, potentially leading to toxin buildup, inflammation, cell death, and, in severe cases, liver failure,” Ligresti explained, as per Medical News Today.

One notable case involved a 57-year-old woman in New Jersey and New York who developed severe liver damage after taking 2,250 mg of turmeric daily since March 2025 which is far above the WHO’s safe limit of 0–3 mg per kg of body weight per day. She required hospital care for six days at NYU Langone.

Signs of liver damage can include fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, and dark urine.

Ligresti emphasized that physicians should routinely ask patients about their use of herbal supplements and discuss potential liver risks.