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Undiagnosed Symptoms (Expert Forum)
Burning and Tingling In Hands and Feet
Answered by
Kevin Pho, MD - Internal Medicine
Kevin Pho, MD
Boston - MA
Questions in the Undiagnosed Symptoms forum are answered by Dr. Kevin Pho. Topics covered include breathing difficulties, feeling cold, cough, diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, fever, indigestion, itching, nausea, numbness, pain (chronic), paralysis, rash, sweating, swelling, urination problems, and vomiting.
Burning and Tingling In Hands and Feet
by FLhoops2k7, Apr 16, 2007 12:00AM
Hi Doctor,
I write because I am confused (and scared) about my symptoms.
In the first week of January I had sex with a girl and started to get a lot of strange symptoms. My scrotum would tingle when I sat down, I was sick, and I got a rash. I was stricken with fear of HIV, but I have gotten a 6 week, 9 week, and 3 month test and all were negative. I would assume this is enough to feel confident on. (Right?) However, certain symptoms persist...at least the scrotal ones do.
In addition to the scrotum, my feet felt weird. For a while it was just a tingle in my foot or hands at times and then, about a month ago, my feet started to feel like they were on fire. They continue to feel that way to this day. I also still get a tingling in my scrotum when I sit. Sometimes I feel like the feet are worse with alcohol comsumption, but that could also because I'm paying more attention to them afterwards. I haven't drank for 2 weeks and it doesn't seem to be helping. I’ve seen a neurologist and a urologist and nothing seems to be helping.
I have gotten 3 MRIs (one of my c-spine, one of my brain, and one that was on something I cannot recall—I think neck.) All were normal and showed no signs of MS or anything like that. I also got an EMG that looked fine. In addition to that all my blood work (b-12, thyroid, syphilis) was good too. Yet, I still feel a burning in my feet (sometimes like I step in a pot of hot water) and in parts of my hands.
I’m worried about having an STD, but maybe the symptoms and their timing is just a coincidence. The girl was a college freshmen, I don’t know how many really bad diseases she could have had. I figure the odds are somewhat low for anything awful.
I guess my question is, can this be some type of virus? Have you ever heard of anything like this that shows no signs but still causes symptoms? And most importantly, should I be worried?
I write because I am confused (and scared) about my symptoms.
In the first week of January I had sex with a girl and started to get a lot of strange symptoms. My scrotum would tingle when I sat down, I was sick, and I got a rash. I was stricken with fear of HIV, but I have gotten a 6 week, 9 week, and 3 month test and all were negative. I would assume this is enough to feel confident on. (Right?) However, certain symptoms persist...at least the scrotal ones do.
In addition to the scrotum, my feet felt weird. For a while it was just a tingle in my foot or hands at times and then, about a month ago, my feet started to feel like they were on fire. They continue to feel that way to this day. I also still get a tingling in my scrotum when I sit. Sometimes I feel like the feet are worse with alcohol comsumption, but that could also because I'm paying more attention to them afterwards. I haven't drank for 2 weeks and it doesn't seem to be helping. I’ve seen a neurologist and a urologist and nothing seems to be helping.
I have gotten 3 MRIs (one of my c-spine, one of my brain, and one that was on something I cannot recall—I think neck.) All were normal and showed no signs of MS or anything like that. I also got an EMG that looked fine. In addition to that all my blood work (b-12, thyroid, syphilis) was good too. Yet, I still feel a burning in my feet (sometimes like I step in a pot of hot water) and in parts of my hands.
I’m worried about having an STD, but maybe the symptoms and their timing is just a coincidence. The girl was a college freshmen, I don’t know how many really bad diseases she could have had. I figure the odds are somewhat low for anything awful.
I guess my question is, can this be some type of virus? Have you ever heard of anything like this that shows no signs but still causes symptoms? And most importantly, should I be worried?
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Pho, MD, Apr 16, 2007 12:00AM
, Apr 16, 2007 12:00AM
The multiple negative HIV tests would make HIV very unlikely.
Infection needs to be ruled out. Urine tests and a urethral swab can look for gonorrhea and chlamydia. The prostate should be palpated to rule out infection, which can present with the scrotal symptoms.
You can consider a transrectal ultrasound to image the prostate for infection, as well as a prostatic massage to milk out and analyze any prostatic fluid.
Regarding the tingling, I agree with the MRI and EMG. Negative testing would make neurological diseases less likely. The blood tests are negative as well.
With the continued non-revealing testing, many of the major diseases have been ruled out. Obtaining a second neurological and urologic opinion can be considered, preferably at a major academic medical center.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_
Infection needs to be ruled out. Urine tests and a urethral swab can look for gonorrhea and chlamydia. The prostate should be palpated to rule out infection, which can present with the scrotal symptoms.
You can consider a transrectal ultrasound to image the prostate for infection, as well as a prostatic massage to milk out and analyze any prostatic fluid.
Regarding the tingling, I agree with the MRI and EMG. Negative testing would make neurological diseases less likely. The blood tests are negative as well.
With the continued non-revealing testing, many of the major diseases have been ruled out. Obtaining a second neurological and urologic opinion can be considered, preferably at a major academic medical center.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_
And I know STDs don't really show these symptoms but the timing was just so convenient...
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