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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Aching and numbness in hand and arms
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Aching and numbness in hand and arms
by AJK3931, Aug 13, 2003 12:00AM
My job requires repetitive motion of the wrist and hand. After years of this my arm has become very sore and aches, my hands will then go numb. I had an EMG and I was told I had very minimal carpal tunal syndrome and that there was nothing that could be done. The pain has increased and the numbness is still there. I have also noticed more weakness in one hand. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Aug 17, 2003 12:00AM
If the EMG is correct and you have minimal carpel tunnel you could try and alter the repetitive motion you are performing at work. You can also buy a carpel tunnel wrist splint at your local pharmacy to wear at night and at home. This will help to prevent unnecessary injury to your nerve. If this does not work, then you could also see an occupational therapist. Good luck.
The left side of my body has felt numb over the past month or so. To be specific, my left leg gives out on me & the knee locks often, and my left arm feels like dead weight. I can't even lift anything over a few pounds with it, without the help of my right arm. I work at a computer 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, & am a fairly fast typist (avg 50-60 wmp). But lately as I am typing, my left hand will lock up in a claw-like position. I usually just shake it off & slow down my typing and that seems to "take care of it".
Also, back in April I became so dizzy, I couldn't walk. It was like being on a merry-go-round that only made a 180 degree rotation before starting over. I went to the ER & the day after to my former PCP, who both diagnosed me with labrynthitis accompanied by vertigo. My PCP had offered that my wisdom teeth (which had been shifting over the past several months) could have been adding additional pressure to my ears & aiding in the vertigo. I had the wisdom teeth removed almost 2 months ago. & up until the past couple weeks, I have not experienced any dizziness.
And recently (within the last week), to add to the list of a "weak" left leg and "dead" left arm, my hips & stomach region (left AND right) feel numb when I pinch or poke them. Painfully numb. And my back has started to hurt, like it's shooting right up my spine.
I have searched the internet to try & find out on my own what could be doing this. Now, I will admit that I am overweight for my body. Not a lot, maybe 15 or 20 pounds. And outside my computer-job, I am not very active. Right now, I am not sure if this is something to do with carpal tunel, blocked arteries & poor curculation, or a stroke...and although I highly doubt the stroke (being that I am so young), the left-side of the body numbness description for strokes comes closest to defining my pain.
Obviously, I will be explaining all this to my new doctor on Friday, but I wanted to find out if anyone out there has--or knows someone who has--experienced this, especially if they are as young as I am. Historically, when I have gone to the doctor with pain of any kind, I am brushed off & told "it's nothing". This is what I am afraid of most.
I welcome & appreciate ANY comments about my issue. Thank you in advance.
Mine actually started as this intermittent, shooting pain from my brain down to my feet, only on the left side of my body. I initially attributed it in part to smoking so I stopped, and the pain lessened but was still present. I tired easily and had to lie down often, I could barely stand at times, and my thinking was fuzzy. I was on bed rest for about a week. It got so bad I went to the emergency room in May, but they diagnosed me "headache with weakness" and released me after an overnight stay. After that, my symptoms lessened, but they still persist. Now they have moved to my right side as well, and are accompanied by intermittent twitching, in my face and different parts of the body. About three weeks ago, my left ear "popped" and remains popped to this day, another symptom and another cause for worry.
Also, like you, I'm inactive and noticed early on that my symptoms would stop for a while if I shifted positions or stood up. I have read of stroke, meningitis and several other diseases it might be, possibly even chronic fatigue syndrome. The problem now lies in convincing my doctor to test me for those things. It has been a very frightening experience (I'm only in my twenties) and I hope to find out the cause soon. Good luck.
The shooting pain I spoke of earlier was accompanied by a numbness and tingling sensation on my left side. I have had problems with stiff joints and a stiff left shoulder blade all my life so I'm hoping it is something as simple as anxiety, lack of circulation or a pinched nerve.
Good luck at your appointment on Friday. Please keep me posted on what you find out.
Like I have told someone else on this forum, you might want to check into CIDP which stands for 'Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy'.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a neurological disorder characterized by slowly progressive weakness and sensory dysfunction of the legs and arms. The disorder, which is sometimes called chronic relapsing polyneuropathy, is caused by damage to the myelin sheath of the peripheral nerves. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering—which acts as an insulator—on fibers in the nerves. Although it can occur at any age and in both genders, CIDP is more common in young adults, and in men more so than women. Symptoms include tingling or numbness (beginning in the toes and fingers), weakness of the arms and legs, aching pain in the muscles, loss of deep tendon reflexes (areflexia), fatigue, and abnormal sensations. CIDP is closely related to acute Guillain-Barré syndrome and it is considered the chronic counterpart of the acute disease.
I was diagnosed with GBS back in Dec. of 2001 so I know all about CIDP and GBS. This is just a little food for thought. If you have any questions let me know.
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I would appreciate any response. Thanks
I would appreciate any response. Thanks