Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Neurology (Expert Forum)
Feelings of Disequilibrium / Heaviness / Pins and Needles
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury
Feelings of Disequilibrium / Heaviness / Pins and Needles
by Sean010, Jan 17, 2004 12:00AM
About 14 months ago I experienced tingling over my entire body below the neck. The sensation lasted for about three weeks. During that time I didn’t have any muscle weakness or motor issues—I generally felt fine aside from the pins and needles sensation.
About three weeks ago I began to experience a constant sensation of disequilibrium and imbalance. I’m still experiencing this sensation today. When I try to walk in a straight line I feel as if some “force” is pushing me left or right. I’m not stumbling or tripping, but I do feel like I’m pushed slightly off course. I find that I sway slightly when I’m standing up. For two weeks I experienced a feeling heaviness over my entire body (this feeling has gone). Occassionally, when I'm trying to fall asleep, I'll feel as if the bed is shaking. The disequilibrium, dizziness symptoms are starting to fade.
I visited a primary care physician for both incidents. My first doctor told me she thought I was experiencing symptoms that were a result of compression on my nerves from inactivity and studying (I spend long hours sitting at a desk studying—this is still true today). Second doc thinks that the dizziness, disequilibrium and heaviness are being caused by a viral infection causing focused symptoms. He ran blood work and said that everything looks fine.
Both physicians said that they think MS is very unlikely (I don’t know on what either based her or his opinion). This is unsettling to me since I feel like I’m running through the checklist of MS symptoms.
What is your opinion?
Thank you so much!
About three weeks ago I began to experience a constant sensation of disequilibrium and imbalance. I’m still experiencing this sensation today. When I try to walk in a straight line I feel as if some “force” is pushing me left or right. I’m not stumbling or tripping, but I do feel like I’m pushed slightly off course. I find that I sway slightly when I’m standing up. For two weeks I experienced a feeling heaviness over my entire body (this feeling has gone). Occassionally, when I'm trying to fall asleep, I'll feel as if the bed is shaking. The disequilibrium, dizziness symptoms are starting to fade.
I visited a primary care physician for both incidents. My first doctor told me she thought I was experiencing symptoms that were a result of compression on my nerves from inactivity and studying (I spend long hours sitting at a desk studying—this is still true today). Second doc thinks that the dizziness, disequilibrium and heaviness are being caused by a viral infection causing focused symptoms. He ran blood work and said that everything looks fine.
Both physicians said that they think MS is very unlikely (I don’t know on what either based her or his opinion). This is unsettling to me since I feel like I’m running through the checklist of MS symptoms.
What is your opinion?
Thank you so much!
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Jan 17, 2004 12:00AM
These symptoms can be seen in MS patients, but are not diagnostic of MS. I think it is reasonable to ask for a consultation with a neurologist. Then particular functions can be assessed and perhaps an MRI of the cervical spine and brain can be performed. It is possible that the balance and dizzy symptoms can be related to a post-viral state. Good luck.
Also, my feeling of dizziness is starting to become very faint now.
It has been over two years since my foot drop and the arch on my left foot has been left higher than the right one. I had an MRI, EMG to left leg and right arm, but they were all normal. My knee reflexes are hyper and the sole of my left foot is continually sore and very sensitive. When my GP scraped the sole of my left foot earlier this week, I nearly jumped off the table. My right foot is normal but the cramping, pins and needles pain is now appearing in the toes and top of that foot as well, but only intermittantly. I now have numbness in my hands and fingers and I have left sided weakness. I go for clinical massage treatments and the therapist tells me that both legs and arme are very tight but the left leg is worse. I also sway when I walk and seem to stray to the right after a few steps. I lose my balance when there is the slightest change in slope or when the ground is uneven. I have to wiggle my bum in order to get in and out of the car and sometimes use my hands to help get me out of the chair. My foot and leg can be numb and cold in the daytime but it turns to hot and burning in the night. Pernicious Anemia runs in my family so I have been getting B12 injections (four to date) but there hasn't been any change in my symptoms. I am very stiff in the early morning and late at night. My neck is always sore and stiff. I have to go to fitness class and pool therapy just to remain functioning. I also stutter, slur my words at times or have problems word finding, which is totally weird for me as I never did that before. I am 56, female and healthy in all other respects. I have a younger brother, who had foot and leg problems as well and they first suspected he had CMT, but found later he had a bulging disk in his spine. I don't have any back problems and the X-Ray of my foot was normal. However, the last two toes on my left foot are constantly numb and seem more turned in then my right ones.
So, it is rather frustrating to see your quality of life go downhill and not have any explanation for it. I also am hypersensitive to sudden noises, bright lights or sudden movements, so you can imagine how embarrassing that can be when I suddenly scream for no apparent reason. MS is found in my mother's cousins and some grandaunts but not in my immediate family. I have a history of allergies, Bell's Palsy and neuralgia like pain.
If you ever find a cause for your dizziness and walking problems, I hope that you post it to this forum. My special custom made foot orthdotics have not helped my walking.
The Canadian
I'll be searching too for some answer.
I also have the tingling and vibration feelings, along with dizziness, leg cramps, muscle twitching and random sharp pains in the body and jaw. I've seen a neurologist, rheumatologist and doctor and all say they can't find anything wrong with me. I find the vibration feeling the most disturbing, last night I felt like I was sleeping on a vibrating bed and I also had a buzzing sensation in my head. Every doctor I've seen has said that these symptoms are just due to stress but I wasn't stressed at all when it all started. I was really surprised to find SOOOOO many people who have the same sort of symptoms and no answers. Good luck to everyone, if you find anything out please post here for the rest of us to see. Thanks.
a postal worker and work with energy healing. Can any of you offer your information?