A friend with ongoing numbness

I have a close friend (38 yrs old) who seven years ago suffered temporary paralysis. He woke up one morning to find that he couldn't move from his waist down. He spent nearly two months in the hospital going thru all kinds of tests. The doctors couldn't determine what had caused this, only that it could be MS. This entire episode lasted three months before he regained feeling, then went thru a few more months of rehab to basically learn how to walk again. Since then, he suffers from numbness on pretty much a daily basis. It's either in both hands, both legs, the left side or the right side. It seems to be only in his extremities, not in the face. He describes it as 'when your foot falls asleep, like pins and needles'. Occasionally he gets back pain that can last anywhere from a couple hours to a couple days and has to take Tylenol. The doctors have told him not to do anything that could possibly injure his back, as this could cause another onset of paralysis or worse. He feels like he's at a lose for finding out what the problem is since he's been to so many doctors and they haven't figured it out. I took it upon myself to do a little research. I recently read something about linking Herpes with MS, which I should mention my friend does have Herpes. Another friend also told me about a show he saw on The Learning Channel about a little girl who suffered temporary paralysis also and the doctors said it was some type of virus in her spine. Any insight anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Shel:

It is noble of you to try and help our friend.  I would be very suprised if they found MRI lesions in the brain, CSF typical of MS and not tell your friend.  So, obvious it is something they can't diagnose.  Unfortunately, this does happen in medicine.  Something that happens to both legs at the same time is usually spinal cord.  Alot of what to think about would depend on what the MRI of the spine looked like at the time of the event.  However, what is strange is that is also effects the hands, and then is episodically one side or the other.  Therefore either the etiology is moving up and down the spine or it is in the brain.  But, since your not telling me that they found something in the spinal cord or brain, I'm not sure what to say (likely you don't know).  There are so periodic paralysis syndromes, but these are ion channel defects that when the event occurs, the ion in question is very abnormal.  This would have been found on routine lab checks.  So, I can't tell you what is going on with your friend.  I do hope your friend finds some answers.

Sincerely,

CCF Neruo MD