Is this MS or could it reasonably be something else?

Hi, I have had some odd symptoms over the past 4 weeks which are worrying me and am looking for some more information while I wait to see a neurologis.

I have had some odd numbness problems over the past four weeks. Started as numbness on left side of face and left arm and hand but has spread to numbness all around my face, both fore arms and hands, sometimes even in my feet.

This has been accompanied by neck and shoulder stiffness and pain as well as a off and on headaches from mild to severe. Also a near constant heaviness in my head like a sinus infection (which they treated me for).

I have had no vision troubles or real weakness.  I feel tired and my arms and legs are numb but if I force myself I can go to the gym and do a normal workout.  Running is awkward because my left leg feels odd but I can do it.

The head pain was bad enough for me to go to the ER and I had a cat-scan - which was clear.  No sign of sinus problems either.

I have also had a CSPINE x-ray which showed:
"C5-6 space is slightly but sig. narrowed with early posterior osteophyte formation at this level.  Minimal similar changes at the C6-7 level. Olique films show that the right neural formamina are clear, but on left side, there is slight osteophyte encroachment into the neural foramina at both C5-6 and C6-7 levles.  This two level cervical sponylosis would correspond with clinical findings of left arm pain resulting from root pressure."

The best guess so far is that the arthitic problems above may be causing nerve damage which is causing the numbness.  Is this sort of numbness in face, both arms, both hands and mildly in both legs/feet reasonably attributable to the athritic problems?

I won't get to see a neurologist for weeks so I am anxious to find
something out. For now I am hoping an anti-inflamatory will help.

Thanks.

[CCF Neuro[P]-M.D.-RPS]

Dear law5:

Sorry that your having these sensory symptoms.  The x-ray of the c-spine are at least compatible with your left sided symptoms.  Whether they are causing them is unknown.  The findings are not significant enough to say for sure.  Your question about MS is a good one.  The diagnosis of MS needs symptoms that wax and wane with periods of recovery to near or at baseline (hence the name multiple).  So, it is impossible to tell you if you have MS, but the CT scan being negative is a sign that MS is not the problem.  We tend to feel that the MRI scan gives us a better visualization of the soft tissues and therefore is a better test than just plain film x-rays.  Your films do show encroachment on the nerual foramen on the left.  However, bilateral symptoms would not characteristically caused by unilateral foramenal changes.  So, I cannot tell you what might be the cause of all of your symptoms.  Anti-inflammatories should help, and also PT might be able to help.  

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[law5]

Something new to report... this morning my eyes are itchy like I have allergies.  And my vision has gone a little blurry in each eye (different times).  If I blink or rub it goes away quickly.  This is really worrying.

[goodgal31]

Hello I hope I can make you feel somewhat better

For over one year now I have had similair symptoms.  I had the entire face go numb, leg on right side from knee down goes numb.  Tonge went entirely numb at one time, muscle twitching, achey (achy) poping joints, blurry vision, memory problems, fatigue, ahcey muscles.. the list goes on.  In the beginning when this all began I went to the Clev clinic (I was about 4 mos into this).  I would get small weekly breaks but it still continued to stick with me.  Durring times of Anxiety it flares up every time.  But I dont have any muscle weakness that I am aware of, other then just my whole body feeling tired.  To make a long story short, I had a brain MRI which was normal, blood work, normal, evoked potential testing, normal.. and a neuro exam, normal.  Basically no findings and ruled it Anxiety.

I was concinced I had MS and I wanted to just crawl into a hole.  But the Dr at the Clev clinic felt strongly it was anxiety.  I know anxiety does contribute to my problems but I dont feel Anxiety is the whole issue.  I now feel better I dont have MS, yet I do feel I have something and maybe I will never know.  The body is a strange thing so many environental issues and genetic etc.  Lupus tends to give alot of the same symptoms as you mentioned along with other disorders not as serious as MS.  I was told that the initial symptoms dont come on all over the body like yours do.  I was told it was to extreme to begin with MS.  So anyhow just hang in there. My whole face and forehead go numb to, but i've learned to live with it and not panic when it occurs.  It has not gotten worse so thats a good sign.

Good luck to you let us know how your neuro app. goes

***@****

[angel1]

I wanted to present my case history and see if anyone has any comments about this.about four weeks ago i was raking leaves real moldy leaves.the next morning i got sick fever and sick to my stomach.those symptoms went away real quick then i was left with a real nasty cough for about 1 week at the end of the coughing my feet started to get real numb and my left side of my abdomin (abdomen) the numbness seemed to travel up my legs to my knees. i did go to a physician he ordered an MRI it came back positive he said for MS.I am going to a neurologist next week. I also have thallacemia minor and the last blood test i had it was very low so the doctor had put me on folic acid which i really never took.I dont feel like i have the classic symptoms of ms except for the MRI.Can the b12 deficiency show up positive on the mri.
or could i have guillian-barre syndrom (syndrome).i still have the numbness and tingling it has stayed in the same place hasnt got worse or better .
i am 38 years old,
sorry this is so long
thank you.
angel1

[Croz]

I think you're right that it doesn't sound classic for MS, and be prepared that it may take some time to get it nailed down.  The Neuro will probably order some more tests--blood labs, possibly CSF--to rule things out and get an idea if you're experiencing demyelination.  Even then, a post-viral event can cause demyelination; only time can tell if your symptoms wax and wane.  Try to stay positive, relax, and let the Neuro try to sort things out.  Hope it clears up and never comes back.  Good luck.

[angel1]

Thank you croz for your help. I am a health care worker so i know how long it is going to be before they sort everything out.I still dont think these symptoms are ms.thank you for your help. I hope a nerologist would read this and also offer their help.
thanks
angel1

[Croz]

Try posting at 6:30 am Eastern time if you can.  You'll have the best opportunity of getting through then.  If you get through, important info for your post will be location of lesions from your MRI report.  I've seen this Neuro ask that Q before.  Hope you can get through.

[doboj]

Like law5, I also have had symptoms that initially look like MS, going on 3 months now.  Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet (usually the left hand), off and on headaches -- including one that lasted about six weeks -- muscle pain especially in the neck, but also in my limbs.  I have also had some weakness, muscle spasms, popping, gouty joints and sometimes speech difficulty.  Most worrisome is that my fingers twitch rather badly, especially on the right hand, and at times of standing my whole body seems to tremor.

I have had a full physical exam, including cranial and spine MRI. As with law5 I have some disc trouble, bulging at C5&6 and some "normal" deterioration of my lower spine (I am 34).  Brain completely normal.  To make a long story short in the end the neurologist -- who is also a psychiatrist -- decided there was nothing physical to diagnose and that I am depressed, subconsciously, which is causing some symptoms and that I am panicking about the symptoms, which makes it worse.

I certainly went through a period of panic where I thought I had an aneurysm or tumor, or MS or Parkinson's, or even something even worse, but the medical results show I am in working order except for the disc problems.

I have been taking Seropram for about 2 weeks now and I don't feel much of a change.  I always feel jumpy and it is often difficult to concentrate.  Amazingly, what has helped at least with the headaches is a quartz rock given to me by a homeopath.  Since sleeping with the rock on a table near my head at night the headaches have decreased.  I tried it very skeptically, without even thinking about it, but after the first night I woke to find my six-week headache significantly diminished.

I think the stress and worry does make my symptoms worse, but does anyone else have some other thoughts?

Thanks

[To CCF Neuro MD From Pokey]

It's to bad one of the Doctor's didn't pick up this question. I have come across where B12 can show up on MRI's, but I believe that is in the most severe, long standing cases. I hope you get to post your question soon.

[angel1]

I didnt get to post my question yet. I am still in the diagnosis stage .I had another mri of my c-spine,my neuroligist who i only saw once so far did consider the b12 deficiency as a factor for the positive mri but would not commit to anything yet.I am having a spinal tap next week.after that all the blood work will be back and i should have an answer i hope .I still have leg numbness and a patch of numbness on my left side of abdomin (abdomen).I hope to post my question here as soon as i can.
thank you
angel1

[To CCF Neuro MD From Pokey]

I hope that you get to post your questions soon. Sometimes it can be quite the challenge! The first time I posted it took me a few weeks, hang in there.

Did you get the results of your B12 blood test? Did they test for lyme? Have you called your Doctor's office and ask them the results? Good luck with the spinal, I hope you will post here how it turns out.

[lord_mike]

Law5,

I know this sounds like a trashcan diagnosis, but it really could be a migraine.  The stiff neck, the ransient numbness and tingling on the face and hand, the location of the headache, all point to a classic migraine attack.  Your eye problems can also result from migraine attacks as well.

Allergic headaches also have these kind of symptoms and would explain your eyes.

Of courese there are more serious possibilities that should be thoroghly investigated, but this is a very realistic possibility.

Thanks,

Mike