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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Left side burning and pains that spread.
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Left side burning and pains that spread.
by Bret, Dec 26, 1999 12:00AM
I am a 30 yr. old male, 6 ft. 160 pds. An all around healthy person but about 2 months
ago I started having numbness, tingling in my right side of my face, after a few days it
went to my arm then to the entire right side. Also when this started started to lose
sexual interest and have trouble obtaining and maintaining an erection. The pains never
bother me while sleeping, it starts after I get up and move around. I started worrying I
was having stroke symptoms so my doctor had me get a CT of the head and neck and
it was negative. The symptons did not leave so he then ordered an MRI of the same
area several weeks later and a testosterone test, still everything came back negative. A
few more weeks passed and the symptons left and everthing felt fine. Well now the
symptons are back again but this time its on my left side and its a little different. This
time it all started with sharp stabbing pains in various spots of my head and jaws, they
came on suddenly and would overwhelm me. This subsided then days later the
numbness started in my left arm and shoulder, then it went to my chest and leg. It
comes and goes all day long and its been about a week now, the numbness has now
become more of a burning needles sensation and I have sharp pains in my groin, back
of my leg and from my armpit to my forearm. The burning sensation stays in my
shoulder and arm about all day but travels around the rest of my body. Now the
burning is starting to arise on the right side again too sparaticaly. I cannot pinpoint what
causes it, nothing seems to make it go away other than sleep. It starts out as stabbing
sharp pains and then starts with the burning and tingling. I am now scared its my
heart, but it does not seem to get worse when I exert myself jogging or such. Finally as
a last ditch effort I decided to go see a chiropractor thinking maybe I have a pinched
nerve in the neck. He took x rays and said he sees a vertebrate high up next to my
head that is off a bit and wants to start therapy.. Does this sound like it could be it??
My neck does not hurt and I dont know how much faith I have in a chiropractor.
Im getting worried, is this a sign of heart trouble, or stroke symptons, or possibly a
traveling blod clot?? I had an EKG done several months ago too and it was fine.
Any advice would be appreciated, seems like I am at a point now that its always on
my mind because its always present. I just wish I knew what it was so I could stop
worrying.
Bret
ago I started having numbness, tingling in my right side of my face, after a few days it
went to my arm then to the entire right side. Also when this started started to lose
sexual interest and have trouble obtaining and maintaining an erection. The pains never
bother me while sleeping, it starts after I get up and move around. I started worrying I
was having stroke symptoms so my doctor had me get a CT of the head and neck and
it was negative. The symptons did not leave so he then ordered an MRI of the same
area several weeks later and a testosterone test, still everything came back negative. A
few more weeks passed and the symptons left and everthing felt fine. Well now the
symptons are back again but this time its on my left side and its a little different. This
time it all started with sharp stabbing pains in various spots of my head and jaws, they
came on suddenly and would overwhelm me. This subsided then days later the
numbness started in my left arm and shoulder, then it went to my chest and leg. It
comes and goes all day long and its been about a week now, the numbness has now
become more of a burning needles sensation and I have sharp pains in my groin, back
of my leg and from my armpit to my forearm. The burning sensation stays in my
shoulder and arm about all day but travels around the rest of my body. Now the
burning is starting to arise on the right side again too sparaticaly. I cannot pinpoint what
causes it, nothing seems to make it go away other than sleep. It starts out as stabbing
sharp pains and then starts with the burning and tingling. I am now scared its my
heart, but it does not seem to get worse when I exert myself jogging or such. Finally as
a last ditch effort I decided to go see a chiropractor thinking maybe I have a pinched
nerve in the neck. He took x rays and said he sees a vertebrate high up next to my
head that is off a bit and wants to start therapy.. Does this sound like it could be it??
My neck does not hurt and I dont know how much faith I have in a chiropractor.
Im getting worried, is this a sign of heart trouble, or stroke symptons, or possibly a
traveling blod clot?? I had an EKG done several months ago too and it was fine.
Any advice would be appreciated, seems like I am at a point now that its always on
my mind because its always present. I just wish I knew what it was so I could stop
worrying.
Bret
Doctor's Answer
by CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS, Dec 26, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Bret:
The good news is that your MRI was negative. That strongly suggests that you likely did not have a stroke. The random moving of your parasthesias (numbness and tingling) makes a fixed structural lesion not as likely. If it were fixed to one side only, then maybe. I think I would have you see a good neurologist, get a good neurological exam and some basic lab work. There are many reasons for symptoms as you describe, from metabolic abnormalities to systemic diseases. After the results from the work up and exam are in, then a direction can be formulated. In that your whole body is involved, and it is not fixed, it sounds like there is a general cause (systemic source) and not a fixed cervical lesion.
CCF Neuro MD
The good news is that your MRI was negative. That strongly suggests that you likely did not have a stroke. The random moving of your parasthesias (numbness and tingling) makes a fixed structural lesion not as likely. If it were fixed to one side only, then maybe. I think I would have you see a good neurologist, get a good neurological exam and some basic lab work. There are many reasons for symptoms as you describe, from metabolic abnormalities to systemic diseases. After the results from the work up and exam are in, then a direction can be formulated. In that your whole body is involved, and it is not fixed, it sounds like there is a general cause (systemic source) and not a fixed cervical lesion.
CCF Neuro MD
I saw your posts in the Heart Forum and believe me, you are headed in the right direction with this wonderful neurologist who has responded to your post. He is a kind, considerate and thorough gentleman who will guide you in the right direction.
Take his comments to heart, and act upon them.
Good luck to you!
Im experiencing a lot of the same symptoms you are, only they are all over my body and seem to change every day. I know how frustrated and scared you are because I have been going through this for almost 5 months now and have had every test in the book run on me and they have not been able to come up with anything--UGH! Anyway, if you havent already done so, you might want to try and hook up with a good internal medicine doctor-I did and although she wasnt able to find anything in my blood work-ups, she really gave it her best shot and ordered numerous tests and procedures that perhaps a family doctor wouldnt think of. If you do have a systemic problem, the an internal meds doctor would definately be able to find it. Good luck!
thanks for the comment.
CCF Neuro MD
I have the same symptoms and then some. I have been chasing a neurologist and all tests have been normal or neg. After reading your comments I think I will talk with my Primary Care Phys. and explore the systemic direction. It is very tough some days, but there are answers out their we just have to find them.
CCF Neuro MD