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Numbness and weakness on my right side.

I started feeling numbness and weakness in my right arm and leg 5 days ago. 3 days ago it also started affecting the right side of my face. On the advice of a PA friend, I went to the ER. CT scan and labs all came back negative. Seemed some better yesterday, but back with a vengenance today. My arm feels like I have been lifting weights and it is tired feeling. Not really any pins and needles. My face feels like I have been to the dentist. It feels numb but not the tingly feeling when it starts waking up. My question is what type of doctor and/or tests would you recommend as a starting point?
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

One-sided numbness of the body is most commonly due to a problem in the brain (as opposed to other areas of the central nervous system such as the spinal cord or peripheral nerves). Many possibilities exist, and depend somewhat on your age, your risk factors, and the nature of your symptoms (whether or not the numbness started suddenly or gradually, whether it is a complete loss of sensation or a tingling, whether it is an objective finding on examination or it is only a feeling that you have etc)

The most concerning cause of numbness on one side of the body is a stroke. Please understand I am not trying to imply you have a stroke, but only that this is one possibility. Strokes occur predominantly in people with risk factors: smokers, high cholesterol, diabetics, hypertensives, and people over the age of 55. However, they can occur in any age. If your numbness was due to a stroke, it would start somewhat suddenly (over minutes) and would likely persist without significant improvement.

Other potential causes include multiple sclerosis, a brain tumor, a vascular malformation and others. Transient one-sided body numbness (lasting for example for minutes up to 30 minutes then resolving) could be due to a migraine (the aura of migraine, in which case following the numbness, a headache occurs) or seizures.

You would benefit from evaluation by a neurologist. Depending on your history and physical examination, he/she may choose to order an MRI of the brain, which would be able to assess for several of the disorders discussed above.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

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Avatar universal
A related discussion, Follow up: Numbness on my right side was started.
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Thank you very much. I am sorry about your wife. I have an appointment with a neurologist in a week or so and will definitely ask for that test. Thank you again for your suggestion.
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My wife had the same symptoms but on her left side. Despite repeated visits to the drs nothing was done. Several months later she had a major stroke. Her carotid arteries were blocked. Had she been referred to a neurosurgeon she may not have had a stroke. Please ask that your carotid arteries are checked. My wife is now disabled & a simple check could have made a big difference.
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