'Zinging' sensation -where do I go from here?

I am a 43 year old woman. For the past three years I have been experiencing tingling/numbness in both hands and feet, as well as other odd symptoms such as soreness on myleft arm, and occasional " cob web" feeling that come and go. No vision problems.

I have had a brain MRI, a cervical MRi, evoked potentials, EMG, blood work for thyroid, diabetes, Lupus, etc. - all normal. The only possible finding wasa low normal b-12, for which I receive weekly shots.  Also, I should menton that this all started after a sinus infection . The neurologist I saw ruled out MS, but did say to return if symptoms changed, worsened, ETC. In the past 6 months I have started to experience a " zinging" sensation in my bakc that travels from mid-spine to my left shoulder when I raise my left arm in a certain way. Could this be L'hermitte's ? Could this indicate some kind of lesion on my spinal cord? Could a low b-12 or a viral infection  cause all this? Should I return to the neuro and ask for a new MRI? I am still VERY worried about MS, and so tired of not feeling right. Thanks  for any direction you can give me.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Lhermitte's is an electrical sensation that travels down the spine when you bend your head downwards and is pretty specific for cervical cord disease. This does not appear to be what's going on in your case.  Rather than a primary spinal cord problem, your symptoms could represent a disc problem that is pushing on one of the nerves going to your arm. Up to 10% patients with MS have a normal MRI initially. If your suspicion for MS is still high, further testing can be done with evoked potentials (yours reportedly normal) and a spinal tap.  A followup neuro exam may also help if something objective has shown up recently. But if everything comes back normal, then it is unlikely that you have the disease. It's also possible that you have a peripheral neuropathy with the numbness and tingling. One thing to consider is to check a methylmalonic acid or homocysteine which are other markers of B12 deficiency. And of course, you could always get a second opinion by another neurologist. Good luck.

[ellenc]

Thanks!

[JDR]

It is really interesting to hear from other people have these incredibly strange sensations.  I have an electric shock-like feeling when I bend my neck forward and numbness/tingling in arms & legs.  I have been for an MRI.  The radiologist has ordered another MRI.  They haven't told me why I need another MRI so I am quite concerned about this.  I was in an MVA approx.6 months ago, did PT therapy with no result.  I feel very fatigued and just want some answers.  Hopefully I'll hear something after my second MRI.

[gem 52]

On June 27th my body went to war with itself. I felt like I had walked into an electric storm. From the bottom of my feet to the top of my head was tingling without stopping. I had a feeling of sparks hitting my face. The left foot is numb on left side and the top of foot. My toes get so numb on both feet it hurts. My left calf gets cramped up. I have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel of the right wrist. I have pain in both wrists. The right pinky and outside of that finger to hand hurts. My elbow on right side hurts and top of right forearm. I have an ache on the inside of right upper arm. My neck tingles just about constantly. The outside left hip down the front of thigh hurts. The inside of thigh close to the knee cannot stand anything on it. The outside and under a little on both forearms is so sensitive to touch it unnerves me to no end. Sometimes that burns but then sometimes I feel the sensation of cold running down them especially on the left side. I had a severe sinus infection over my forehead starting February. I kept a severe headache over my eyes. It felt like someone hit me with a baseball bat for 3 months. I took 3 or 4 rounds of antibiotics. Husband had bad accident april 1 and 15 days later that same sinus infection turned into bronchitis and then to pneumonia. I had some hard pieces of matter that had cone indentions work down from under eyebrow, down to bridge of nose and I felt stopped up. I coughed and they came out. I have headaches everyday just different degrees. I have had an mri with results of 2 bulging discs in neck and my neck seemed to be to straight according to my neurologist. I am having emg and ncs on both feet,legs,arms and hands tomorrow. Lots of bloodwork has been done. I have so many different things going on, does anyone have these same symptoms?