night time leg and hand tingles

[bengalcats]

for several months now i have been having night time tingling in my legs and hands. most of it goes away when i get up but sometimes i can mildly feel it in my right hand and right leg.i had one of those electrical tests done on the right side which showed carpal tunnel and a mild pinched nerve in my back.If I had MS and told the DR about it would he have said that it was because of MS and not carpal tunnel and a pinched nerve in my back? I have not been told that I have MS but I had AN MRI of my head which showed a very small number of punctate T-2 bright signal foci in the subcortal white matter bilaterally.I did not have contrast for this MRI and I had it done because i was having many headaches , I also has 2 additional MRI done in 96 and 1999 which were normal.Is it normal to have spots show up? the report did not say they were lesions or anything to do with demylenation.Also several times throughout the year i get a tingly pain in the opening I believe of my bladder before I urinate and sometimes with this i have very sensitive areas of skin that seem to tingle on my legs , thigh areaa only.this only lasts for a day or so, when i was a teenager it happened many times a year and i always saw a urologist for it to be tested for an infection but none was ever present, it seemed to subside after i had 2 kids and now mabey occurs once a year. I have read that bladder problems can sometimes be a sign of MS.that has been happening to me now for about 28 years.is that type of tingling associated with MS?
thankyou for any light you can shed here.

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

Tingling due to transient nerve compression (such as leaning or lying on a nerve) is much much more common than MS related sensory dustrubances

Bright signal intensities in the white matter are quite common in the general population especially as we get older. They usually represent age related hardening of the arteries or some atherosclerosis in the small brain arteries (similar to coronary atherosclerosis). They can also be caused by migraine. There are certain characteristics that suggest MS rather than these other causes which allow doctors to differentiate between the two most of the time, such as signals that are perpendicular to the ventricles, and with a slit like shape rather than a dot, and that also involve areas such as the corpus callosum (the part of the brain connecting the two hemispheres) which are more likely to be MS.

Bladder problems with MS develop as a result of spinal cord dysfunction - in this case there is always some spascticity and increased reflexes also of the lower legs. However just tingling in the baldder is not very suspicious for MS. Being unable to pass urine, urgency, passing only small volums frequently, overflow incontinence - these are bladder symptoms suggestive of spinal cord dysfunction. If your doctor does not detect increased reflexes et c in the legs, any bladder dysfunction due to spinal cord disease is unlikely

Good luck

[Jmcc06]

I think that it is important to first remember that it is axiomatic that any neurological deficit should be looked at, but it is also important to know that many people suffer deficits w/o a found cause.
If the lesions turn out to be demyelinating they will most likely be reported as non-specific/suspicious.
Depending on your symptoms you may want to look into Lyme Disease. If you live or have visited any of the Northern States East/West Coast or Central US or Canada.
Lyme mimics MS, lesions and all.
You should also know that the most common 86% presenting symptoms of MS are extreme fatigue or optic neuritis (inflamation (inflammation) of the optic nerve). Occasionally Lhermitte's Sign (shock/or buzzing thru spine on neck flexion fwd). This is also not specific to MS.
Good Luck!

[Insearchofinfo]

I don't have an answer for you but I have a question for you if you don't mind.

What is the difference when talking about a MRI with contrast and without contrast?  Is one more accurate than the other?  I had one with contrast and the doc said he noticed a small area that had plaque but the person that read the MRI said that the location of the plaque wasn't consistant with where MRI plague is located yet my neurolgist is speculating MS?  Can the MRI be incorrect even when done with contrast?  I have been under a tremedous amount of stress for about 6 years and all my problems started after I acquired a hospital based staph infection and was put on Leviquin for a month, 750 mg. daily.  I kept telling my doctors something was very wrong and they didn't listen to me until I ended up in the hospital emergency room. I too suffer from arm and leg tingling and numbness at night.  After being told I might have MS I have felt more axiety and have experinced these symptoms during the day and felt them my feet get warm sensations.  I don't know if they are real or just tension.  I suffer no other symptoms.

[bengalcats]

I THINK THAT AN MRI WITH DYE WILL SHOW IF YOU HAVE ACTIVE LEASIONS, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT IS BETTER BUT I DO NOT KNOW THIS FOR SURE.MY DR SAID EVEN WITH THE SPOTS ON MY MRI THAT I DO NOT HAVE MS SO I WONDER IF MS TYPE SPOTS SHOW UP DIFFERENTLY, I REALLY DO NOT KNOW BUT I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING ON MS INFO LIKE CRAZY, I STILL AM WORRIED BECASUE OF THE TINGLING IN MY HANDS AND LEGS, PLUS I GET A WEIRD FEELING IN MY HEAD.

[Insearchofinfo]

bengalcats,

Have you taken any medications or had any viral or staph infections or been injured prior to the onset of  your symptoms?  

I understand about the worrying.  I can relate.  Too bad docs cannot tell us more conconclusive info.

[bengalcats]

no I do not think so I had any infections, why were you in the hospital in the first place? I have tons of other symptoms, but not everyone will experience all symptoms of ms, you should get another opinion. I get weird buzzing in my brain and had zapping in the center of my spine.i cant decide if i want to see another neuro or not. i am in constant state of fear and anxiety and cant get over this, my tingling has gotten worse, magnified by stress i am sure.

[bengalcats]

Doc, you used some big words that little people like me do not understand, what does it mean when you say that it is Axiomatic that any neurological deficit should be looked at? What is a deficit? Can you also explain to me why I get weird buzzing in my brain and why I feel like it is short circuiting. Do you suggest i get another opinion on the small punctate T-2 bright signal foci that were noted in the white subcortal matter? after reading the report again it does say at the bottom that the spots are non specific and not definitely  pathologic, could you please explain that for me.THANKYOU>

[AK52]

I developed similar symptoms following a Staph infection. I was on antibiotics for only 10 days.

[CXCHANGE]

Wow!  your post sounds exactly like my problems.  I don't have any answers for you, but maybe we can help each other.  I think my problem starts with stress.  I get stressed out but then I get some very weird symptoms that don't go away, even though the stress is gone or has gotten better.  I have numbness/tingling in my right leg and right arm.  More in the leg.  The right side of my head feels like it is in a vise.  I have constant headaches.  Had same problem 6 years ago and a round of anti-depressents knocked it out, but this time it is not going away so quick.  I can't sleep, which also does not help.  I feel confused and don't think rationally.  I have no energy but yet I can't sleep.  I suspected MS 6 years ago but no definitive solution then.  I have not done a MRI yet but plan too.  I know stress brings it on, but not sure how to get rid of it nor can I beleive that the pains I feel and the headaches I get are all due to stress.  The common thread for me is cholesterol med, statins.  I have been taking that for 7 years now and I think it may have something to do with this and recently I read a article where they felt statins could cause memory problems.  Do you take any statins?  Any drugs?  I know what it is like to suffer and feel like there are no good answers!

[bengalcats]

The only meds I take are Zolof for 1 m onth now, do you get the weird things in your head too like the short circuiting feeling, I have other posts in the undiagnosed section you might find something there. I simply do not know what to do and I do not know if I want to know If I have MS. Have you been to a neuro?

[CXCHANGE]

What dose you take on the Zoloft?
I just dropped from 100mg to 50 and feel better.
I think the zoloft has weird side affects.
I will look for you other posts.
I do get that feeling but only on one side of my head.

[bengalcats]

I take 50mg, have only been on it a montha nd I ahd all my symptoms before that>

[bengalcats]

could you better describe the feelings you get in you head? have you had any tests to tell you what they are?

[CXCHANGE]

I was getting like a pain on one side of my head.  Just felt like pressure or like a vise on the side of my head.  Really feel much better this weekend.  All symptons went away. Started weekend with a jog to clear my head.  I think you make yourself worse and stress causes alot of this.  This past week at work we eased up on some deadlines and boom stress melted away, I felt better and all this weekend symptoms subsided.  I also think fresh air in the sunlight helps.  I may have seasonal affliction disorder, SAD.  I dunno.  But  alot of what I was feeling went away now.  I also have lowered my use of meds.  Your brain has 3 chemicals in it and when one of these gets out of wack, you feel things that you think are problems, and they are but they are all from your head and the only medical problem you have is a chemical imbalance in your head!!!  I know it is not the answer that helps, to have people say it is in your head, but the good news is it is curable!

[Veria]

I have just begun to experience tingling and tight muscles in both legs.  I have been thinking that my MS might be showing more signs in my body.  I am trying to keep my muscles active, but is there anything else that I can do or my doctors.  My last MRI had quite a few changes.  I was not experiecing this pain and burn with the above list of things until I had a long ride across country recently.  I would to think that the trip is all that bothering me.  Should I contact my a doctor?  Thanks so much.

[bengalcats]

how long have you had ms? i have not been diagnosed yet but feel so sure that i have it. it never hurts to stay in touch with your doctor when you experience something different during a flair up, what type of ms do you have? how old are you? hope this passes and you feel well soon

[powershot]

I also for years had tingling in my legs, but feet as well (instead of hands like you, when i would get up and walk around a short time it would go away, but once back in bed a few minutes it would come back, i had trouble falling asleep due to this, fortunantly it was not a every night ordeal, once or twice a week usually, I never went to docter about it, 2 months ago i started a nutritional supplement at a good friends request, in the 2 months since starting it I have only had one night with this tingling in my legs and feet, a GREAT Improvemnet to say the least, I also have to mention it has given me more energy every day and greatly reduced joint and lower back pain i was having. :) I hope this info helps, Oh if your interested in the supplement you can email me for the information since I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a name here on the forum. :) Anyways good luck. here is my email ***@****

[bengalcats]

I went to a ne neuro today who feels that I do have ms and I am getting a spinal on monday. I am frightened beyond belief, how will I cope??????????????????????????????????????????/