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facial numbness

tof
I've experienced facial numbness for 7+ months. It is exactly half my face and only numbness, with no accompanying paralysis. My tongue, throat, left arm and outermost 2 fingers are occasionally affected.  I've also had pain & vision problems in my left eye (problems focusing - come and goes).  Occasionally, I get flashes/waves of numbness across the right side of my face/ear as well. I am extremely fatigued (but have two small children, am trying to finish a graduate degree and have a busy life, so?). I get frequent colds, conjunctivitis and sinus infections. Have had swollen, stiff fingers for years (not severe). Occasional severe vertigo (min - days) prob. allergy-related. Normal CT & MRI (w/o contrast). Mother died of PSP. No family history of ms.

1) What tests shd be done if sympoms do not resolve themselves? What other possible causes could there be for such symptoms (that have not already been ruled out by tests for thyroid, Lyme, CT and MRI)?

2) Could sympoms that last for this length of time possibly be a manifestation of a migraine aura?  I had two bad migraines, but these seemed to be isolated incidents related only to the use of Provera, and never reoccurred once I stopped the medication.  If yes, is there any migraine medication that can be taken to prevent "aura-only" migraines if they are disabilitating?  (Tried tablets to be take upon the start of the headache, which did nothing except cause a nasty drop in blood pressure).

3)Cd these symp. be adverse effects from Effexor use (lowest dose)? I've NO symptoms indicative of a panic disorder!

THANX
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Avatar universal
I have been having facial numbness that travels around my face and head for a year and 3 months I have been to physiotherapy , the dentist, many general practitioners , a neurologist , a chiropractor, and had acupuncture . I also get headaches-behind and above my right ear . Most of the thine these symptoms are on the right side of my face and head . I have a feeling of fullness in my ear and a tight almost tugging sensation just under the ear it seems to get worse with chewing . I have had X-rays of my sinuses and my neck , sinus were fine though the 5&6 vertebrae are degenerative . I am booked for a CT scan next Friday and am terrified that I my have a brain tumor . I am a new mom of a 4 month old and have a hard time keeping it together ! At times I feel off balance and just out of it , other times I will go a day or two or even a week with no symptoms  . I also get a pressure sensation in my forehead and around my eyes almost where the sinuses are . I sure wish someone could figure this out it is draining me of my quality of life . I am praying for everyone on here and for myself that we can all get though this. It's hard when you don't get any answers I find myself searching the Internet almost obsessively to try and figure this out . Help me!!!!  
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A related discussion, Facial Numbness was started.
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Check out cervical subluxation - I think that is how it's spelled. My undiagnosed ailment has affected my blood pressure, heart rate, vitamin b12, sinuses, gait, skin color, and circulation. Left sided facial numbness from the top of my forehead, ear, throat, shoulder, arm, tongue.
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Could bulging discs in your upper cervical chord be pressing on vital nerves that could cause these symptoms? Ive been suffering for almost 4 years. Ive had the left facial numbness for 3 years, which has now increased, and began extreme neck and lower jaw pain 4 months ago. It has gotten to the point that my left eyelid closes by itself when my neck is turned in a certain position. I'm going to doctor. Check it out. Praying for you all!
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Avatar universal
I have been lookin all these symptoms up. I have these symptoms also. I found that its most likely something called a "silent migraine" there is different sorts of migraines though.
My symptoms are... Stiff and numbness in the face, earache, pain down my arm with tingles, weak, tierd, dizziness, nausea, can't stand loud noise or light.
I've notice that when I drink or eat certain things it makes me worse. The main thing for me is caffeine. I went to the doctors lastweek and I suggested wot I might have and I'm waiting to go have a blood test. Fingers crossed I've finally found what I have as I can't take it anymore! My attack can last for days :-'(
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A related discussion, numbness was started.
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A related discussion, same as you? was started.
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A related discussion, facial numbness with migraines was started.
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A related discussion, Facial Numbness with DDD was started.
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1653680 tn?1301922126
A related discussion, Why is my face Numb? was started.
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A related discussion, Numbness on side of face was started.
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A related discussion, Right Side Facial Numbness / Right Foot was started.
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B54
A related discussion, Left Facial Numbness & Needles was started.
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Hi there,
I have in the last couple of weeks been having some sort of numbness is the best word I guess to explain it, in the tip of my tongue and top lip.  I was using a cold sore ointment with Aciclovir in it and I wondered if it has caused damage to my lip and tongue.  The numbness of sort is in exactly the same place as the cold sore was and I use to lick the sore with the tip of my tongue constantly!!! I am hoping this is the cause as I am dead scared it may be something more dreadful!!!
Any advice would be appreciated....
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Avatar universal
Yes - I had drooling also.  The Verapamil is still working well. It feels SO good to feel normal after a year of this. You might ask your neuro if "migraine equivalent" is a possiblity. I would be interested in hearing what they say.
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Avatar universal
hi everyone, i am a 41 y/o active mom w/ 2 kids. Around 2 mos ago i started experiencing some drooling and rt facial numbness- after 2 weeks of rt side numbness, i now have it on both sides. been in hosp-had ct scan/mri/mra/spinal tap/ series of all bw (inc Lymes)- everything is negative. my neuro feels that i need to rest and put me on elavil for 6 wks. I am going crazy!!! the neuro thinks it's stress and i can't help thinking something else is going on. i saw a dentist-everything was ok. am now considering an ent. at this point i wouldn't even care if i was told i had a disease-just need an answer from someone- i hate living like this-it's not painful but i feel like it's controlling my life. if anyone has experienced the sensation of drooling WITH the facial numbness pls let me know. my tongue and my throat has gone numb only once-but it was very scary. everyone keeps telling me not to think about it, but i can't help it-it's not NORMAL! Well thanks for listening to me and i would like to hear if anyone has any suggestions.
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Avatar universal
Wow, this makes me feel so much better, Im not alone. Age 48 mother of 3, numbness on left side of face, today my ear started feeling weird. All started about 2 weeks ago, intermittedent.  My left eye is red constantly. I'm on the computer at work all day.  Pretty scary to think this will continue for years.
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I am so glad that I found this site.  About a year ago, my husband started experiencing numbness in his feet.  He assumed that maybe he was having a problem in his back or something and kind of let it go for a long time.  Now, about a month in a half ago, he started getting these servere migraine like headaches.  Then about 2 weeks after the headaches, he woke up one morning with discomfort in his face and jaw and assumed he had a dental problem.  By the next day, the right side of his face was numb and drooping.  We went to the doctor, who said it was probably either lyme, bells palsy or diabetes.  But then things changed. Lyme was ruled out by blood test, no bells palsy, and no diabetes.  His white blood cell count was elevated however and so were his lymphocytes.  So was his blood pressure and it remains elevated, not dangerously, but that bottom number frequently comes up over 100. No one is prescribing any medication for that either.  He went to a nuerologist who ordered a bunch of tests (we were also turned away for an MRI 2x at a hospital in NJ for paperwork issues) and nothing came up.  Everything was normal.  Now his left side of his face is also numb and drooping, he also had some kind of seizure like episode immediately prior to losing his left side of his face.  Not a stroke.  He described seeing like flashing lights, tingling in his face and left arm for about 2 hrs.  Went to the ER.  They ruled out stroke and sent him home.  His vision has since been affected also.  He can no longer drive due to double vision.  The headaches keep coming and he complains of being very tired, "woozy" and "spaced out".  This is taking so long.  Since the MRI, Cat Scan, & EMG all seem to be normal, we are at our wits end.  He is getting worse by the week every week a new symptom and no answers and his neurologist won't even give him an appointment for follow up for another two weeks.  I can't even talk to his neurologist on the phone because calls to his office are deflected to a call center like environment where an operator continuously puts us off.  She also happens to be the one setting the appointments.  Very frustrating.  No answers and no one is doing anything.  Any thoughts anyone?  Please help.
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Avatar universal
I'm so happy to have found this forum! I have had intermittent dysesthesias/paresthesias for many years--numb legs, arm, face. They come and go, and when I was younger, I was very frightened that I might have MS. Two normal MRIs eliminated this fear. (I cannot even bring myself to think about ALS.)
About 4 years ago, I experienced excruciating pain in my right ear.  I was just sitting at my computer! I saw my PCP, but here was "nothing" there. It subsided.  Several months later, I experienced it again. Very sharp pain, exacerated by turning my head, which made it feel as if a fishhook were in my ear, extending down my neck.
Many years ago, I noticed that my smile was asymmetrical, and my PCP suggested that I had had a mild case of Bell's palsy some time before. I can force a smile that is perfectly symmetrucal, but if I just begin to smile, my left side smiles and my right side does not.
Over the past year, the ear pain is more frequent, and when there is not frank pain, there is a hypersensitivity that drives me crazy. I can't wear a hat, or earphones, can't sleep on my right side.  In addition, I have numbness, tingling, and sometimes itchiness on the entire right side of my face, head and scalp. extending to the bony area behind my right ear. It now includes the right side of my tongue and throat. Sometimes my ear gets bright red. (I also have had Reynaud's and tinnitis for years.)
The initial ear pain started about 10 days afer cataract surgery, but that was on the otjer side. A year later I had the right eye done. (My ophthalmologist was quite surprised because I developed these cataracts in my mid-40s. My vision is crowded with so mnay huge, dense floaters that I have been offered a floater-only vitrectomy, which I am given to understand very few surgeons offer to do.) I did have a retrobulbar block for the surgery, and wonder if there was some damage to a facial/orbital nerve. The ENT I saw suggested that it might be a post-herpetic neuropathy, if, in fact, I did have Bell's palsy long ago.
Seeveral years back I noticed that I have a sort of cyst at the back of my neck. It's quite mobile, and scoots behind my C spine if I move my neck. Thus, it doesn't seem as if it would be compressing anything.
Has anyone ever experienced this intermnittent excruciating ear pain, along with residual hypersensitivity of the external ear?
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a.e
Congratulations Sallee and thank you Jen9098,
I just visited  the neurosurgeon early this morning. Although there were some communication problems because he did not speak English very well, somehow after carefully examining the MRT scan result of my brain and other external checks, he reassured me that all the symptoms were related to stress and anxiety and they will fade away slowly. There was no inflammation on my nerves and brain according to the scan result. The neurosurgeon simply asked me to relax and also, whether I would like to take some anti-stress medication, a suggestion of course I declined because I did not see any necessity in taking drugs,  it might only  make things worse. After seeing the doctor, I felt somehow relieved, though not fully convinced by his diagnose.  I guess I just have to try to forget about all these symptoms (I don't know how) and convince myself that they are not a big problem and they will dissapear one day.
Glad to know all of you and I will keep visiting this site.
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Avatar universal
To Sallee:  Congrats.  I'm happy you finally found relief!  This has been such a scary & stressful situation. It is re-assuring to know that two neurologists gave you the same diagnosis.  I'm glad the medication is working for you.


To a.e.:  Hang in there.  Like I said, I reached a peak with my symptoms and it was bad.  Really bad and very scary.  The good news is, once I got over that hurdle everyday got better.  It seems as though these symptoms are indicative of many different problems, and slowly everyone is finding relief.  You will, too.
The shaking in my left hand started like yours and it did get worse, so be prepared that it may happen.  However, take comfort in that it didn't last long & it did get better.  I also had really bad nightmares.  Not necessarily related to my face but scary & morbid and I was recalling them with complete accuracy.  Sometimes I really had to sort out what was real and what wasn't.  I felt crazy.  That, too, has subsided.  I also thought that I could have Parkinson's disease.  The tremors, spasms, and shaking has stopped.  I still have occasional numbness and headaches but not to the same degree.
Good luck and stay calm.  The more stressed I got, the worse the symptoms became.
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Avatar universal
I went to antoher neurologist for a second opinion and he also said that he thought it was "migraine equivalent".  I think we found the answer to my problems!  Since they have put me on Verapimil, it has been TWO weeks with NO symptoms!  I know that doesn't sound like much, but I seriously had not gone more than 3 days without numbness since last April.  For those of you who have symtoms like mine, you might mention the Verapamil to them. I am on 180 mg at bedtime.
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a.e
To Jen9098,
Thank you very much indeed! I"ve been going through some horrible time since three weeks ago. I constantly wake up midnight with horrible nightmares which are related to my face and eyes. In the last several days, I also started to have numbness on my left forearm. My fingers sometimes shake, although not severe. They stop shaking as soon as I start doing something. I am even worried about a possibility of Pakinson's disease. God, I am only 34. The symptoms on my face, as you mentioned, come and go. Sometimes I just feel perfectly normal. However, the numbness (or tightness) around my right eye persist most of the time. I am also experiencing some numbness on my tongue and throat occasionally, most of the time at evenings or at nights. Do not have swollowing or speech problem so far as some others have experienced. I"ve done a MRT scanning and the possibility of having tumour has been ruled out.
thank you again and I am very very happy for you that you are getting better!! HOpe you recover from whatever you have suffered fully.
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Avatar universal
My symptoms have finally started to decline, it has been almost 2 months since they started.  I seemed to have reached a peak last week indicating that it very possibly could have been withdraw from meds.  

I also thought that it could be bells palsy-but I had too many additional symptoms.  However, according to the website www.prozactruth.com, Bells Palsy can be part of the withdraw process.  So, I guess, in a way, I did have that.  I was so shocked to see so many meds on there-even Ambien!  I really didn't think that would have that kind of effect.

To a.e.:  My heart goes out to you.  I couldn't imagine going through this alone w/o friends and family and in a foreign country.  Please take comfort in knowing that so many of us have experienced this and there were so many negative test results.  Before I found this site, I was convinced I had something terribly wrong with me.  I never knew of anyone else experiencing these symptoms and thought for sure that I must have a brain tumor or something of that magnitude.  The symptoms are awful and the fear and axiety over them doesn't help.  Try to stay calm, enjoy Germany, and concentrate on your work.  I'm sure you will be okay & I'll keep you in my prayers.  Like I said, mine has almost passed and I think from the lack of posts lately, many others may have, too.  Hang in there!

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