Buzzing sensation in foot

[medco]

For the past 2 days, I've had this constant buzzing sensation in my left foot. It comes and goes every 6 seconds. However, when I walk, and when I do other activities that require a lot of attention, the sensation disappears.



I seem to be getting different sensations, all paresthesia, that come and go every couple of weeks.



During these periods, I also get anxious, so I'm not sure if its anxiety or the paresthesia that's the cause.



What could this be?



I also have epilepsy and panic/anxiety attacks. I am currently on Tegretol and Paxil.

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

First of all, keep in mind that I am unable to diagnose you because I am unable to examine you, this forum is for educational purposes.      
   The 'buzzing' sensation that you describe in your foot is non-specific and could represent a number of different pathologies.  Getting odd sensations that disapear when focused on another task can happen in some neuropathies (diseases of the nerves) and also in anxiety/depression.  In addition, given your epilepsy history it is best that epilepsy is also ruled out as a cause (by getting an EEG[brain wave test] while having the 'buzzing' sensation).  I would also recommend some standard blood tests that are used to evaluate neuropathies such as B12 level, B6 level, RPR, ANA, monoclonal protein (blood and urine), TSH, copper, ceruloplasmin, glucose tolerance test (2 hour), HGB A1C, paraneoplastic panel, and lyme antibodies.  I would also suggest an EMG with nerve conduction studies to look for any elctrical signs of neuropathy.  Another condition that presents with multiple areas of sensory disturbances that each last a few weeks is multiple sclerosis MS).  If you have not had an MRI of your brain and cervical spine, this would help evaluate you for possilbe MS (although this is less likely).
I hope this has been helpful.

[JCmcc]

Dear Friend,
Please be advised that my response to you is not professional, is not medical advice, is educational, and that I am not a representative of MEDHELP.

Paresthesia is interesting. It can be caused by a few variables such as viral or spinal cord compression and low and behold, stress/anx.

If it is caused by compression it could be from a bulging/protruding/slipped disc, a plaque/lesion/sclerosis (call them what you will), or a synrnx to name a few.

If you already have EP and ANX then unless it has become worse I may not be so quick to think that parsis is coming from that variable.

You are perphaps the first person on this site to describe your feet sensations so clearly? Is it a pulsating feeling, rolling like waves?

I had that type of paresthesias in both feet until I was treated with antiobiotics for late stage Lyme disease induced Multiple Sclerosis. The lesions cause that parethesias in my feet were due to the fact that I had exstensive signal abnormalities (lesions) throughout the entire cervical spine.

There is so much that I do not know about your situation and there are so many important variables: age, locale, sex, onset, et seq.

I will be glad to be of assistance to you.

Good Luck!
JCmcc.

[JCmcc]

also, one more thing that can cause this is vascular problems, such as CNS Vasculitis.

So, with the parethesias I recommend a visit to a neurologist for you. Start first with your family doctor.

[medco]

Thanks for your comment. I am 22 and I live in a suburb in Ontario, Canada. However, I doubt the tics that cause Lyme disease are in my area, as there are no deer around here. My anxiety has gotten a bit worse, so maybe that's the cause. I've had all kinds of paresthesia that seem to come and go every few weeks. I think it my fluctuate with my anxiety, but I'm not sure. This buzzing sensation is the most annoying. When I don't pay attention to it, it seems to disappear. I saw a GP and he said it was nothing. But the sensation can be annoying at times.

[Carol in PA]

medco:
For information about Lyme Disease in Ontario, see this article.

http://www.canlyme.com/ontario.html

Quote (edited)

The blacklegged tick...has a wide geographical distribution in Ontario, Canada....

The Lyme disease spirochete...was detected in 12.9% of I. scapularis adults collected from domestic hosts with no history of out-of-province travel....

Moreover, our findings...reveal that people and domestic animals may be exposed to Lyme disease vector ticks, which have wide-ranging distribution in eastern and central Canada.

For more information, see the Canadian Lyme Foundation, at www.canlyme.com/

Wishing you the best,
Carol

[momofmeg]

Sorry to do this, but I have been reading a lot on this forum and for weeks I've tried to post and can't seem to ever get into this side of the forum.  I have made my post on the patient to patient forum under neurology and just wondering if you might take a look at my questions and provide any insight that you might have.  You seem very knowledgeable on this subject and I need some opinions.
Thanks for your consideration.  Sorry to put this on this post.

[JCmcc]

I will look at your posts tomorrow, of you can ask your question to me in here.

JCmcc.

[JCmcc]

Actuall, if you could simply copy and paste your question in here this would save me time and get you a quicker response from me. :)

Thanks,
JCmcc.

[momofmeg]

**here is my post**
I've been reading this forum for a while to see what help or answers I can come up with for my dd, but since I haven't been able to post on the Dr side I thought I try here. Some on this forum seem very well educated in this area.
My dd is 4 yrs and in Sept she had an unexplained seizure. She was sitting on a sit n spin for a couple seconds when she fell back and went into a seizure. We got her into a Ped neuro Dr since it wasn't fever related or anything. Since the seizure she has had headaches several times a week (only lasting a few min) and complains that her R eye 'hurts'. At first we thought something was in her eye, but after the 3rd time we figured something else was going on. She does have glasses (vision -2.0 R eye & -3.0 in L). She had a MRI and EEG done which came back ok only thing noted was Paranasal Sinus Disease. They put her on antibiotic for 10 days, no change. Over the past month and half she has started having tingling (needle feelings) in her hands and feet. Again, only lasting a couple minutes at a time until yesterday. We were in the car and this time it lasted for about 20 minutes in her R foot. She was screeming so hard I almost took her to the ER.
As you can imagine I'm concerned for her and have talked to the Ped Neuro Dr and they have ordered another amblitory EEG in March.
Just wondering if anyone out there may have some other suggestions about what could be going on with her. She is otherwise a VERY active kid.
Oh, I have had her eyes examined by a Ped Optho Dr as well.
Thanks in advance for your help!!