Is this really from anxiety?

[Kotoko]

My thumb has constantly tingled for over a month. The back of my hands have had a pricking sensation for over three weeks. And also I have pain in my elbows and arms right now. My PCP thought that I had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and/or Rheumatoid Arthritis, so she told me to get my blood tested and my hands x-rayed and also she told me to get an EMG test.

Anyway, all the tests came out negative. My PCP told me that she didn't know what else she could do but the only thing that she could think of was that probably I have anxiety. She actually told me that nicely so I didn't get hurt. But because she told me that, I couldn't tell her that both of my legs also started having similar symptoms to the symptoms that I have in my hands and arms. I was afraid that she would tell me that that might also be from my anxiety.

My husband was there with me when she told me that my anxiety had been causing the symptoms. He just couldn't believe what she said. And also I couldn't believe what she was telling me.

But I don't know a lot about anxiety. And I might really have one. So if I really have anxiety, is it possible to have my thumb tingled for 24 hours non-stop for over a month? And also if I have anxiety, is it possible for other people to hear that my knees pop many times?


By the way, my thumb started tingling when I was typing. I was helping my mother-in-law's work which was not a stressful thing to do because that didn't really have a deadline and that was a work from home type job. But my PCP told me that because I was so stressed  about the work, I got pain, tingling in my hands and arms. My husband and I just couldn't be convinced by that.

But she prescibed me gabapentin just in case as a pain killer not as a anxiety medicne. But I haven't gone to a pharmacy to get the prescription because I don't want to take some medicine if I don't know what's causing this. Anyway, do you think this is from my anxity?

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

This is not the usual way that anxiety expresses itself, but it is sometimes the way an early form of osteoarthritis starts, but that depends on how old you are, or if you are  postmenopausal. The thumb may be from typing, but the other leg and arm pains may be arthritis. Anxiety would be a remote possibility from what you describe.

[Kotoko]

I also want to add that I had my right hand x-rayed, and the result came out normal. But I havne't had my arms and legs x-rayed. Anyway, the result of blood test and x-ray came out negative. So my PCP thinks that I don't have any kind of arthritis.But if it's too early to see if I have osteoarthritis or any other kind of arthritis, what should I do? What kind of doctor should I contact?

[Kotoko]

Thank you very much for responding to my question. I feel so relieved and better now :)

By the way I have more questions, if I could.

Since I took a blood test for Rheumatoid Arthritis and the result came out negative, I know that I don't have the kind of arthritis. Besides, my PCP kept telling me that I don't have any arthritis but I have arthritis like symptoms. I don't know why she is so sure about it but she has told me that so many times because of the result of the blood test.

But I really don't know if the blood test that I took can really prove that I don't have any other kind of arthritis. The things that I was tested were the followings: CBC with Differential/ Platelet; Comp. Metabolic Panel; Lipid Panel; Rheumatoid Arthritis Factor; TSH; Sedimentation Rate-Westergren; C-Reactive Protein, Quant; Venipuncture; Non LCA Req.

Well, I just copied what it says on the paper of the result of the blood test. And again the result of these came out normal.

Anyways, do you think the things that I was tested could prove that I don't have any other kind of arthritis? Or do you think that this test can't really prove that I have other kinds of arthritis because it was tested only for rheumatoid arthritis? I am not a doctor, so I really don't know why my PCP is so sure that I don't have any kind of arthriris but all I can tell you is that because of the result of the blood test, she has told me that I don't have any kind of arthritis.

And before I go, I just want to tell you that I am 34 years old.

Kotoko