Migraines and tingling

[Jenny Wren]

I am a 36 year old female, I started getting migraines about 7 years ago, after about a year, I started to get a bug crawling feeling on the right side of my face, it seems like my jaw tightens and then a tingle goes across my face, it is not painful, just annoying.  I have a bulging disk at C-3 and loss of curvature of my neck, and muscle spasms, these headaches all started after the last rear end collison that I had, had been in 2 before this time.  Anyway, I have neck and shoulder pain almost on a daily basis, and notice that when my neck is bothering me I get the tingle in my jaw/face, and also in the upper part of my legs, no numbness.  I have had 2 brain MRIs, and there is no lesions.  Normal.  

My questions are....

Can the bulging disk cause the tingling?

Or is it coming from the migraines?  I have read where cervical problems will trigger the migraines

What do you think?   My main concern is MS, but neuro felt that after having these same symptoms and no other, and with the negative MRI, that it may be small fiber neuropathy, but told me its useless to have a EMG done, because I have no weakness, or numbness, and that it will probably come back negative.

Thank you kindly,  Jen

[katerry]

thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
i too have a whiplash injury with a bulging disc at c3 and i too get tingling weird feelings in right side of my face!
i thought i was either leading up to a stroke, or going slowly insane but ive just lifted my arm above my head and.... guess what.... my face tingles!!!
my shoulder also feels more or less permanently stiff.
i have suffered with migraine since my 20,s they have become more frequent of late, and my blood pressure has become elevated, whether due to stress or dodgy genes im not sure.
please let me know how you get on, and if anything relieves your symptoms,
kind regards
kate

[bowhunter0310]

Thank you so much for your reply.  I had the C-spine MRI last Fall, it was done without conrast.  Would contrast help to see anything better?  Could the tingling come from the neck.  The tingling is provoked by neck movement and neck stiffness.  I seen a neuro, she did a ton of blood work, and thoracic and another brain MRI, they were normal, theonly thing that showed was the bulging disk that my PCP sent me for, I also had a lumbar MRI, it was also normal.  I tried trigger point injections, and also PT, it didn't seem to help.

Everything that I have read says that the disk problem wouldn't cause the tingling in my face.  I feel its somehow related since it is aggravated by neck movement.  I can lift my left arm above my head and it will do it, Weird!!!

Thank you again, Jen

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

A tingling sensation that follows a pattern of nerve distibution may suggest a nerve related problem probably secondary to nerve impingement and irritation. Cervicogenic headaches are considered as headaches caused by any disorders of the cervical spine. Any recent scan done of the cervical spne?Your history of a bulging disk at C3 and trauma are sigificant. You may discuss this with your physicians .Were you able to see a neurologist? A complete physical exam including a neurologic exam will help exclude other underlying disorders. A rehabilitation medicine specialist may also help.

Do keep us posted regarding your progress. MS follows a criteria for diagnosis and may usually present with other deficits ( ie visual symptoms).

Do keep us posted for anything.