Worried I might have MS but not diagnosed yet

[Darlene111]

I had vertigo and went through vestibular rehab. I just completed 7 weeks and the rocking sensation is 80-90% gone. About 1 year ago I started having tingling in my right cheek on my face that would come and go. Then about 6 months ago I started having muscle pulling in the front of my neck, just on the right side. Last week the left side of my face is starting to tingle, and I am again getting the neck muscle pulling. These feelings in my neck and on my face are very scary and uncomfortable!! I have had 2 brain MRI's one in 2007 and one in 2008 for the vertigo and they turned out normal. I had a cervical MRI 2 months ago and it shows C4,5,6 shallow bulging disc, mild enroachment into the neural foramina bilaterally w/out neurocompressive findings. I had 1 set of trigger point injections in my neck 1 month ago which took away the tingling in my face and pulling in my neck for 10 days, but it's back again. Should I try facet injections?  Everything I read about vertigo, tingling in the face, pulling in the neck all have MS as a possibility. I have been seeing a ENT and a Neurologist and they have never said MS but they seen to ignore the symptoms I feel I have. Any ideas?

[Heather3418]

This may be a good question to put to our new doctor, on his Forum.  This is Dr. Kantor and he is a neurologist.  Go to the post where it talks about this new Forum and click on the link provided there.  He usually will answer one question a day for free or the "you have to pay for advice box" which costs $25.00.  At least you can get some information from a doctor directly in the field of Neurology.

I was hoping that Quix would come on line and try to answer your question.  She has been very busy with family over the holidays and may not have had the chance to get online.  Sometimes we have to be patient while we are waiting for her.  She gets alot of private messages asking for answers and gets alot of questions on the Forum, so sometimes she cannot get to them all, due to all that is going on in her own life.  If she sees this question, she WILL answer it.

Heather

[sllowe]

Fabulous job w/your history!

Not to worry, you'll get more info from folks ref. this vertigo....we are just a little slower around the hollardays.....

See you around soon,
Shell

[jensequitur]

I know somebody that received a lot of relief from a facet injection - it took away all the problems she'd been having in that area.  

All of your neurological symptoms seem to be connected to your neck problems.  The muscle pulling can be caused by nerve impingement in the neck, as well as the tingling.  Cervical cord compression can cause what's known as 'cervical vertigo.'  Because your MRI came back clean, I would pursue treatment of your neck problems - it's most likely the cause of your symptoms.

[Darlene111]

Thank you for your reply.
The time line above is pretty close except my vertigo (not spinning but a rocking or floating sensation) started:

6/06: It was present for 7 days and then went away completely after my pcp said it was from my ears and gave me ear drops. (I had had a bad cold and right ear stuffed up).

7/06: Vertigo is back: was sent for my first Brain MRI-Normal (no idea of strength of machine would it say it on my report or cd?) PCP gave me prednizone and vertigo went away again.

7/07 Vertigo is back: my PCP gave me meclizine and is sending me to an ENT.
Vertigo is gone again in 10days.

8/07 Visit w/ENT, shows some damage in right ear but still in "Normal" range.

5/08 Vertigo is back and now it is everyday. PCP puts me on Valium which takes it away as long as I take it. If I come off of it, it comes back.  
Second Brain MRI-Normal.

6/08 I see a Neurologist and he says after physical exam and MRI review nothing to suggest central nervous system demyelinating disease.

7/08 My neck starts hurting (in the BACK) and my doctors suggests Chiropractic visits. I feel it is from trying to hold my head still from the vertigo and sit at a desk job all day. I go and It helps my vertigo 70% w/out taking any Valium. After having 12 or so adjustments, the FRONT muscle on the right side of my neck starts pulling so bad, it's scary. 2 Aleve takes most of the pulling away, as long as I take it everyday. Then Chiro dr says he needs to wean me off of adjustments because he does not want me over adjusted, so I stop and the vertigo comes back 100%.

10/08 My 2nd Neurologist: suggest Vestibular Rehab. I did this for 6-7 weeks and the vertigo is now 85/90% gone and I am taking no medication for it. YEA off of the Valium. BUT the front of my neck still is pulling.

11/08 Cervical MRI done-shows C4,5,6,7 shallow bulging disc. Mild enroachment into the neural foramine bilaterally w/out neurocompressive findings.

12/08 I see a Dr that is a DO PHD and works in the Neurology field and he suggest Trigger point Injections. I did this and it took the neck pain away completely for 10days. I called him today and schedule another appointment with him  which is on 1/8/09.
His secretary stating that trigger point injections can relieve pain for 1 day, 10 days, 30 days or months. Everyone is different. So here I go again, back to the doctor on 1/8/08 :)

Facet injections are injections that are done through fluoroscopic guide where they inject medication directly into the facet area in the spine. This can relieve any pain in the spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar etc).

Still searching for answers  :)
Thank you
Darlene

[sllowe]

Hi Darlene,

Welcome! I'm sorry for all you are going through. Yes, this can be so scary, especially when you can't make it go away!

I decided to pull some of this out in a timeline fashion so we could see it better.  I can't of course say if this is MS, or not and I do have some questions. Some of the things sound like what we experience, especially the vertigo, but you can have vertigo, and not MS for sure.  My thoughts are that you have something going on, and not so sure it's MS but I'm not a dr.

2008
- muscle pulling in front of neck
- left side of face tingle
1 set of trigger point injections in neck 1 month ago took away the tingling in face and pulling in neck for 10 days, but has now returned

December 2008 dx'd w/vertigo
- left side of face tingle

2007
tingling in right cheek that would come and go

tests: MRIs, normal
Cervical MRI 2: C4,5,6 shallow bulging disc, mild enroachment into the neural foramina bilaterally w/out neurocompressive findings

I don't know about facet injections. But, I would definitely call the Dr. office that gave you the trigger pt. injections. You got relief from, but then it returned, so maybe they can explain this to you.  

Like Sarahsmom and Doni have alluded to sometimes these Docs can be dismissive.  If you can, take what I've pulled out here, and get a timeline going.  Call the office, make an appt. and put the Dr. on the spot when you get there.  State what you have going on, and ask some questions.  If the Dr. still dismisses you, you may have to move on if you are able.

Oh, and what was the MRIs machine strength?

Hope we can be here for you.  Please poke around and get to know us a bit.  Hope you like it here.
ttys,
Shell

[Darlene111]

Quix, Per doni, your the one to talk to.  Can you please read my question above and give any input you can, I would so appreciate it!

[doni54]

Hi Darlene and welcome to the forum.  This is a great place with great people and lots of good info.  

If you read some of the posts, it is not unusual to hear that some neuro's don't listen to their patients.  It happens quite often.

We're here to help as much as we can, and as Julie says, the health pages have a wealth of info and can help you understand things much better.  I have found that they even help me to ask the right questions.

Again, I'm glad you are here with us and hope we can help.  Others will come along too and can help shed some light on some of the things you are going thru.

Quix, is our great font of knowledge and her problems also started with vertigo. She will probably been on a little later.  

Take care,
doni

[Sarahsmom46]

Welcome to the MS forum.  We are happy you have posted a question to our group. You sound very frustrated with getting a correct diagnosis, something we can all relate to.

I would hope that your ENT and neurologist are not ignoring your symptoms.  It may be that they are not 100% sure what is causing it.  With that said, numbness and tingling are common symptoms in MS, but they can be caused by another illness as well.  If you haven't already done so, I would highly recommend that you read the MS Health Pages.  Just click on the icon under "Discussions" at the upper right corner and you will find a wealth of information on parathesias (tingling, numbness) and much more.  

I hope that others from our group who are much better informed on your symptoms and how they may or may not relate to MS will be along soon to add their comments.  

Take good care and again welcome to our forum.

Julie