MS or Hypochondriasis?

[elvis13245]

Hey everyone,

I'd like to start off by saying that I am a diagnosed hypochondriac, so take that as you will. Since yesterday, however, my right hand, especially my pinky and ring finger, have been tingling, and I've been having trouble concentrating. The tingling seemed to go away last night, but then picked up again around mid-afternoon today. It's very distracting, and I'm terrified of something malicious like MS being the underlying cause. I'm a 20 yo white male that lives in the South - can anybody tell me whether or not I need to go see a doctor? I don't want to waste a trip because I'm being a hypochondriac, but this tingling really isn't normal, and it corresponds to one of my biggest health fears (getting MS).

Thanks!

[aspen2]

I have had ulnar nerve issues (cubital tunnel syndrome); that's how it presents itself. This is completely separate from ms.  If you don't deal with it, those fingers may go numb.

It would be helpful for you to see a physiotherapist to assess and provide some exercises and tips for managing that nerve while gaming.  This is different from carpal tunnel syndrome where the first few fingers are affected -- ulnar nerve problems cause peripheral nerve damage in the pinky and ring finger due to nerve compression in the elbow.

Hope this helps!!

[elvis13245]

Likewise, the tingling has gone away, but now I have a burning sensation in my thumb (same hand)...

[supermum_ms]

Hi Elvis and welcome,

MS is one of the top 3 medical issues that people with Health Anxiety-Somatic symptom disorder-Hypochondria (etc) fear and hyper focus onto, the reality is there are hundreds of much more common causes of the majority of symptoms associated with MS, which basically means that even if you didn't have a medical related mental health issue, the likely hood of this being caused by a neurological condition like MS is unlikely compared to all the other more likely causes!

Tingling in your pinky and ring finger is a typical ulnar nerve symptom, the ulnar nerve is responsible for the sensations in the small and ring fingers, basically the ulnar nerve is a major peripheral nerve of the upper limb, which runs from your neck to fingers. Common causes for people in your age group is actually repetitive stress or injury from technology and sports......before you let your health anxiety take over and lead you astray, i'd highly recommend you consider what you were actually doing in the last few day's that would probably have irritated or impinged the nerves in your right arm.

eg gaming marathon at a friends place over the weekend - spent all day looking down and holding my iphone etc etc

Hope that helps.....JJ  

[elvis13245]

Ahhh thank you! Yes, I am a gamer and a multi-instrumentalist, and I'm sure that doesn't help. I don't know, I'm trying my best to be calm about the situation, but it is very unnerving (no pun intended). Focusing on anything has become hard, but to be fair, I checked my reflexes (knee, Babinski and Hoffman) and they're all 100% normal. I have a history of presuming I have neurological issues when they're in my head, and my shrink has suggested I might have mild conversion disorder (so telling real symptoms from illusory ones is impossible), but the pinky and ring finger tingling is just SO real! It was twitching as well, if that makes a difference, but heat doesn't affect it and it feels like something is crawling inside my hand (like light touches inside it).