Left arm, hand and leg numbness

[liz139]

Hi, for the past few weeks I've been experiencing numbness in my left arm and hand (from the elbow down). The feeling comes and goes, but has been consistent over the last few weeks.  Today while at work, I was getting up from my desk, and noticed when I walked on my left foot, and numb feeling would shoot up from my foot to my knee, only on the front part of my leg.  It was almost the same sensation as hitting your funny bone, along with pins and needles, and tingling numbness.  

I have been diagnosed with anxiety/panic disorder, and have read that numbness in the hands and legs can be a symptom of anxiety.  However, I talked to my family doc, and he has referred me to a neurologist just to be safe.

I have also been experiencing dizziness, associated with the numbness (when the numbness arises).

If anyone out there has experienced this, or has any advice I would truly appreciate it.

Thank you so much,

Liz

[liz139]

Thank you Dr. Sharma for your quick response to my question.  I will definitely take these suggestions to the Neurologist when I see him/her.  It has been a couple of weeks since my family Doctor has put the referral through (I’m not sure how long this process usually takes).  At this point I am getting very nervous, and my anxiety levels are through the roof.

I have been continuing to have the same symptoms since I first wrote, however the tingling in my leg is no longer brought on by stepping, it is more constant, and the best way to describe it would be as though something is crawling under my skin, or like there is liquid running under my skin.  I am experiencing the same sensation in my arms and hands (and my right leg, though generally on the left side).

How quickly does a patient normally see a neurologist in this type of situation? I should mention I am in Canada, so the process may be slower here.  I am wondering though, how quickly someone with my symptoms should be seen? Is it ok if I have to wait a few more weeks before seeing the Neurologist?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. You need to be checked up in detail for correlation of the symptoms. MRI spine to check the degenerative disc disease at cervical and lumbar levels, compressive neuropathy at the hip or shoulder joint need to be checked by nerve conduction velocity study. Since this is associated with dizziness and tingling and numbness, an MS evaluation is mandatory to be safe. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. You have many of these symptoms. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI and a spinal tap. Talk to your neurologist for best advice. Take care.