Numbness and weird sensations??

[amyharding]

Hi,

I’m a 17 year old female and recently I’ve been terrified that I have MS. I know it’s very unlikely and I’ve always been very anxious about my health, it’s just I have never had such ongoing and frightening symptoms like this before.
Basically for maybe 2 months now I’ve been experiencing weird numb feelings in my arms, legs, and left side of face. It all started when I was lying in bed one night and i suddenly noticed that my left side of my face and my left arm were numb. I freaked out and my Mum took me to A and E because she couldn’t calm me down, I had blood tests and a CT scan but nothing was unusual. Since then these feelings of general weirdness have been occurring constantly (probably because I’m thinking about them all the time I know) - mostly when I’m trying to sleep at night, my legs feel ‘weak’ or my arms start to tingle, for example right now both of my hands and my leg are tingling and feel really weak and strange. I’ve also been having neck and jaw aching in on the left side for a few months now that I notice all the time, but that could be something else. My mums a GP so she’s always telling me MS ‘doesn’t present like this’ but every website I visit tells me the first symptom is numbness and tingling in the limbs?? Also I sometimes notice one of my thumbs feeling numb, which I always feel terrified at since I’ve read MS can cause small patches of numbness.
I should mention that My dad passed away a few months ago, which I know could be bringing on these weird symptoms. When I went to the hospital about it the first time, they said that yes they were sure it was stress related. I’m just so scared about MS, it’s affecting my sleep because every night I lie there and think ‘my leg feels weird’ or ‘my hand feels weaker than the other one.’
I’d appreciate any information about MS and if it sounds like i could have it, these worries are really making my life hell at the moment!

[Sbmagnuson2012]

You could also have a pinched nerve or sciatica.  Either of these can cause the problems you have described.  Google the symptoms you have described.

[amyharding]

That’s helpful thanks :) I have wondered about a pinched nerve before I’m just not sure if it causes symptoms as general as this! But I will research these!

[supermum_ms]

Hi there,

"It all started when I was lying in bed one night and i suddenly noticed that my left side of my face and my left arm were numb. I freaked out ....for maybe 2 months now I’ve been experiencing weird numb feelings in my arms, legs, and left side of face. ......stomach pain, felt stomach and whole lower abdomen numb. Now unable to rest because it feels like my entire face is numb as well?......My mums a GP so she’s always telling me MS ‘doesn’t present like this’ but every website I visit tells me the first symptom is numbness and tingling in the limbs??"

What you are describing is definitely NOT how MS first presents, nor is it the suggestive-consistent symptom pattern of a neurological condition like MS!

Within a very short time frame this "numb feeling" you've been experiencing has spread from the left side of your body (unilateral) to become all over (bilateral), and now includes both arms and both legs, your entire lower abdomen and both sides of your face.....which means in a very short a time frame of only 8 weeks this sensation has spread to all your peripheral limbs, trunk and face.

Multiple Sclerosis literally means 'many scars' and the way symptoms caused by brain and or spinal cord lesions basically works, what you've described is happening to you is not possible to have been caused by brain and or spinal cord lesions......Symptoms that spread from one side to both, rapidly progress, move around the body, are symmetrical, in all peripheral limbs, multiply, appear, worsen, or improve with the amount of your attention you give it etc are all general 'red flags pointing away' from neurological conditions like MS.

I actually suspect you honestly understand what you've been dealing with is 'not' a neurological condition like MS and is being caused by your health related anxiety but because your anxiety isn't allowing you to calm your spinning thoughts and growing fears about MS your still in the anxiety stage of seeking reassurance.

Unfortunately anxiety is never controlled for long no matter how much reassurance you seek and receive, it isn't going to be enough to resolve the true medical issue you are genuinely dealing with for more than a moment or two when your behaviours are still inadvertently feeding your anxiety.....until you shift your focus and attention onto understanding, treating and learning what all your anxiety feeding behaviours are, recognising your specific anxiety triggers and signs, and gaining all the coping skills you personally need to help you stay on top of your anxiety, your anxiety will continue to cycle back.  

I encourage you to make the decision to proactively seek professional psychological help today, so that you can learn what you need to learn to change your tomorrows!

I hope that helps a little.......JJ

[supermum_ms]

ps i am the community leader of the MS community...

[amyharding]

Hi,

Thanks so much that’s really helpful. Yes, I am quite sensible usually so I definitely know that MS is quite unlikely, it’s just I’ve never experienced such weird sensations before!!’ I definitely will seek help for my health anxieties, I already see a counsellor because of my dad so I have talked to her about this before

[amyharding]

Update: in bed and noticed stomach pain, felt stomach and whole lower abdomen numb. Now unable to rest because it feels like my entire face is numb as well? I know this is probably all in my mind but this numbness is just so weird and scary, anyone else experienced this before??