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Parasthesia, sleeping limbs, twitches and the like
Where do I start? In the past two months, I have had an explosion of fasciculations all over, though especially in my eyelids, lower lip, legs and even around my shoulder blades. They don't hurt. I have always been a trifle spastic, though I started getting these eye ones, and more intensely, after an alcohol-fueled bender last year. I know, I know. (I scarcely drink now, due to bad experiences with alcohol, such as two instances of light-moderate withdrawal last year. I have been under stress due to marital separation.) This recent explosion of twitches has mostly abated for a time, now, though I still feel a few every day. However, they have been supplanted by other symptoms.....
About three weeks ago, in conjunction with an emerging cold, I noticed a burning sensation in the back of my hand, and on the inside of my elbow, roughly, culminating in index finger nerve pain and stiffness. I also felt a strange sensation in my upper left thigh, which, if pressed or pushed, could radiate a little zap into my big toe. However, I had no trouble walking. The thigh sensation felt like a sort of pressure, or a feeling of having been used. The closest way to describe would be to say that it felt like part of my leg just above the knee was partiallly awakened. The hand sensation only lasted for a couple of hours. I have remained with an on and off 'awareness' of my left thigh for much of the time, though there seems to be no weakness or difficulty walking, even very long distances. In the last few days, I have felt no problem with my thigh.
A number of days later, in addition to fasciculations, I felt strange aches here and there, as if my muscles were being flexed, though they weren't...it was more of a sensation, a sort of nervous hyperexcitability, than any movement that I could detect with certainty. This lasted for about two days, on and off. Its main effect, like so much of this, has been to freak me out. I could pinpoint and palpate these sudden spots of achiness. They would disappear and crop up elsewhere.
As well, over this same last number of weeks, my hands/arms have been falling asleep at night. This has happened before, on and off, as well. Sometimes it's one arm, sometimes both; sometimes the whole arm, sometimes half; sometimes the whole hand, sometimes just the pinky fingers, etc. I have had finger and toe tingles as well, sometimes after coming in from the cold; one or two toes or fingers will just remain tingly for some time afterward, such as a day. Sometimes, such as today, there is an after-sensation, like a slight burn or achiness from last night's nighttime bout of paresthesia. The arm parasthesia SEEMS to follow the ulnar nerve, I think (though of course I am not a doctor.) I feel the tingling mostly in the pinky and ring finger and up the arm to various degrees.
The other day I could feel a sort of creeping shiver making its way up my left cheek. Not serious, but strange nonetheless. In addition, I felt little crawling tingles in my left arm and leg, and a little in my right.
It should be noted that I usually am in fairly good shape, sometimes very good shape. However, about four and a half years ago, at the age of 28, I had a bout of shingles. They were horrible. When they were coming in I felt prickly heat/sunburn sensations migrating all over the right side of my body, save for my head; then, godawful back cramps. Then, the rash itself developed on my right abdomen, hip and buttock. I did not have post-herpetic neuralgia. This has been the only major medical situation I have had in the last number of years. On occasion, especially when run down, I have felt that same prickly burn here or there, never seriously; a recent instance was when I felt it on my hand as mentioned earlier in this post.
I have also had on and off mild tinnitus, mostly in the left ear, but sometimes it switches sides. It does not affect my hearing; in fact, it is very clear and sharp. I sometimes feel a pressure shifting in my head; I wonder if these two symptoms are more sinus related than anything else (I did just have a doozy of a cold.)
I have worried myself sick over this, and will be visiting a doctor soon. My gut feeling is that it is benign, but what if it is serious? I have variously considered benign/cramp fasciculation syndrome (I think this is part of it, anyway), peripheral nervous hyperexcitability/neuropathy/radiculopathy, pressure palsies, and God forbid, MS. In the months before I got shingles, I got recurrent pimply looking rashes under my eyes, which seemed to be affected by tiredness or being sick. The doctor said it was seborrheic dermatitis and gave me coritcosteroid cream...which I overused, and which I wonder if contributed to the shingles (other than my idiotic lifestyle at the time.) I have been anxious/angry lately over being separated, and before much of this recent bout began, though after the fasciculations, I had an attack of anger/hypersensitivity, and I wonder if this ushered in much of whatever this is/these are.
About a week before the cold that triggered the parasthesia, I got a flu shot and I felt a bit icky for about two days afterward.
I hope this makes sense. Any advice or insight is appreciated. Thank you--
About three weeks ago, in conjunction with an emerging cold, I noticed a burning sensation in the back of my hand, and on the inside of my elbow, roughly, culminating in index finger nerve pain and stiffness. I also felt a strange sensation in my upper left thigh, which, if pressed or pushed, could radiate a little zap into my big toe. However, I had no trouble walking. The thigh sensation felt like a sort of pressure, or a feeling of having been used. The closest way to describe would be to say that it felt like part of my leg just above the knee was partiallly awakened. The hand sensation only lasted for a couple of hours. I have remained with an on and off 'awareness' of my left thigh for much of the time, though there seems to be no weakness or difficulty walking, even very long distances. In the last few days, I have felt no problem with my thigh.
A number of days later, in addition to fasciculations, I felt strange aches here and there, as if my muscles were being flexed, though they weren't...it was more of a sensation, a sort of nervous hyperexcitability, than any movement that I could detect with certainty. This lasted for about two days, on and off. Its main effect, like so much of this, has been to freak me out. I could pinpoint and palpate these sudden spots of achiness. They would disappear and crop up elsewhere.
As well, over this same last number of weeks, my hands/arms have been falling asleep at night. This has happened before, on and off, as well. Sometimes it's one arm, sometimes both; sometimes the whole arm, sometimes half; sometimes the whole hand, sometimes just the pinky fingers, etc. I have had finger and toe tingles as well, sometimes after coming in from the cold; one or two toes or fingers will just remain tingly for some time afterward, such as a day. Sometimes, such as today, there is an after-sensation, like a slight burn or achiness from last night's nighttime bout of paresthesia. The arm parasthesia SEEMS to follow the ulnar nerve, I think (though of course I am not a doctor.) I feel the tingling mostly in the pinky and ring finger and up the arm to various degrees.
The other day I could feel a sort of creeping shiver making its way up my left cheek. Not serious, but strange nonetheless. In addition, I felt little crawling tingles in my left arm and leg, and a little in my right.
It should be noted that I usually am in fairly good shape, sometimes very good shape. However, about four and a half years ago, at the age of 28, I had a bout of shingles. They were horrible. When they were coming in I felt prickly heat/sunburn sensations migrating all over the right side of my body, save for my head; then, godawful back cramps. Then, the rash itself developed on my right abdomen, hip and buttock. I did not have post-herpetic neuralgia. This has been the only major medical situation I have had in the last number of years. On occasion, especially when run down, I have felt that same prickly burn here or there, never seriously; a recent instance was when I felt it on my hand as mentioned earlier in this post.
I have also had on and off mild tinnitus, mostly in the left ear, but sometimes it switches sides. It does not affect my hearing; in fact, it is very clear and sharp. I sometimes feel a pressure shifting in my head; I wonder if these two symptoms are more sinus related than anything else (I did just have a doozy of a cold.)
I have worried myself sick over this, and will be visiting a doctor soon. My gut feeling is that it is benign, but what if it is serious? I have variously considered benign/cramp fasciculation syndrome (I think this is part of it, anyway), peripheral nervous hyperexcitability/neuropathy/radiculopathy, pressure palsies, and God forbid, MS. In the months before I got shingles, I got recurrent pimply looking rashes under my eyes, which seemed to be affected by tiredness or being sick. The doctor said it was seborrheic dermatitis and gave me coritcosteroid cream...which I overused, and which I wonder if contributed to the shingles (other than my idiotic lifestyle at the time.) I have been anxious/angry lately over being separated, and before much of this recent bout began, though after the fasciculations, I had an attack of anger/hypersensitivity, and I wonder if this ushered in much of whatever this is/these are.
About a week before the cold that triggered the parasthesia, I got a flu shot and I felt a bit icky for about two days afterward.
I hope this makes sense. Any advice or insight is appreciated. Thank you--
P.P.S. I have also on certain instances recently gotten paper cut type pinpoint sensations on my hands and soles....I notice, though, that they correlate with little reddish marks that can come and go like reactions......they are not raised. They can be triggered by a long, hot shower. Correlation? The body is a mystery.
P.S. I work in a remote community, and I have seen a public health nurse. I am being referred to a doctor, so I have begun some medical detective work. I hope it's nothing serious.....
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