Persistent Tingling

[kpt]

I have constant tingling that seems to start from hip down both legs and also up in the abdomen and arms,neck, mouth and head. When I lie down, symptoms get worse while walking reduces symptoms. The tingling and associated pain gets worse in abdomen when I sit down.  
I had MRI of brain, neck, thorax, and lumbar. All MRI were negative.   My GP conducted all kinds of blood work including lyme, B12, ANA. All blood tests are normal. I was also treated for lyme in 1994 in spite of the lyme negative test.  I had this problem of tingling in 1994 through 1996. It went into remission. These symptoms reappeared in September 2004. The symptoms are more severe now in spite of normal neurological examination by a neurologist.

Where do I go from here ? Thanks for your suggestions.

[multi-symptomal]

This is the greatest chat going on this forum! Briefly, I am 42, and my symptoms started 14 years ago during (I believe) the delivery of my 2nd son. I had a crick sound in my neck right after delivery and 5 months later something went out in my neck and all my problems started. First numbness and tingling sensations that would start with what I describe as a radiating from my neck on down. Dr. suspected MS so a spinal tap was done. Of course I got the spinal headache! A ringing in my ears was also present after the neck went out. I know things aren't where they are supposed to be, but I have been to several chiropractors with limited success. I also traveled to California to have a procedure done that sends an instrument quickly to force alignment at the upper neck level. Huge mistake for me, the ringing was unbearable. I can't do that again. Today, the numbness and tingling infrequently reoccur. The ringing is taking my hearing though and things do not FEEL in alignment in my system. I can pop my neck by turning it every time. My lower back frequently goes out and I generally feel an ongoing pain on my right side. I have a know in my left shoulder blade. Someone on this site earlier suggested that his could be from nerve damage not able to supply the muscle. Any thoughts or suggestions, are welcome.

Thanks!

[sidm]

Thanks kwag for your support.  Sadly, I am often ashamed of myself but never of God.  You also hit the mark when you mentioned treasure.  Like the man who found a treasure hidden in a field and sold all that he owned to buy it...  

And Nancy 1019, I fully understand that this is a medical forum, however, as I mentioned God has led me down a long path filled with much pain, sorrow, and anguish.  Through this one of the things I learned is that the state of our minds does have an effect on our bodies.  And while the pain I felt was great (required oxycontin to get out of bed), the two most difficult things I had to endure was that no doctor could give me any answers as to why at 25 years of age I was suddenly crippled without injury, and also that I felt alone, hopeless, and worthless.  Those are all things that only God could handle.  To not give up and keep seeing new doctors (even though all the previous ones had been a waste of money that I did not have) was the only way I finally found someone who could help me.  Also as I mentioned, through my study of God's Word and prayer, He has led me to see what He really intended us to use our bodies for; work!  The more time we spend inactive without the benefit of weight bearing excercises (as simple as walking around), the greater risk of physical decline and the more susceptable to injuries and disease our bodies are.  Diet, excercise, and a good supportive (not firm) bed, all can contribute to over-all health.  Injuries are injuries but most people who post here have no clue why they are suffering let alone what to do about it.  Even without injuries or diseases, we all decay, fall apart and die eventually.  What can medical science do for those people?  Perhaps there is more to life than health, wealth and prosperity.  

I am not the sharpest tool in the shed as they say, so all of these insights have come from God, not me.  My personal intent in all this is to help all of you who are suffering with no "ray of sunshine" to sustain you.  If that be emotional support so people here can continue to persue medical treatment than that is what I will do.  My goal is to go to Seminary under the study of John MacArthur (a Godly man whom I trust) so I realise that I may get carried away ;)  And its not that I am ashamed, but I understand there is a time and place for everything.  But my belief in God is what everything in my life that is good is founded on.  That includes medical issues as well as everything else.  Understanding our Creator is the only way to truly understand ourselves, the created.  Our advances in technology are remarkable but they are means and not the end.  And doctors who are very valuable, are still just imperfect people.  If technology and the best medical minds in the world were enough, then why are so many people posting questions with no answers?  Specialists at Stanford, STANFORD, one of the premier medical schools and facility in the country could give me no answers or even any steps to help me stay together.  Many other "specialists" I saw over a nine month period told me to stop seeing doctors and to stop any and all treatments because it was just the way I was and NOTHING could help me.  Learn to live with it they said!  Their pride and reliance on technology clouded there minds and if not for my personal physician (a humble, honest Christian) I probably would have done just that; given up for good.  Instead he held me together and encouraged me long enough for God to lead me to someone who could help my problem.  

Most of what I read here is people very frustrated with no answers. I simply try to do to others as my doctor did for me.  So I give them Upper Cervical Specefic Chiropractic, healthy lifestyle changes, and Jesus.  I truly do ache inside for you Nancy 1019.  I found a solution to my problem and I only really want to help you to do the same.  I hope you can see that I would not have written anything to anyone if I did not care.  My "belief system" and faith in God IS my medical technology.  And I give it to any who will listen.  I will sincerely pray that God lead you to the proper doctors and a healthy lifestyle, that you may be well...

[sidm]

Did the Chiropractor you saw use an adjusting table?  The one I am seeing uses a SAM device.  It utilizes a spring and air compression to push a finger-like protrusion.  This "finger" only touches the atlas and therefore only moves it.  An adjusting table moves your whole neck and can tweak things.

The ringing you experienced may have been due to the nervous system pathways being opened and should not last forever.  Motor and sensory nerve impulses that are blocked are not lost, they are simply delayed.  When your atlas is aligned properly, the pressure on your spinal cord is releived and those channels are open for impulses to pass through.  

Right now my whole body is still trying to "straighten up".  I had this problem for 20+ years so I can't expect it to go away immediately.  This type of chiropractic also takes longer than others but should eventually have better lasting results.  I too could pop my neck by turning it, and felt like I was wearing a shirt that was buttoned wrong; like I was a hole or two off...  I too heard ringing and had a headache for awhile.  Nothing showed in numerous tests, x-rays, MRI, etc. and the realignment of my atlas through upper specific chiropractic is the only thing that has helped.  My shoulders continue to feel out of place, however, as my body has been crooked for so long, it takes time for the muscles, tendons, and ligaments to find and hold everything in their proper places.  My atlas was too far to the left putting pressure on the right side of my spinal cord, affecting mostly but not only the left side of my body as the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body.  Now thats a mouthfull...

Numbness and tingling means there is something going on with your nerves.  If there are no injuries or other obvious problems, then your atlas being out is just about all thats left.  Also, as your head tries to level itself out, if your atlas is out, it can place even more pressure on the spinal cord and cause muscle spasms, cramps, etc., as your whole body will try to compensate for adjustments you naturally make to keep your head level.  When I was first realigned, I thought the world was tilted slightly for about a week.  

You may have felt more pain after your atlas was put back into place, but did you "feel alignment in your system" as you put it?  The pain will slowly go away but it takes time.  Not only for your body to adjust, but for the motor nerve impulses to relay information to your brain from pain in body parts that may have accured years ago!  I hurt in places where there was no problem anymore, simply because those messages had been blocked for so long.  Remember, as far as I know there are no one time, one cure fits all.  

Flax seed oil (Omega 3 fatty acids, good for the joints and heart) and Glucosamine with Chondroitin (also for joints) are natural supplements that have also helped me immensely.  Being natural with no chemical accelerators and such means they take longer to take effect.  For awhile the only thing I noticed was increased bowel activity but after a month or two of taking the Flax seed oil, I didn't take any for one day and I'll tell you what, the difference was huge.  Now I take both and will continue to do so for as long as I can, even if all symptoms vanish.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...    

Also, a good supportive, not firm bed can help to maintain proper alignment.  The memory foam or air kinds seem to be the best as far as I have been able to tell.  All the reports I've read say that the firm or stiff ones can be very bad for you.
Diet (real not processed foods in proper amounts), excercise (low impact like Pilates and walking), good sleep with proper alignment (on your side in a semi-fetal position with a spacer or pillow between your knees), and mental stablility (Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life) will all combine to help you attain and maintain a healthy life barring outside circumstances: ie. injuries, diseases, will of God, etc.  They may not cure everything, but they will certainly help.  I know its hard when you are hurting and you need to be careful, but try to stay active as well.  Our bodies were made to move, not lie around.  Do the best you can and hang in there.  I will pray that you find relief and can move on with your life.

[kwag]

I just happened to notice your post and felt i should reply.  As i always encourage for numbness and tingling no matter how long you have had it i will relay to you also.  I have had this same thing and have found relief with spinal and muscle manipulation from a good chiropracter, a total overhaul of my diet from sad (standard american diet) to organic and gluten free, infrared sauna every day and chelation.  It is worth all the effort to feel better.  There is a book called You Are What You ATe and that is sooo true.  I have also had pain in my left chest area and have feared heart.  I still can have all the s/s try to come over me and as others have stated i do my best to ignore it and I pray for God to help me.  He does too.

[4dim]

At this time I have a faint numbness/tingling in all of my left side - head to toe. I also feel pain and slight muscle cramp in my feet, heels, ankles, triceps but muscle strengh seems to be ok.
About 18 years ago, I was diagonized to have migraines. I have lived with constant headaches since then and have been taking headache painkillers. GP told me - constant use of painkillers may affect kidneys. I have had my kidneys checked occassionaly - they are ok.
About 4 years ago, I felt a sharp pain in my chest that made me run to ER. They did ECG but nothing was found. Thereafter I went through a series of heart test - all came out ok.
Migraines persisted all along.
I felt similar chest pains a few times in last 4 years. But I ignored them.
About 4 weeks I started to have chest pains again every night...4 consecutive nights. And then 5th day I felt a sudden shooting pain in my jaw. My vision got worse. Since then my left eye constantly feels like someone is pulling on it. In last 4 weeks, I also started to feel warm, tingling sensation in parts of my left side which seems to have grown into persistent tingling in all of my left side.
I have seen my GP and a cardiologist and have had various blood tests and MRI (with and without contrast). Cardiologist thinks the heart is normal. I will go for stres-echo test in couple of weeks. GP thinks I don't have any stroke signs. MRI shows no signs of MS. Everything is normal except a 4mm pineal cyst in my brain. GP thinks the cyst is inconsequential and found incidentally and is not that rare. And all the reviews I have seen on the web suggest that pineal cysts are benign. MRI report says the cyst is harmless at this time.
I will see a neurologist tomorrow. I am not hoping much feedback from the neurologist and my guess is I may have to nail it down myself.

[Nancy 1019]

I had tingling down along my cheek and across my upper lip on and off for 2 or 3 years after the injury. Yes, when my neck improved, and some manipulation put the neck "in" - the tingling went away. (But chiropractic neck manipulation is scary  - took a long time to find someone I trusted).
I had a great deal on tingling in the legs and rearend. I took Neurontin for that. It eventually quieted. Also, moving gently in a warm therapy  ( 90 -94 degrees) really helped - but it took a full year, 3 times a week.