Hello,
In 2009 I was admitted to the hospital after having progressive left arm numbness off and on for several days. they did all kinds of test over a 2 day period. MRI of brain seemed clear of stroke and MS evidence, sonogram of carotid artery, checked for protein C deficiency, blood sugar levels, Lyme's disease, HIV, and on and on.
Since that time the numbness has progressed to both arms, legs, feet, left side of neck and head. This numbness comes and goes many times a day everyday now. I also have a sensation of pins and needles in my feet and sometimes in my hands, but mostly in my right foot. Sometimes my right foot goes numb and stays that way for hours now. In the last six months a new thing has started happening. I am awakened at night by these swoosh sounds and electric like shocks traveling from my head down throughout my whole body. Sometimes when I get up in the mornings I am very unsteady on my feet and these electric shocks and swooshing sounds. While sleeping I am often awakened by the severity of the numbness in my arms or legs, though I am not laying on them. I also sometimes see bright jagged lights that block my view and has a "C" shape in the middle of my field of vision, it usually last 40 minutes or so. The last time it happened I went totally blind for about 10 minutes....nothing else happened when this was going on, just went black, then my vision came back just as quick as it left.
I do have psoriasis on my right hand and right big toe. I have a lot of severe joint pain, every joint, every day, but especially the feet and knees. I also suffer from migraines and lately have had a pretty big increase in the floaters in my eyes. I have been diagnosed with degenerative bone and joint disease and have had lumbar reconstructive surgery in 2008. The removed L4, L5, L6 (I had an extra vertibrae). I have Dupont disk and titanium cage in place.
Any thought or ideas for me? I am tired of hurting and the numbness.
Thank you in advance,
"Bewildered"
Electric current like feeling can be due to side effects of certain medications. So if you are on any drug, ask your doctor and stop this drug and see if it helps. It can also be due to fibromyalgia, Vit D or Vit B12 deficiency or peripheral neuropathy of diabetes and hypothyroidism. A pinched nerve can also be the cause. Lyme’s disease is another possibility.
MRI of the neck and NCV and EMG studies should be done to rule out radiculopathy. If you do not have blindness literally, but suffer from episodes of blackouts then those could be due to postural hypotension (falling with change of position), internal ear problems, cervical spondylitis, anemia, GERD, hypoglycemia or low sugar and some endocrine problems. I know you have undergone extensive tests, but please consult your doctor regarding these possibilities. Take care!
The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.