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numbness and other stuff
ok since november i have had numbness in my right side only i have been dropping objects all the time.there is a dull ache most of the time in my leg and arm.this is what happened i was at work well i woke up for work i work midnite shifts i manage a mcdonalds well i was feeling weak butwent on to work i was giving one of my workers their break and i was doing a everyday thing i have to make well i got dizzy and lost a few mins in time . i was then weak on the one side i thought it was the flu and a few hours later left work early.well the weakness never went away. i did go to the doctor a week later he said he thought i was fine but set up a EMG and ncv test but i didnt get them done for a month later well had them last week and the nueoligst said something about moderate neuropathy he also asked me questions about other stuff,one thing he was worried about for about a year now sometimes when i eat i choke and cant swallow it doesnt matter what i eat even soft stuff i go throw up and i can go back to eating its like i forget how to swallow.i dont know if this is connected or not. i am getting scared about this. other wise i am in good health.i am a 38 year old female and no history of diabeties or high blood pressure however they are both in my family mother has both and she also has RA really bad. my father was in great health till the day he died at 52 of a massive hert attack. one thing i had a sore on my left lip in october and it was a staph infection and had to go under gen . anestisa to have it drained. thats about all. i am just scared dont know whats going on and i am in pain and hate the numb feeling its weird.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what your symptoms are from. However, I will try to provide you with some possibilities
One-sided numbness of the body is most commonly due to a problem in the brain (as opposed to other areas of the central nervous system such as the spinal cord or peripheral nerves). However, a peripheral nerve problem could also potentially cause one-sided symptoms. Many possibilities exist, and depend somewhat on your age, your risk factors, and the nature of your symptoms (whether or not the numbness started suddenly as it sounds like it did in your case or gradually, whether it is a complete loss of sensation or a tingling, whether it is an objective finding on examination or it is only a feeling that you have etc)
The most concerning cause of numbness on one side of the body is a stroke. Please understand I am not trying to imply you have a stroke, but only that this is one possibility. Strokes occur predominantly in people with risk factors: smokers, high cholesterol, diabetics, hypertensives, and people over the age of 55. However, they can occur in any age. If your numbness was due to a stroke, it would start somewhat suddenly (over minutes) and would likely persist without significant improvement. Other potential causes include multiple sclerosis, a brain tumor, a vascular malformation, and spinal cord problems and others. These are all best evaluated with an MRI of the brain.
It sounds like your neurologist found evidence of a neuropathy on EMG? If that is the case it is important for you to ask your doctor for more information about exactly what he/she means and what type of neuropathy you have. There are several categories of neuropathy, and there are many many causes. Sensory neuropathies can involve just one nerve or several nerves in the body. The symptoms are sensory loss and if motor nerves are involved, weakness. Some types of sensory neuropathies occur and progress very slowly, others sort of wax and wane (with flare-ups) and some are progressive. One of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes, and sometimes only glucose intolerances, or abnormal rises in blood sugar after a glucose load can be the only indication (this is called a oral glucose tolerance test. Other causes include but are not limited to hereditary/genetic causes (such as in a disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth, in which there is a family history of sensory neuropathy usually from an early age associated with other clinical features such as high-arched feet), autoimmune problems (such as lupus (SLE), Sjogren's, Churg-Strauss (in which asthma also occurs), polyarteritis nodosa, which affects blood vessels), and demyelinating diseases (such as CIDP). Vitamin B12 and B6 deficiency, as well as excess vitamin B6, can also cause neuropathy. Some toxins, such as lead, arsenic, and thalium can cause large fiber sensory neuropathy. Other causes include abnormalities of protein metabolism, as in a type called amyloidosis or monoclonal proteinemia. In many neuropathies, both the sensory and motor nerves (the nerves that supply the muscles) are involved, leading to sensory symptoms as well as weakness. As you can see there are many causes, and the tests done will depend on what your other symptoms are and your physical examination.
Your swallowing may or may not be related to your other neurologic symptoms; it is important to have your swallowing formally evaluated with a swallowing evaluation because if it is affected by a neurologic process, you may be at higher risk of aspirating. Management of swallowing difficulties may include restriction of certain foods and thin liquids; the speech therapist who does the swallowing evaluation will be able to give you specific recommendations.
Thank you for using the forum I hope you find this information useful good luck.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what your symptoms are from. However, I will try to provide you with some possibilities
One-sided numbness of the body is most commonly due to a problem in the brain (as opposed to other areas of the central nervous system such as the spinal cord or peripheral nerves). However, a peripheral nerve problem could also potentially cause one-sided symptoms. Many possibilities exist, and depend somewhat on your age, your risk factors, and the nature of your symptoms (whether or not the numbness started suddenly as it sounds like it did in your case or gradually, whether it is a complete loss of sensation or a tingling, whether it is an objective finding on examination or it is only a feeling that you have etc)
The most concerning cause of numbness on one side of the body is a stroke. Please understand I am not trying to imply you have a stroke, but only that this is one possibility. Strokes occur predominantly in people with risk factors: smokers, high cholesterol, diabetics, hypertensives, and people over the age of 55. However, they can occur in any age. If your numbness was due to a stroke, it would start somewhat suddenly (over minutes) and would likely persist without significant improvement. Other potential causes include multiple sclerosis, a brain tumor, a vascular malformation, and spinal cord problems and others. These are all best evaluated with an MRI of the brain.
It sounds like your neurologist found evidence of a neuropathy on EMG? If that is the case it is important for you to ask your doctor for more information about exactly what he/she means and what type of neuropathy you have. There are several categories of neuropathy, and there are many many causes. Sensory neuropathies can involve just one nerve or several nerves in the body. The symptoms are sensory loss and if motor nerves are involved, weakness. Some types of sensory neuropathies occur and progress very slowly, others sort of wax and wane (with flare-ups) and some are progressive. One of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes, and sometimes only glucose intolerances, or abnormal rises in blood sugar after a glucose load can be the only indication (this is called a oral glucose tolerance test. Other causes include but are not limited to hereditary/genetic causes (such as in a disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth, in which there is a family history of sensory neuropathy usually from an early age associated with other clinical features such as high-arched feet), autoimmune problems (such as lupus (SLE), Sjogren's, Churg-Strauss (in which asthma also occurs), polyarteritis nodosa, which affects blood vessels), and demyelinating diseases (such as CIDP). Vitamin B12 and B6 deficiency, as well as excess vitamin B6, can also cause neuropathy. Some toxins, such as lead, arsenic, and thalium can cause large fiber sensory neuropathy. Other causes include abnormalities of protein metabolism, as in a type called amyloidosis or monoclonal proteinemia. In many neuropathies, both the sensory and motor nerves (the nerves that supply the muscles) are involved, leading to sensory symptoms as well as weakness. As you can see there are many causes, and the tests done will depend on what your other symptoms are and your physical examination.
Your swallowing may or may not be related to your other neurologic symptoms; it is important to have your swallowing formally evaluated with a swallowing evaluation because if it is affected by a neurologic process, you may be at higher risk of aspirating. Management of swallowing difficulties may include restriction of certain foods and thin liquids; the speech therapist who does the swallowing evaluation will be able to give you specific recommendations.
Thank you for using the forum I hope you find this information useful good luck.
anyone have any clue whats going on with me i just feel different and not right anymore
thank you i just came back from my reg doctors office he gave me some pain meds to take if neede i perfer not to use them if i can get by. he gave me a splint to get filled well a perscription for my hand says the nerve damage there needs to stay put he says let my leg see if it heals itself its what hurts me the worst but i see a doctor for my swallowing trouble on the 5 of feb and see him again on the 6th of feb. its hard to do everyday tasks he feels i am young and nothing is going on too bad i am scared and feel like this is not normal i wasnt like this in october i felt fine compareed to how i feel now i am in pain and dont feel right i guess i should look at get another opinioon but in my arwea the doctors are about the same. i am scared the might be missing something i never felt like tis before this is worse than childbirth and i gave birth to 4 kids and 3 with no pain meds so i should know. What can I do what should i ask a new doctor if i get into one?
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