Pressure and tingling in face, neck, arms

[disasterman]

I'm posting this here because it's the closest thing I can find to the topic since there's no category for vascular.  I'm having a severe, debilitating problem with extreme pressure and a "prickly" sensation in my face, front of my neck, and upper arms that also makes me dizzy.  It's the same sensations of (1) bending over and having the blood rush to your head (2) a foot falling asleep then starting to "wake up" (the prickly tingling feeling), and (3) having your circulation cut off.  These episodes can last up to 6 hours sometimes, and in addition to making me miserable, seem to completely drain me of energy, and I fall asleep after.

I have been in and out of ER's, had everything checked heart-wise, and a stint put in left circumflex artery.  Ultrasound on carotids showed "only minor blockage".  The doctors all seem to act as if they don't understand  my symptoms.  I can't believe someone else on this entire planet hasn't had this and that no one knows a reason for it.  The doctors want to look at nerves, but I can tell it's some kind of blood flow problem.  My blood pressure is normal through all these events though.  It's like everyone wants to focus on it being my heart, or arguing that my carotids aren't blocked.  What about VEIN blockage leading OUT of my head?

Can anyone help?

[babygirl1514]

i feel for you... i have had this problem with my leftside'' of my neck and ribs and it go's into my chest making it feel like i can't breathe ''i too think its some kind of blockage in the vein on the leftside i can feel the pressure in it.. i have been to the ER, they ruled out heart ..and sent me home ..so where do i go from here.. still having the problem, and its getting worse i guess they will find out what is causing this to happen when i die. good luck to you.. may god be with you.

[disasterman]

Your problem sounds different from mine, but similar in some regards.  They still haven't determined what my symptoms are, but this may help you:   I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists.  The cause is an opening in the wrist bone (carpal tunnel) that is too small for the nerves that go through it.  They rub, get inflamed, swell, and when that happens, I get many of the same symptoms you have, but in my hands and finger tips..  Nerve damage like that is progressive until you get it fixed.  It can also occur near the spine.  Nerves that supply your limbs ultimately go to the spinal column and pass through openings in your vertebrae similar to the previously described carpal tunnel.....same thing can occur.  

Re: your high sed rate:  (from WebMD: "The sedimentation rate (sed rate) blood test measures how quickly red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle in a test tube in one hour. The more red cells that fall to the bottom of the test tube in one hour, the higher the sed rate.  When INFLAMMATION is present in the body, certain proteins cause red blood cells to stick together and fall more quickly than normal to the bottom of the tube."  HOWEVER, it goes on to say that "These proteins are produced by the liver and the immune system under many abnormal conditions, such as an infection, an autoimmune disease, or cancer."  So there could be other causes of that.  A normal Sed rate after the neuro problem is solved would clear that up.

[nikki295]

I went to an eye doctor for eye twitches,and he increased how long I wear my eye glasses.That seemed to help the twitching of th eye.Then Monday my left arm started twitching,It felt just like my eye,and tried to ignore it.Monday night went into my leg,Tuesday went into my other arm and leg,followed by Tingling that has never went away now.he did blood work and ruled out some things,although I hear it can go undiagnosed...He said my Sedimentation Rate is high,and indicates something but he isn't sure what that is yet.Made an Appointment with a Neuro.It is now Saturday and every day my symptoms not only went away but they got more intense,My legs and feet are actually vibrating now,and tingling the twitches come and go,but the vibrating and warmness has taken over,and then I get extreme rushes of cold.My feet fall asleep Immediately,If I move position,it helps but doesn't take long to fall asleep again,and I have pinching sensations,and spark type things in the tips of my finger.My back and Neck have begun to hurt really bad.Any Advice or suggestions?Maybe I should go back in right away???Or should I wait until the Neuro?I am a stay at home Mom,but it's becoming quite challenging keeping up with a 2 and 7 year old,I would love to find out what's wrong semi soon,but Doctors seem to take so long,and pass you along,any help would be great,Thanks.....

[disasterman]

Thanks joemin.  I guess I haven't had a stroke, because these symptoms keep coming and going, but they are getting worse, more frequent, and last longer each time.

Yeah, I love how they put two words together that don't GO together, (like Minor and Stroke).

I had the MRI scheduled finally, but the tech stopped it and said he couldn't do it since I just had the stent put in.  He said the magnetics would dislodge it.  I had visions of it yanking the stent out of my artery, and the stent ripping through my chest and jumping to the MRI machine.

[joemin]

i don't think there is anything like not having permanent damage from a stroke....a stroke kills off part of the brain....sometimes,...the brain can re-route itself and the symptoms (deficits) get a little better.   i did have some repurcussions from my stroke... but remember, my stroke was " a minor one" according to my neuroligist.  if my neurologist had a "minor stroke" i doubt if he would feel it was "minor".

if i were you, i would definitley insist on having the mri asap.  i don't see how your stent would affect you during your mri.   either way, don't worry so much....remember,  if you don't feel happy with your current doctors, go shop around.
joe

[disasterman]

Thanks for the response, Joemin.  

So there was actual damage done from the stroke?  Do you now have permanent symptoms because of the stroke, or did they subside?

I kept arguing with them telling them something was going on inside my head/neck, but they kept focusing on my heart.  Even then, they wouldn't do an MRI or MRA, and the only CT scan they did was of my brain, no contrast, so they wouldn't have seen anything blocking bloodflow.  Same with the ultrasound on my neck.  I've been told that MRI's and MRA's show up blockages that a simple CT scan and/or ultrasound may not catch.

Now with the new heart stint, I have to wait 8 weeks before they can do an MRI.

I use to be a heavy boozer as well, and smoker.  I've quit both now finally, but the damage may already have been done.  Thanks again for your input.

[joemin]

as you probably know, your symptoms can stem from so many different causes so i'll just explain what happened to me.   i had a stroke in the thalamus area...the doctor (neurologist) called it a minor stroke....

my symptoms were similar to yours....left side of body...legs trunk, arm...felt asleep and tingling....then went numb.    went to hopsital and had the usual cat scan, mri...
they detected an "infarct" (brain damage due to lack of oxygen to that area of the brain) in the thalamus.   the best they could describe it to me was.....the thalamus is fed blood from large arteries....the arteries in the thalamus are very, very small...
thanks to my heavy smoking, boozing, etc. and my lifestyle (high in stress), i do suffer from high blood pressure and have blood vessels in poor condition (arthersclerosis) check the spelling on that... the micro vascular system in my thalamus caused a lack of blood supply and hence the stroke....    i am still doing my exercise and walk one hour 4 times per week.

if i were you, i would have an mri and also an evaluation of how open/closed your blood vessels are then go from there.    good luck....joe