When should you worry about numbness?

[Pernille93]

Since 2019 or maybe even before that, I’ve experienced numbness (not tingling) on my outer left hip area and into the groin. This numbness only happens when I lay on my side (it happens when I lay on the side itself (left) but also when I lay on the opposite side(right)) however, I never experience this numbness on my right hip.

The numbness immediately goes away when I change my position. Is this worrisome? I’ve been to the doctor and everything besides that seems normal.

I also have a problem with my right foot. It’s kinda the same thing. When I lay on my  right side, it’s starting to tingle in a weird way. Again it goes away when I change positions. I do have multiple problems with my right hip. My muscles surrounding the joint seems to be getting inflamed on/off, which is causing pain in the hip and leg. Could that be the cause?

I’m obviously afraid if could be something cancerous in my spinal cord or something else in that area. However, nothing is constant and always relived by shifting my position, which I guess is a positive sign. Because if it indeed was something malignant wouldn’t the numbness and tingling be constant and not affected by your body’s position?? Or is it possible. What are your thoughts?

[Paxiled]

If your doctor is a GP, of course, he wouldn't know enough to properly diagnose you either way.  You don't say what your age is, but the reality is, we don't know what we don't know, and doctors don't know what they can't diagnose.  I'm not seeing cancer here, but you're right to be alert to the possibility because when it comes to cancer the earlier we catch it the better chance of leaving it behind.  I'm thinking that if it were cancer the numbness would be there at other times as well, as a tumor would always be there, not just when you're lying on your side.  Most likely it's inflammation in the hip, perhaps bursitis, or something like that impinging on nerves.  But the only way to be sure is to see the requisite specialists and get all the requisite testing if you're concerned enough to go through all of that.  Do you have hip pain any other time, such as when walking long distances or running?  That would tell you something.  Do you have lower back problems?  That can impinge on nerves as well.  But you'd notice because you'd have pain in the lower back or the hips.  I have a lot of trouble up and down because of problems in the back, hips, and neck, but those things hurt and so I know where the pain is coming from.  I've had diagnostics done.  If you've only seen your regular doc and not an orthopedic surgeon or an oncologist, you'd really have no way of knowing except his experience saying it's not serious rather than actual testing.  My Mom had her first symptoms of cancer, or so I've been told, with periodic numbness in the legs, but it was while she was doing stuff, not just lying in bed, and her cancer was in the spine.  Which is why I say, you're right to consider it, but probably wrong about it being the problem from your description as that's not a super common place to get cancer and if you're young, unlikely.  But you're smart to consider what it might be until you find out what it is.  And if you have hip pain, that's the most likely problem.  Peace.

[Pernille93]

Thank you so much for your detailed comment! Just to give you some more information. I’m 28 years old, and I’ve been to more than just my GP. Just a few months before I got aware of my numb hip problem, I had an appointment at a neurologist who did a full neurological exam on me. I even had a MRI of my brain. Nothing abnormal.

Around the time I did became aware of this numbness(late 2019) I also got a full neurological examination by a rheumatologist. Everything again looked normal. So far so good.

I’m sorry to hear about your mother. May I ask about this numbness she experienced? How did the symptoms progress and how quickly? I mean I’ve had mine for at least two years? Besides my foot tingling.. that came when I became pregnant, but hasn’t gone away since.

I will say that I’m hugely affected by anxiety, so I’m sure that at least the tingling in my foot is worse because of that. However, my hip numbness on the opposite side is definitely not influenced by that. It indeed is there!

[Paxiled]

Sorry, I don't know.  When it started I wasn't told.  I was 17 when she had her first biopsy, so obviously something was going on, but the little I know I found out later.  I'm a 68 year old guy, and when I was young kids were often not told things by their parents.  I have no idea why that was so but it was.  I only found out when she came out of the hospital a couple years later paralyzed from the waist down.  But again, by then she had 3 biopsies without them finding anything so her symptoms were obviously indicating cancer and I'm not sure yours are, at least they don't sound like it.  Because of when it bothers you it does sound like something impinging on a nerve.  I don't think you saw the appropriate medical professionals, however.  People have a tendency to see neurologists when someone mentions a nerve, but neurologists don't really deal in nerves as we think of it, they deal in the brain mostly.  The tests they give, such as EMG, are useless for most people, as they usually miss which doesn't indicate there isn't a nerve problem, so they're only useful when they do find one and usually they don't.  Rheumatologist deal with pain from things that can't be cured, such as RA, and you probably don't have that.  The proper professional to see is an orthopedic surgeon, who will take X-rays to look for osteoarthritis in your hip and lower back and given your age probably won't find anything, and then order an MRI, which will tell him more.  He will also manipulate your legs and press on your hip looking for bursitis and torn labrums and disc problems and the like to see where the injury is.  Because it is likely to be an injury, again given your young age.  To test for cancer, you'd have to have symptoms that matched it and I assume they would then do a biopsy of wherever they think the cancer might be.  That professional would be an oncologist.  But I doubt again that you show signs of cancer, but I do think you are up to date on things enough to know there is a chance of it.  But very unlikely.  

[Paxiled]

By the way, if I had to guess. and my guess is pretty worthless, you're headed for physical therapy.  Peace.

[GuitarRox]

I don't think this is too worrisome and would guess that when you are in this particular position, there is nerve compression that causes the numbness.  Pins and needles and numbness are usually a sign of nerve compression. Your doctor said this is not of concern, correct? Check this out related to side sleeping from a chiropractor.  https://www.premierchiropracticclinic.com/why-do-i-have-numbness-while-sleeping-on-my-side/ You aren't alone.  

We get into habits with our sleep position.  Side sleeping has a down side.  But I know it is hard to change that.  However, would think this is impacting you in the issues you are having. They aren't serious but more just like a nuisance.