Numbness and tingling all over

[ang4short]

About 2 months ago I began having a numbing feeling at the base of my neck and it would radiate over my entire head briefly. These feeling were odd and became more frequent. Soon my symptoms included head numbness, numbness in my shoulders, arms and hands. I even began experiencing numbness all over. I seem to have more numbness when I'm laying down. Very similar to RLS however feeling that way all over my body. I don't know if I would say numbness or pins and needles?? Very annoying! My PCP ordered blood work and a Cervical MRI. I was then referred to a neurologist. I have had a brain MRI to rule out MS and a brain wave scan EEP- I think is what it was called. Nothing. My cervical MRI showed nothing abnormal as well. I went to a chiropractor who took several xrays. His diagnonis was that my first vertibra were misaligned. He adjusted me 4 times and I felt 98% better and only had numbness in my hands. Then after my 4th adjustment he adjusted my 2nd vertibra, within hours my numbness came back. He adjusted me 2 more times and nothing, I'm back to feeling the same way again. He says that my 1st vertibra will not stay aligned due to stress. I don't feel like I'm stresses. I went to an ortopedic surgeon friday who viewed my MRI's and took more xrays. His diagnonis-nothing, my spine incl my cervical looks fine go back to the neurologist. GRRR I'm getting so frustrated. I wake up every day numb. I have extreme difficulty falling asleep as my numbness becomes worse while sitting in bed and then trying to lay down to sleep. I can not get comfortable. My PCP prescribed flexeril for me, but it doesn't seem to help. I plan to call my neurologist again tomorrow but he is also stumped. He is my 2nd opinion as a neurologist. Shall I get a 3rd one involved? I find it odd that I got relief from the chiropractor but all the other dr's claim nothing is wrong with my spine. I have been reading for weeks anything and everything I can find on the net. I feel as if I going crazy and don't know where else to turn.

[tam4givin]

wow that has to be frustrating! Yes get another doc involved untill you get results. Do you have other health symptoms that you think are not conected? Some times we are suprised what is connected. I am lifting you in prayer!

[sylvester]

could be a borderline diabetic neuropathy-stop all sugar and gluten (wheat and other grains) products. Also, could be neurotransmitter problems-add essential fatty acids, esp fatty fish for the omega 3. Fish oil is great-get only a very pure type. Have a neurotransmitter saliva/urine profile done-L-tryptophan(now on the market and safe) will increase your serotonin-don't do this if you are on antidepresssants or are bipolar. Many medicines can damage the nervous system-ask any AIDS patient!-you can heal with Alpha Lipoic Acid (used in Europe for diabetic neuropathy-I know it works for all forms- and ALC (acetyl-L-carnitine)-this info is all over the internet and yet the docs never teel their patients-b ut also do the neurotransmitter testing-it is essential-most of what you are dealing with, esp the underlying anxiety can be fixed with the right amino acids-there are clinics that do this and you can do it thru email consult too-read Julia Ross-The Mood Cure-there is lots of hope..

[katiekr47]

im having that right now. i have anxiety so do you think that might be involved? i feel like my whole head is tingling or something. i often get dizzy when this happens too.

[dxmskoog@tnics.com]

I too suffer from tingling in my back that started suddenly this past summer. I have found it is severely aggravated with caffeine and strive to eliminate it completely every day. This tingling feels as tho a rubber band has been stretched from my tail bone to the base of my spine and when I lay down it zings like crazy, especially with caffeine, crazy with something like Sudafed. After caffeine, the fingers, ears and lips even tingle. As a medical professional I have become very frustrated that I have not been taken seriously, as I see in the threads above, all tests come back "normal" so therefore nothing is "wrong." My patients expect better from me, I want to receive better from the persons from whom I look for answers. Any ideas?

[Unregistered]

Have you gotten a Western Blot test for Lyme Disease??? Not everyone gets a rash or even knows they have been bitten by a tick. Have you Been checked for mineral levels??? Lyme depletes the body of many things, even minerals that other organs need to function well..
Lyme mimicks other things like MS, Fibro, CFS, Lupus, etc. Its very frustrating when the tests show normal, and no one believes you are in such bad shape. Best Wishes.

[Unregistered]

The fact that the chiropractic alignment helped you likely indicates that you have a slight compression of a cervical nerve root or even the spinal cord, which is also what your doctor was looking for (among other things) with the mri. The reason the chiro helped at first and then the effect dissappeared is because he first took the pressure of the root and then put it back after allignment. Here are some things you should consider:
1) you should get a repeat mri and have it read by a spine specialist
2) people are going to push you to get surgery if they do find something on mri but there are other way to improve like:
-"decompress" your spine by hanging buy your arms off a chin up bar
-exercises that work your cervical spinal muscles and stretch out!
-less pressure on your neck, back and head - change your posture, sleeping, sitting positions.
3) anti inflammatories might help, steroids will have the strongest effects but they also have the worst side effects if you take them for a long period of time

-Good luck

[Donna/VA]

I have the same problem. I have numbness in my arms and it seems to be starting in my legs now. I experience the numbness primarily at night, and it wakes me up. I also thought I had numbness in my head as well. I will be going in for a physical this week and a nerve damage test the first part of February. Please let me know how you are doing Ang, and if you get any answers.

[NewToBoard]

I can't say we have exactly the same symptoms, because everyone's body is wired a little bit differently, but I can definitely commiserate. I have been experiencing numbness/tingling (annoying! and sometimes undescribable) feelings in the left side of my scalp/head for over a year now. I have been to every doctor in every field... (general practioners, neurologists, chiropractor, ENT, pain management...) you name it, I've been there, and not ONE of them knows what is wrong, or what it is. I have had brain MRIs, neck MRIs, X-rays, CAT scans, etc. Again, nothing. 50% of the doctors I saw wanted to prescribe me an anti-anxiety, or anti-inflammatory, none of which I took because I thought their "solution" was preposterous. I have also been to a physical therapist because I thought it had to do with neck/shoulder tightness from stress as well. It may be, but the PT didn't help much. I started exercising more, and using weights (with guidance from a personal trainer) this past Fall, and each and every time I came home from the gym the numbness would be that much more prevelant and aggravating. I stopped lifting weights, and instead stuck with normal cardio routines.

The ONLY relief I got in the past was laying down on my left side while sleeping. Now I get relief through acupuncture and massage. It has done wonders for me. I take herbs prescribed by my acupuncturist, and I go for treatments once a week. I get a massage once every 2 weeks now. They are both the only way I have gotten any type of hope left. I am very grateful to these unconventional methods, and I wish more people would try them out and not just force medicine that usually won't help into their body. It gets pricey, yes, but it is worth it! I would much rather spend money on helping myself and quelling the anxiety from the pain, than go shopping for clothing (which is only temporary therapy!!)

If this IS all coming from stress, I would be surprised because I am only 25, but according to my masseuse, I have more knots/tightness in my back than any other patient he has (and he has patients well into their 60's). I have also been an avid skiier/snowboarder for my whole life, so that could have something to do with my tightness and constant dull aches in my shoulders/neck area...which in turn could be causing the numbness in my head. Who knows, but all I know is that I will share my story because I looked far and wide on the internet when this first started happening and became more and more discouraged when I could not find any answers. I hope you have some more answers now and you are feeling better in the future!!

[Unregistered]

I also have had basically the same problem for over a year. I basically woke up one day with tingling/ numbness all over. I have been to numerous doctors. Have had head MRI's of the spine , neck, brain, every blood test imaginable and all have come up Ok. The numbness never goes away and is extremely aggravating.
I also get tired very easy. I never get sick and have never had any significant health issues. I had many Lyme tests and all were negative. I finally went to a Lyme specialist and they found out I have had Lyme for a very long period of time. I went on intervenes antibiotics for two months and it did no good.
I have no idea what the problem is, and the frustration is unbeleviable.
All i can say is to get a major Lyme work up. If anyone else has a sugestion, I could also use the help