Experienceing Left Side Numbness, Tingling, and Pain

I am a 30 YO WF and I too am having some of these same symptoms! I have no idea what is going on and I too have been to the doctor where they ran tests to see if I had any inflammation concerning a virus. All tests came back negative including diabetes. I am experiencing tingling and pain in my left arm and leg including pain in my hip. CAN SOMEONE ANSWER WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON? I know I should get an MRI but its very expensive and after reading these posts I am tempted to not have to spend the money when eveything will more than likely come back negative. If someone has any input please share! Thank you!

I have been having the same effect the whole of my left side is numb
it is driving me nuts been scanning the internet for answers

I'm 45 and this stated on the 30th december the numbness has gotten slighty worse

I have this effect as well the whole of my left side has numbness
this started on the 30 th of December
I went to the hospital and they did a touch test using pins cold and feather after which they said I'm not having a stroke but did nothing else and sent me home

since then the numbness has gotten a little worse ... They basically said I was faking because I could still walk and the touch test there wasn't much difference to the left and the right ... I don't think they were listening very good when I said the numbness was minor but it was there and enough for me to know that something is not right .... I have been scanning the internet trying to find some answers

I liken the feeling to an leg has fallen a sleep but has fail to wake up completely I tried to explain this to my hubby but he has never had a body part fall asleep before , so I explain it as having a tooth pulled then the needle starting to ware of feeling
anyways this is driving me nuts :-)

PS I'm 45

Some of these stories could be me, it's reassuring to hear that other people have similar problems and that it's not all in my head .

My story:
I'm thirty years old with two young children.
End of Nov 2009:
-Day One: Pinching pain in upper left leg, became numb and tingly up to my hip.

-Day Two: Numbness still there, went to GP in case it was a blood clot or similar, he told me to go to the ED at the hospital. They couldn't find anything wrong, and sent me home.

-Day Three: Numbness spread to rest of left side, up to scalp, went to ED again and admitted.

I have left-side numbness from toes to scalp, you could draw a line down the centre of me and everything to my left is numb, including lips and ears, sometimes tingling, sometimes throbbing, and feeling kind of like swollen feet in pregnancy (the same kind of pressure, but no actual swelling). A couple of days after, I developed pressure behind my eyes, and it comes and goes.

-CT scan-clear; MRI-clear. Blood tests: Disgustingly healthy. Blood pressure normal. I have never smoked, taken drugs, and I haven't had a drink since 2002. I do eat more sugar than I should (not that any tests showed this, but I know I do, it's my only vice). Final opinion from hospital doc was that they would probably never find anything, it's just one of those things, possibly brought on by stress, but that he'd contact a neurologist if I really wanted one. I said yes, and apparently will hear from the neurologist whenever.

Existing Medical Conditions:
-My arm has been numb since 2001, but I believe it's Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, caused by a combination of car accident (very minor, but hit my side), and a lump on one of my ribs (assumed congenital, but as I'd never had a chest x-ray previous, I don't know for sure). It's never been diagnosed, though, I got a bit fed up with them when they wanted to give me an endoscopy to rule out stomach acid problems, because I was getting chest pain too, and I was pregnant at the time (it started happening before I got pregnant, it just took so long to get through the hospital system), so didn't want to get a procedure I didn't think I needed. They don't think it's connected though.
-Also, during a (Lumbar?) x-ray, they discovered that some bone or other on my left side didn't develop properly. This wouldn't account for my entire side going numb, though.

Recent developments: I'm still numb, but I think I'm getting used to it so it doesn't feel as intense. Yesterday my neck started feeling a bit hard, I think it might be the glands on either side. I'm sure it's just a cold or something, but thought I'd mention in case it's related.

We should all start a Yahoo group or something (if there isn't one already, I'll have to check), to keep of each other and see if anyone is actually diagnosed with anything. Would anyone be interested?

For now, feel free to e-mail me at if you'd like to be in contact with someone experiencing something similar.

Kristy

***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed **
Please read our Terms of Use

UPDATE : I have had a CT scan & MRI both came back normal
I will go back to my Dr Next week and see where we go from there

? Does anyone have shakes as well with thier numbness my left arm seems to shake abit when I move it not all the time but sometimes I also shake abit when walking

I will keep you updated
I hope someone works out what is going on soon

sincerely Jenny

Hi Jenny,

When I try to hold something like a book in my left hand, it starts to shake a little. I can't take much weight in that hand. But it doesn't tend to shake on it's own.

I think my right side may be effected now also. The other day one of the toes on my right foot became numb, and today I'm noticing a lack on sensation on my right side.

I ended up starting a group for us if anyone's interested. I have seen so many different thread in different forums about numbness, so it will be good to have a place for us all to compare notes. It's at:

I'm sorry if I'm not allowed to link to external sites. If the url is removed, click on my profile here and it is listed as my website.

Take care everyone,
Kristy

***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed

Hi Kristy ... Everyone

I have an update , when I rang for my results they gave me the CT scan results again so I thought the MRI was noraml but is wasn't
I went back to Dr Norton this morning here are the MRI tech findings



MRI HEAD
Clinical: This woman presents with insidious progressive sensory abnormality involving left side of the body beginning in the left leg and extending to the arm, side of face chest and back. ? Structural lesion or imflammatory / demyelinating plaque.

Findings : The responsible lesion lies in the right side of the mid brain. There is a triangular area of the high signal with a broad peripheral base in the mid posterior right mid brain. It lies below the level of the cerebral peduncles, substantia nigra and red nucleus. It may just reach the undersurface of the substantia nigra with a linear focus of high signal seen on this slice Signal extends to involve the location of the medial longitudinal fasciculus, and it sounds clinically as though this structure is involved.

With contrast there is a linear patchy enhancement within the plaque like focus without agressive enhancement characteristics. No mass effect or expansion.

Separately there is a linear plawue of high foci involving the undersurface fibres of the posterior body and splenium of the corpus callosum. This straddles the midline.

At the anterior genu of the corpus callosum there is some fine linear high signal surrounding the frontal horns of lateral venrticles, and on careful scrutiny there is a straited appearance here with small microplaques having a charateristic perivenular radiating pattern (" hair end" appearance, finer that the more common "Dawson's fingers"). These are all features strongly typical for demyelinating disease.

There are also right posterior frontal lobe subcortical high signal foci which are less specific and could be small vessel ischemic or incidental in aetiology. Aside from the right mid brain focus none of the other high signal foci show enhancement.

No atrophy or volume loss. No mass lesion. Preserved arterial and venous flow voids.

Comment: Right midbrain triangular plawue with modest enhancement and involving the medial longitude fasciculus is responsible for clinical symptoms. This in conjuction with the more characteristic corpus callosum and pericallosal involvement with striated appearance is strongly suggestive that this is demyelinting disease.


LAYMENS TERMS :

I was told that I have a 50 / 50 chance that I have inflamtion of the spinal cord or early onset of MS

Currently I have to take 3 steriod tablets 3 times a day for the next three day's then report back to let him know if the symptoms have improved .. A lumbar puncture is require to test the spinal cord for abnormalities.... a follow up MRI is recommended in 6 Months

Ta Ta Jenny

A few months ago, for no apparent reason whatsoever, I began to experience the exact same symptoms you describe. There is no pain but, at first, I was almost completely numb in the entire left side of my body. Thinking it might be a stroke, I went to an E.R., and they performed the usual battery of tests, (Blood,CT, EKG) and all came back normal. I was referred to a neurologist. Being uninsured and unemployed, I can't even consider seeking further help at this time. It's been over 100 days since symptoms manifested, and thankfully the numbness has diminished by 50-60% all on its own. I'm hopeful that over time the issue will altogether disappear. I'm wondering if after 4yrs, you are still experiencing this very rare and unusual problem. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have these symptoms, unabated, for years. Hoping to hear from you...

I've had some of these symptoms for a week. I went to the doctor but they said there was nothing concerning, and told me it may be my body's wierd reaction to being stressed out. I'm not buying it. It started as a bruised feeling on my left side, as well as numb or falling asleep feeling in my left arm. It has since spread down my entire left leg and through my foot. It often is very irritating or painful, and sometimes makes falling asleep difficult. I'm an 18 year old male. I'm tired of this already, it's really bugging me, and frustrating not knowing what it is. If anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate it.

I have the same problem and the only thing I had done to me was a replaced ACL on the left leg... also 5 years ago. Weird that you said that. I had not even thought that may be a cause to this problem. The heel on my left foot hurts when I wake up in the morning... so bad I can hardly walk on it sometimes.

I also have some of the same symptoms . Burning and shooting pain between shoulder blades, numbness in toes, tingling in arms,neck , back and face. Burning sensation down left side by rib cage, belching, constipation or diaherra and have had a CT scan of abdomen and no blockage and a MRI of back which was normal and tomorrow I GO FOR AN ultrasound of my Gallbladder and Liver and because I have a HMO insurance I can'bee seen by a Gastro Dr.until April and then when she can fit me in I will have a camera put down my throat and a colonoscopy at ttoo meme time. I'm absolutely miserable and the meds are doing nothing . I'm on a prescribed Prilosec and Zantac. I guess if the ltrasound shows nothing then it's the brain next. 

I have had this for 10 years. For myself I can wear a back support belt for 3 to 5 days. This makes my better for a while. The way you sit, hold your legs, etc. Knocks your back out of aliment. A back support belt holds you straight and I exercise my legs with weights on them. Makes your muscles stronger. This helps me and can't say what it would do for someone else.   Or could be a pinched nerve,  Had that to,  it makes whole hurt side hurt and go numb to.  There's exercises that can help that.

I am having the exact same symptoms. I have had an EKG, CHEST XRAYS, BLOOD WORK DONE and no answers. I was given pain medicine and it really doesn't help. My dad told me it could be an orthopedic issue and not medical. I have to go to an orthopedic doctor to get their opinion on it. It is very scary to have one side of your body just not function properly.

Has anyone considered shingles?  Shingles is one of eight HSV viruses (herpes viruses) including chicken pox which many people have had, which lies dormant in the nerve cells and under stress is reactived.  One of the signs of reactivation in numbness and tingling.   I know that the HSV family of viruses may be associated with Bell's Palsy ( drooping of one side of the face due to inflammation in one of the cranial nerves) but it is not yet proven, but one of the treatments for Bells is a course of antiviral ( acyclovir , zovirax) and a steroid for inflammation of the nerve ( prednisone)  But it makes me think if the  HSV virus can inflame and paralyze a facial nerve, why couldn't it do the same to say a sciatic nerve causing the pain and radiation down one leg/ foot.  Also the HSV could possibly cause a demyelination because it is feeding on the mylin sheeth (thin material encasing the nerve).  I have been recently diagnosed with Bell's Palsy and am having tingling and numbness in the back of my head and in my lumbar radiating down to my foot, which I've had morning nerve pain for a couple of years off and on.  I've had MRI's and ultrasounds and all kinds of blood tests.  I don't have any tumors or diabetes, I am having one side of my thyroid removed due to suspicion of cancer, but wonder if the thyroid that can affect immunity has let those chicken pox rise up from dormancy???  HMMM....the test I think would be a measure of antibodies for the HSV viruses, but I have yet to find a doc that will give me this simple and inexpensive test.  They'd rather prescribe the expensive copay ones like MRI's to rule out something deadly and have that off their conscience.  Which leaves me feeling like a walking medical mystery that has to just make due, because 'lots of people have problems, just deal with it,'.  It really stinks though because it seriously affects quality of life.  Atleast I got the acyclovir and have been feeling much better.  I did read that untreated HSV ( AKA shingles) can leave behind long lasting nerve pain/damage due to lack of early intervention ( AKA antiviral s and steroids) so atleast I maybe am catching it early enough.  Well, I hope to hear if anyone has had any experience with this, good luck to us all!!

Hi everyone i havd the same problem ,2006 i was involved in a car accident  i was hit  on my upper left back side. They took me to the hospita but they said it was not bad.Ever since then i started feeling pains on my back sometimes it was hard even to breath.I went back to the hospital for X-Ray but it came back normal,i did blood test eveything was negative.2012 October pains started to getting worse in a way that i could hardly sit or walk ,i had constant headaches. I went to the Chiroprator and  they told  me that my Spine is diformed thru the posture.So they started fixing my spine and stretching me .Since then i started feeling much better ,the back pain is gone even headache and numbness all  gone . Pleas try them