Has anyone else experienced numbness and tingling in only one part of their body? This has developed over the last week or so for me. My left arm has this faint but consistent numb sensation from my shoulder down to my fingers.
At first I thought it was because of the position I was sitting in at work (part of my job is proofreading, so I was in the same spot for extended periods of time going through a 265 page document), but I've since finished that task and the numbness continues despite me doing a variety of tasks throughout the office. I often wake up with a very numb arm, which becomes about 95% okay by the time I leave for work. Even now it feels like when your foot falls asleep and the feeling is gradually coming back, but it's my arm and it was never "asleep".
Does anyone know what it could be?
Thanks,
Xeri
__________________ Deeply in love with DH David and our baby boy Jacob. Baby Jake was born on Friday, August 4th, 2006 at 12:17 am! OFFICIALLY TTC Baby #2!
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are you experiencing pain as well?? Because you said just your LEFT arm is experiencing numbness/tingling that really worries me. I don't mean to scare you but that is one of the first signs that you might be having a heart attack or that you are going to have one in the near future. I am not an MD so do not call 911 or anything but, definetly see a DR ASAP!
Thanks for your replies. Well, I've had no pain, in my chest or other places, only this numb sensation. I know I'm being a dummy by not calling a doc, I think if I ignore it enough it will go away. *sigh* Going to go call the doc now.
(((((((my helpful concerned cysters))))))))
__________________ Deeply in love with DH David and our baby boy Jacob. Baby Jake was born on Friday, August 4th, 2006 at 12:17 am! OFFICIALLY TTC Baby #2!
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I know exactly what you are talking about. Weird feeling isn't it. I was having the same thing. It started out mostly in my fingers. Especially the pinkie and ring finger. They would go completely numb. Then it would move up to my forearm and eventually just kept getting higher and higher up the arm. It didn't happen all the time at first, just mostly while I was at work. Then it got to the point that it was constant all day numbness. I called the doc and I was thinking it was carpal tunnel or something. I wasn't too worried, just more annoyed at the feeling. My fingers were so numb I was dropping stuff and my arm was a kinda sore/numb combination if that makes any sense. My Dr. was concerned about heart issues as well because of the left side and because it wasn't taking the normal path of carpal tunnel. Usually that affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers and wrist more than anything. So he did blood work, chest x-rays, all that good stuff just to be on the safe side. Then he sent me in for and EMG NVC test which if it turns out to be the same thing as mine, you'll have to have them too and let me warn you...NOT FUN! They basically shock your arm over and over again to test your nerves. Luckily it doesn't last long. He was concerned that I might have some kind of neurological issue where the brain wasn't sending the right nerve impulses to certain places. It all turned out ok and tests showed what they call an ulner neuropathy. It's basically a pinched nerve in your arm on the ulnar side of the bone. It's caused by a physical injury of some sort. I never remembered injuring myself, but the nurse doing the tests said it could be an injury caused by sleeping on your arm and you might not even be aware. And I do sleep on my arm every night, lol. My symptoms have gotten better over the past few weeks so my Dr. is leaving the decision up to me. He said I can opt to have a minor surgery to release the nerve if it gets to really bothering me again. I've noticed that exercise helps with the numb feeling, but during exercise when I lift weights or extend my arm in a stretch, I have pain in the elbow area. So probably when the weather gets really cold and I don't have so much I want to do, I'll go ahead and have it done. It does take about 6 weeks or so to fully heal and get back to full use so I figure winter would be the best time to have it done.
Definately go and have the heart/neurological side of things checked out to be safe because especially in women, we don't always have the typical heart attack symptoms, but the feeling you described sounds a lot like what I was feeling.
Glitterstar, you've said everything i was thinking yesterday when i replied and didn't have time to put down in writing.
This has been my experience too, only i'm not going to have surgery....i also have a pinched nerve in my lower back which causes numbness on the outside of my left thigh...sometimes i'll also get the sensation as if someone is pouring warm water down the outside of my leg, once i thought i had spilled my coffee on myself but it was just a freaky nerve sensation....
My SIL ended up having carpal tunnel surgery to help her hand with such issues... maybe you are sitting at you desk and for some reason you are twisted just right to be causing all of this. She had the same problem also. It could be pitching a nerve or something.
I have been having numbness also - think it could be my back or this crazy Avandia depletes your body of Vitamin B.
hope you feel better!
Tori
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Well, I called my dr.'s office and left messages both yesterday and today. Last night my left hand was colder than my right, and the tingling and numbness got pretty bad. I was too anxious to go to the hospital (which probably only aggravated the problem) and I figured I'd go to the clinic near my apartment after work today. My arm is ok most of the time, but I've noticed the problem flare up when I've been typing for a while or if I've been proofing a document for a long time. Hopefully it's a mild case of nerve irritation as opposed to a heart problem. I'll see what the clinic doc says tonight.
Thanks for all your concern, it is greatly appreciated!!
xoxox
Xeri
__________________ Deeply in love with DH David and our baby boy Jacob. Baby Jake was born on Friday, August 4th, 2006 at 12:17 am! OFFICIALLY TTC Baby #2!
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I have RSI in my right wrist, I used to work in a call centre so at a computer all day. I get tingling in my fingers as well as pain in my wrist, if the problem is occuring during or after prolonged activity eg typing that it does seem to indicate that it may be some kind of nerve problem/RSI.
These things are definately worth checking out, so I'm glad you seem to be looking into this. If you are at a computer for a long time and it does turn out to be nerve related then there are adjustments that can be made, for example, I had a split keyboard and two ergonomic mice.
I've been referred for EMG NVC tests for my wrist problems, I am so nervous about it, I'm actually considering not going through with it but then I think I'm being daft and should do wht my doctor says, I just have no confidence in him, probably because last time I was there, I was there for five minutes in which he said he was going to refer me for these tests and that was it. Gotta love the NHS.
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I have heard numbness is a sign of diabetes. My legs goes numb while I am just lying in bed. My hands and arms go numb every day. I am going next week to the doctor to test for diabetes. We'll see hope you find the answer.
I have almost the same problem on ocassion. It maybe happens about once or twice a month and it's with both hands. They get numb and tinglie, plus I get strainge muscle spasums in my fingers and my hands compleatly cramp up. Sometimes I also get spasums in my upper lip and right eye lid too. All this always gets worse when I drive, to the point that I can barley grip onto the steering wheel. It scares me when it gets really bad. I used to think that they where anxiety attacks but I could be compleatly relaxed and it lasts all day. I don't get it. I hope your doc gives you some answers.
Don't worry too much about the tests. It hurts, but it's really not that bad. Basically, they will lay you down on a bed, put some goop on your arm. They measure to certain spots and mark them with a marker, so you'll be spotted when you leave, lol. But then they shock you with this thing that looks like the end of a hook up for a 9 volt battery. It will hurt for a second and your arm will twitch. The nurse that did mine was real nice. She told me everything she was doing and gave me a little rest inbetween shocks so I could compose myself. It only took about 10-15 minutes. So, while I won't lie and say it's painless, during the procedure, yes, it will. Not like excruciating or anything, but certainly not my idea of a good time. Once you're done, it's done. I didn't have any lingering pain throughout the day or anything like that. I was just a little dizzy for a bit afterwards, but that goes away pretty quickly. You actually won't notice it until you get up off the bed. My nurse asked if I wanted her to walk me out to my car and I was thinking, uh, no, what do I look like a total wuss, lol. Then I sat up put my shoes on and tried to walk, then I understood. It'll take a little bit to regain your sense of balance, but you'll be back to normal in no time.
It is kinda interesting though if you can use this as a positive point to think about while testing. You can really tell a difference when they shock and see exactly where the nerves may be damaged at if in fact they are. You can really feel it in some spots and in others not so much. In a way it's like you don't have to wait for the results. You can put 2 and 2 together and see, ok, feel, lol, where the problem is.
Hi Glitterstar, thanks so much for your reply. I've been really nervous about it, when my doctor referred me, he literally said that they'd stick needles in you and then measure the electric currents running through your arm. And that was it, no opportunity to ask questions, no more explanation, which annoyed me. I'm feeling a bit more relaxed now, I don't like not knowing what's going on and what's going to happen and there's only so much internet research can tell you, so it's really nice to hear a first hand account of it.
I'm waiting for a date to come through, which could be anything from weeks to months, probably the latter of the two knowing the NHS. But I'm more sure that I'll actually go for the test now, I go through phases of not being sure about wanting to go, I hate needles, which really doesn't help matters.
Anyway, thanks so much for the reply!!
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You're welcome. The part where they stick the needles into you is the NV. The EMG is the electric thing. They told me about it too, but when I went in, they never did that part. I don't know if they were suppose to and didn't or if once they did the EMG they didn't see the need to anymore. I freaked out because I was reading online about it and was like uh, no way am I letting them do that, lol. So, hopefully yours will turn out the same and they can skip that whole part. I talked to someone who had the NV done and she said it was about the same as the EMG. Somewhat painful during,but ok afterwards. As much as I hated it, I hated that constant numbness worse because it was really affecting me at work and other things since I couldn't feel and kept dropping things, so I guess it was worth it. Good luck and keep us posted on how it turns out.
tingling and numbness only in left arm and hand 
