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Tingling numbness in my face

I am driving myself absolutely crazy. I am experiencing numbness and tingling in my face and I'm convinced it's MS. I had an MRI and the dr says it's not MS. He says he believes I'm suffering from anxiety, and that makes me more anxious and feel even more symptoms. I can barely breathe at times. I've started xanax and I'm either not taking enough or I need to take something else because I don't feel calm or anything. I'm convinced that the doctor missed my MS, is that possible? If you search numbness and tingling of the face on the internet it always come back MS.... I know, I should stop reading and researching as I'm only making things worse and getting myself even more anxious. So I have to know if there are others out there who expereince numbness or tingling as a result of anxiety? And I don't mean in a panic attack mode, I mean throughout the day, which brings on the anxiety. I hope this makes sense. I am so scared. I haven't eaten in more than a piece of toast in a couple of days because I can barely get the food down, obviously I"m not sleeping well either. My other symptoms include a lack of ability to concentrate, fear, lots and lots of fear. I know, I sound anxious but hearing from others would really help. Maybe the whole package is making me tingly or whatever, but I really would like to know if anyone else has experienced something like this. Anyone who experiences this as a result of anxiety please let me know. Thank you
64 Responses
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646040 tn?1223600239
Hey....Don't worry I know thats hard to do when you are anxious but I have numbness and tingles throughout my face and head it comes and goes even when i'm not panicking.If your doctor told you you are fine I would trust there judgement have some good food and try to breathe. I was on xanax and it only helped me at night, so my doctor put me on Cymbalta and so far I feel great. Talk to your doctor and see about going on a medication that has a longer half life. I hope that helps a little bit take care and don't worry!!! A little advice don't search the internet about your symptoms makes things a lot worse.
Helpful - 0
673186 tn?1225983925
Everyone can experience different symptoms from anxiety, so it's possible it is anxiety. But have you thought about the possibility of stress? What dose and # per day of xanax are you on? Are you having any other symptoms related to MS? You might possibly try going to a different doc for a second opinion.
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Avatar universal
If I read about a symptom I get it. I was convinced there was something wrong with my eyes, went to the eye doctor, nothing wrong :) Then I was sure it had something to do with my heart... nope :) I know I'm driving myself crazy. I know I'm doing it and I really want to stop searching all these conditions of things I could possibly have. I take the xanax. My prescription is for .25 mg. as needed. I take two if one doesn't work and sometimes I think the two don't work either but I'm not sure if I should take the third. My regular doctor prescribed it for me so I think I should actually go to a psychiatrist or someone more specialized in anxiety to figure out what my dosage should be. Of course, I'd prefer not to be on any of it, but can't seem to do much when I'm sure I'm two minutes from death or stroke or MS :)
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671285 tn?1292660161
Hi.  I also suffer from anxiety and GAD (generalized Anxiety Disorder).  Unlike you and Jennykins,  I have not taken any medications for my condition.  Feelings caused by anxiety can be very strong.  I get terrible tension headaches due to so much worrying and stressing. I get strange tingles in my back,  face (around the temples and chin),  and I twitch a lot (like my eye or lip twitches at least 5 times a day).  Us worriers have very strong nervous systems. I am more than positive that you don't have MS.

Honestly,  I think that you are suffering from severe panic attacks. Those can cause you to tremble, worry, feel in a state of fear,  sweat, and hyperventilate.  But I am not a professional. I am here on this site for the same reasons why you are: I suffer from anxiety/stress/aches and pains.  Just know that you are not alone.;)

Ness  
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Avatar universal
hey i have experienced the tingling the numbness and more its all anxiety i get the tingling sensation all the time its nothing to worry about i went through a # of antidepressants  and i still get that i totally Know were ur coming from try jogging it helps
Helpful - 0
586017 tn?1248316610
i have had the tingling and numbness occuring in my face for the last month..even when i'm not panicking and it lasts all day long and it seems that in the morning when i wake up, it's the first thing on my mind and it starts all over again. it is not MS. you must trust your doctor. it is a common symptom of anxiety. it sounds like to me that you are overbreathing which is a form of hyperventilation. which means that you are breathing too shallow or breathing to quickly or too much and from your chest rather than your diaphragm without realizing it. you can hyperventilate yourself without realizing it. practice some breathing exercises, which will help you to get back into the healthy habit of breathing. take a slow breath in for the count of 3, and hold it for the count of 3, then exhale for the count of 3 and hold that for the count of 3...repeat that for about 5 minutes or so several times a day. that's what i'm doing. so, keep your head up and stay positive and know that you aren't the only one! take care!
misty
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713386 tn?1235951442
I so know how you feel, you are the first person i have come accross who is just like me in the way that i always think there is something seriously wrong with me and never trust doctors, i suffer from awful anxiety and get so many symptoms and the most recent is tingling in the last side of my face around the eye, cheekbone and side of nose but its not the same as i have had when i have a panick attack its different and just comes on anytime  throughout the whole day, i too have been so afraid its something to do with my brain, head or like Ms etc but when i told the doc she completely dismissed the fact and said nerves do funny things so never even checked me over. I have learned that searching the net about these things made me worse and very paranoid so i try not to anymore.
I also get awful heart pulps (eptopic beats) and think i will die but the cardiologist said my heart is healthy but the reasurance dont stop our true symptoms and i have just tried to get on and trust in the docs. I am going to go back about the tingling face thing because its bugging me so much and i also have it in my foot, i'll let you know how i get on but in the mean time i am here for any questions or if you need a chat.
I am on velafaxine and larazapam and they really help the anxiety thank god i am also on list for CBT to help with my paranoid fears, perhaps thats worth bringing up to your doc?
god bless x
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1 Comments
omg i have the same symptoms as  you...i wake up and think about it and they happen all over again..and last all day long...i get myself into such attacks that my ribs go numb....i cant deal with this much longer i never wanted to take meds but no i have to ...
363281 tn?1714899967
The symptoms you write about are so anxiety related. I have had my entire face just "buzz" it is so weird. You do not have to be having an anxiety attack to have this problem either, just being in a heightened state of "nerves" can cause this. Don't worry, it is NOT MS.

I am like you also in the fact that no matter what illness I read about, I have it, no doubt about it and I will argue down the doctors even. I have to really be careful when I do read things, as I will surely have the disease. I know better than to read stuff if I am depressed or anxious as these are my most vulnerable times. I used to browse the net for hours looking up things and I would be a basket case when I finished, I am trying to break myself of that, it is not healthy.

I have heart PAC's and PVC's, and I am in the heart rhythm group. Well, sometimes when I am reading posts or posting myself, I will bring these horrid things on and I am a mess, so, again, I have to watch when I go there. These types of heart beats are very stress related, and believe me, when I have them, they bring on more stress and anxiety. My doc says they are benign, but, do I believe her, nope, not me. I am always positive that the next flutter will be my last, now, THAT is stress.

Oh yes, with anxiety, my face not only tingles, but other areas as well, like the back of my neck, my eye twitches, I feel like ants are crawling on me sometimes, ugh, no fun for sure.

I do NOT take any medication for my problems except vitamins. I tried a few and they landed me in the ER. My doctor said since I could not handle even the light ones, to not take any and to try to walk when I felt anxious or depressed. Well, easier said than done, I am afraid to walk alone now due to my ectopic heart beats. See, you are not alone.

I have been reading two books by Claire Weekes called "Hope and Help for Your nerves" and "Peace for Nervous Suffering" these are outstanding books and I have used them so much, I have had to get new ones. I highly recommend them to anyone with our type of anxiety disorder. They can be purchased through Amazon or Borders, both on-line.

Well, hope it helps to know you are not alone. God bless.
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Avatar universal
The last 2 days my 18 year doughter start feeling  the tingling and fuzzi all over her body and went to doctor and coudn't find anything right now she can't even go to school. She is scared and sad she keep craying. I am scared too. She has a blood work done and we are waiting for the result. The doctor also sending her to nurologist, and  I am taking her to alternetive doctor. This is realy helps knowing other people has this problem and how they are handling it. But what I want to know is this a life time problem?
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358304 tn?1409709492
I had tingling in my right ear for days when I had my first really bad anxiety spell... I was very worried about it, but the Dr. said it would leave, and it did.

I'm sure it's just anxiety. Anxiety can do SO MANY THINGS.
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Avatar universal
I've recently had the same type of numbness/tingling sensation that comes and goes without attacks.  I have freaked myself out coming across "numb chin syndrome" and am having major anxiety now about the tingling.  :/

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Avatar universal
I am experiecing the same right now. It started two weeks ago tingling in my inner right feet, leg, arm and hand. Then a couple of days ago it went to my right cheek, ear the sometimes over to the left side of my face. But it is not painful. It is just something irritating. I am still able to do my normal activities though. I went for a couple of tests this morning. My family has a history of diabetes so we want to rule that out. Then the doctor said we will do some nerve tests after. I sure hope it is just anxiety. I may have been quiet anxious the past weeks here at work.

Jose
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Avatar universal
Wow, reading all of your posts regarding face tingling and anxiety completely makes me feel better.  I have suffered from Panic Disorder since I was 19.  I took Zoloft for three years and it helped immensley.  However, by the time I was 22 I wanted to not be on it and see what I was like without the meds.  It turned out that I was ok - still felt anxiety from time to time but never a full blown panic attack.  Now, I just turned 26 and recently had started to feel twitching and tingling on my face, arms, and legs.  I had conviced myself I had MS.  But reading your stories makes me realize it's probably just a symtom of anxiety.  I am getting married in December and I am paying for most of the wedding.  I believe that may be what's causing it.  It's just weird and annoying and I am glad that there are forums out there to help us worriers through life.  It can be tough to live with anxiety/panic disorder!
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Avatar universal
Hi,
I am also having chin numbness now.  I had these last year and I consulted Neurologist, though he send me to Phychiatrist.  After few days its gone.  After one year now again its happening.  I too tried in google, scared.  I am suffering from Anxiety, depression, OCD and taking tables for that.  Can anyone plz suggest me what needs to be done for this. Thanks
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ive been dealing with tingling in my temples and cheekbones for a bit now. Its so annoying! Any ideas anyone? Can it be related to hyperventilation or not enough oxygen?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hypnotherapy seems to have helped somewhat. I have only had one session so far.  I have the tingling problem when I get in the car. I drive 60,000++ miles a year for my job. I have tried Lexapro, but it made me want to crawl out of my skin. I am going to try Celexa or Zoloft again as they have worked in the past. I do take Xanax but have to be careful when driving. 1/2 mg will put you in a DUI range.
Keep pushing the doc to find out what is the cause. Mine started in '06' and I was convinced there was something serious going on. I found out I had a blocked artery that needed a stent. 2 years later I started having the same symptoms and pushed the cardio doc to do a heart cath. they found the stent was not holding and I needed bypass surgery. Now 6 months later it has started again. They did another cath and found nothing wrong. I can only believe that it is aniety this time.


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Avatar universal
I have been getting tingling and numbness on my face and now I've started getting weird feelings like i'm not here I feel shaky inside and it scares me and I don't want to talk when it happens after about ten minutes it goes away and I feel like me again but I get hot cheeks and they feel numb I'm really scared I have been to the doctor and he said it's nothing to worry about it will go away but I don't no what these feelings are and I really don't like it can any one help me to stop worrying x
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Avatar universal
I HAVE THE SAME TROUBLES AS ALL WHO WROTE ON THIS SITE. I ALWAYS THINK I HAVE MS BECAUSE OF THE TINGLING IN FEET,FINGERS,NOW MY STOMACH AND THE BACK .ITS CRAZY .AT ONE POINT THEY SAID I HAD SHINGLES BUT NO I DIDNT. THEN NOW I HAVE A BULGLING DISC BUT THE TINGLING IN MY STOMACH THE DOCTOR SAID ITS NOT THE CAUSE OF THAT SO SEE A NERVE DOCTOR. TOOK MRI, SCANS OF THE BRAIN . I HOPE HE WILL SAY IT IS STRESS CAUSING THIS AND NOT MS OR SOME OTHER DIEASE. THEN I WILL BE OK FOR NOW. ITS JUST A FEELING YOU CANT EXPLAIN TO OTHERS BUT READING ALL OF THIS I KNOW IT IS STRESS .YOU WILL HELP ME THOUGHT THIS SO PLEASE KEEP WRING AND JUST KNOW GOD IS WITH US. LOVE APRIL
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194555 tn?1264286923
I been experiencing tingling and twitching in my nose, upper lip and my tongue! It is very scary, but i am putting it down to Anxiety because i have so much going on in my life right now!! I have even been trembling through out my body!

Don't worry guys listen to your doctor it is anxiety!
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1245450 tn?1268604585
I am 17. And I've had past anxiety issues[Ex: Hyperventilations, Intense fears that bring on those attacks, and in '08 I think I was on Xanax? Not sure, because a friend of mine had died and I was in some sort of anxiety shock which is what my doctor said. My mother has anxiety issues too.]. This past year was the first time I ever felt that tingly sensation, it is terribly annoying and when I press down on it it like goes away until I remove the pressure then it comes back.

Today, I started having that tingly feeling in my cheek during dinner, and then it just started spreading to my forehead, neck, chest, tongue, arms, legs and toes when we were in the car, the weather was a downpour of rain and my mom's boyfriend was driving fast in his truck, he told me to calm down when I told him to slow down and well he has this traction thing that prevents him from flipping when he speeds on water. It scared me quite badly, I kept thinking that we were going to crash :( . But at the time, I thought I was having an allergic reaction to the lunch I had just had. Eventually all those tingly places just got I dont know.. Tightened? Like I could still move them if I tried, and I felt my throat tighten too, and I thought I couldnt breathe, so while I struggled to breathe and calm down, I had a small headache, dizzyness and extreme fatigue. Right now, after an hour since that car ride, the tingles hasn't gone away.

I guess maybe other "symptoms" I have at the moment would be: lack of sleep caused by either fear [being home alone overnight] paranoia [I think bugs or amurderer is going to get me] or Im just so sad that I have a hard time getting up. Im not usually easily freaked but ever since my friend died, I've had worst fears then when I was a kid [Ex: A bad stage fright that'd bring a panic attack] I do have a lot of things that could be classified as stressful in my life lately. Ex-girlfriend troubles, my mom complains to me about money, possibility of not graduating or getting into the school I want, being alone/dying alone/abandoned. ect. I don't know much about anxiety issues, my doctor didn't tell em much, so I didnt bother looking into it, and I guess kind of denied it because my mom's such a stress case. Any tips on what I should do or how to calm down. A lot of the things I read, well you all seem to know what you're talking about, which is comforting.
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Avatar universal
Finding this site is the best thing that has happened to me this year. My symptoms have been on for 4 months now and include- tingling all over my head and face,fleeting head aches,ringing in my ears,hot burning sensation in my upper back,neck and the back of my head, depression,hot and cold sensations all over my body and occasional sharp pains all over. Doctor says stress. I am so afraid of my physicals next week. I am afraid of what they might find. It is comforting to know there are other people out there dealing with similar symptoms out there.
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Avatar universal
hi its april. i got my mri done and on aug 11TH the doctor said i had ms, i thought i would die but there is hope for people with ms. so i'm going to start taking my shots this tue, and try to get it back . my life. there is no cure for ms but it is treatable. god is with me then mt familty and friends. so i'm trying i still get days i worry will i get worse and not walk but i have to stop thinkging and think for the day i'm walking. every day counts with me know i do what i can but dont push my self i eat better and work out and love my family. god is with all of us and even if one day in the future the docor say it is ms you will get though it to with god family and friends like i did. love april
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Avatar universal
I HAVE HAD TINGLING ON BOTHS SDES OF MY FACE FOR OVER A YEAR. THE INTENSITY WILL SLOW DOWN , BUT THE LAST FEW WEEKS IT HAS BEEN SEVERE. DOCTOR'S FIND NOTHING WRONG, AM I CRAZY? STRESSED OR NOT IT'S THERE>
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Avatar universal
hi it's april i dont know what to say if you all had a mri done of the brain and spine and no ms then stop and quick worry but if you think its ms go to another doctor 200 people a day get ms i know thats crazy i did the same thing for 3 years tingling i my hands and feet my stomach area dizztness balance was off look it up all came to ms went to doctors no you dont have ms its crazy but when i found out i stop the stress and now im getting better ms is not the end of life but anxiety can be with you for ever too and you can live with it . depression stress anxiety can do crazy things to your body the only differents is the mri showing maybe so spots on your brain or spine . go with the doctor and then a second doctor and stop thinking about it it will make you stress more
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