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Consistant with MS?

numbness in hands & like a burning sensation in feet (a lot worse when walking a lot at work) that seems to be worse on left side. Have had a lot of Blood tests (normal), MRI of brain and sinus with and without contrast normal & EEG normal. EMG of legs/feet (normal) EMG of arms showed mild CTS,pinched nerves) Have been taking steadily increased dosages of Lyrica with little to no benefit. Now just recently started to feel this warming sensation in and around left ear. Go back to Neurologist on 7/10 for follow up and I'm wondering if she will do either a spinal tap or MRI of spinal cord or both. Does this sound consistent with MS? Can it be anything fatal? I'm starting to get really worried! Thank you for yor time!
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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and welcome,

It would be 'less likely' to be MS because your tingling and burning is in all peripherals (both hands and feet) and typically sx's in all peripherals is a red flag leading away from MS, and if its also symmetrical eg same feeling in both feet and or both arms/hands, then that would also be a red flag leading away from MS.

I noticed you mentioned in an earlier post back in 2012, that you have health anxiety and were undergoing treatment but said you were still worrying about having cancer even though all your tests are normal. Your posting history since then, shows you've continued to have concerns about different cancers and i'm not sure if you are aware but your 'last' post on cancer was only in April, and your 'first' post on this topic is just 2 weeks after and puts the time frame of the tingling/burning starting within a week.

I think it might be helpful for you to seriously consider, if it's at all possible that your health anxiety has now redirected away from cancer and your now becoming focused and worried about having a different serious health condition instead? IF it is possible, i'd advice you to take a more proactive approach with your mental health issues and actively seek alternate treatment options.  

Regardless of any current or future medical issues, imho if you choose to take better control of your health anxiety, it could be one of the best life decisions you'll ever make!

food for thought............JJ

  
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667078 tn?1316000935
For MS with a Spinal Tap they do not look for infection. They look for something called o-bands. They show inflammation.A Neurologist has to diagnose MS because of the insurance Companies. They would not accept a MS diagnosis from any other doctor.

I had 12 o-bands so they then did blood work to rule out other illnesses such as Lupus. When it was ruled out they diagnosed me with MS. I had 5 MRIs over the years which pointed to MS, a positive evoked potential test, and alot of blood work ruling a lot of illnesses out.

My primary care did a Neurological exam one day out of the blue and it showed no signals were getting through to the left side of my body. I had double vision, veritigo, cognitive issues, tremors, and left side weakness starting at the age of 2. I was hospitalized at two and then sent to the Mayo Clinic. They knew there was something wrong with my brain stem my whole growing up. I saw Neurologists periodically. They did not have MRIs in the 1960's. I was used to MS symptoms so I never complained about them to a doctor. I thought everyone had these symptoms. My Primary Care suspected MS so she sent me to a Neurologist. The first one thought I had one of two things that would kill me. He did a MRI and then said no its MS. He was leaving town and sent me to another Neurologist. All the test pointed to MS but she said I did not have MS. I was going to drop it when a Neuro opthalmoslogist she sent me to said I would be diagnosed with MS and could not just forget about it. I went to a MS Specialist. He said it could not be anything but MS, but would not diagnose me with MS. He followed me for a year and a half. I finally had a Spinal Tap and had 12-obands so he diagnosed me with MS.

Hopefully you will get a diagnosis soon. Many people who come to the forum are diagnosed with MS but it usually takes a few years for a diagnosis. Others find out they have other conditions which share symptoms with MS. It helped me to understand I was not alone in a slow diagnosis process. Neurologist like to see things for themselves and they like to watch a patient over time. I could not understand since most of the Neurologist I saw said I clearly had MS why it took two years, 5MRIs, the evoked potential,a LP, and tons of blood work to be diagnosed. MS has taught me patience.

Alex
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Avatar universal
No my neurologist hasn't mentioned MS yet. She has only seen me for my 2 EMGs that my primary ordered. Now when I see her its for a re-evaluation. I mentioned MS to my primary and he said its always in the back of his mind with these symptoms but he doesn't think so. He thinks I should have a spinal tap to look for infection but says that will be up to neurologist. Basically he has gone as far as he can go with this.
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667078 tn?1316000935
If your Neurologist thought it were something fatal he would be seeing you more often and would have said something.They thought I had a fatal condition and they told me on my first visit. Turned out the doctor was wrong so it is good that I did not worry about it. What you describe sounds like peripheral neuropathy which can have many causes such as pinched nerves.Lyrica is what the prescribe for PN. They can try Neurontin if Lyrica does not work. Has the doctor mentioned MS. MS symptoms over lap with many other illnesses. I have learned not to worry. Worry is trying to control the future and you can't. Sounds like your Neurologist is good and covering all the bases with the tests. It is hard to be in Limbo that is what we call the stage of not knowing. It took me years to get a diagnosis. My life has changed little since my MS diagnosis. I see my Neurologist once a year and he sees if my disease has progressed other wise I see my pain clinic for my medications.

Alex
Helpful - 0
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