Numbness of hands and feet

[dinesh16]

I am a 41 yrs old male. 2 years back I was diagnosed with restless leg syndrome. About 8 months back I also developed a burning sensation in my hands and feet. The tips of my fingers feel numb. The problem does not stop there. I have plenty of other symptoms like impotence, stomach bloating, sharp pain in left big toe (once in a while), pulsatile tinnitus, muscle weakness of hands and legs, nightmares during sleep, abnormal sounds in stomach especially on an empty stomach, urinary incontinence, frequent urination, insomnia. I do not suffer from diabetes although I do have high cholesterol. I feel extremely uncomfortable in hot weather. I can feel a little bit of chest tightness when exercising.

My hands go numb during sleep. Sometimes it the right hand, sometimes both the hands, very often it is the left hand. I am frequently awakened during nights. When I am awakened from sleep I can feel my hand getting numb. The numbness lasts for about a minute.

I would like to know if the burning sensation is due to carpal tunnel syndrome or due to peripheral neuropathy ? If it is peripheral neuropathy which I understand is quite often associated with RLS, does it cause any cardiovascular problems?

[Abhijeet Ghosh]

Dear Dinesh,
We will have to go in a step wise manner. Best is to get an upper limb and a lower limb Nerve Conduction Velocity testing done, so that we can analyze, if there is some gross nerve involvement.
Nerve compression or Neuropathy can be easily identified in these cases.
Once the report is available, we will proceed as i am not suspecting any cardiac involvement presently.
Regards.

Lets discuss further after the NCV report is available

[hava]

This yog pranayam will help you ease some of the many symptoms you have.Start today and come back with your feedback in 3 weeks,3 months and 12 months and whenever you have something to report.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 21  times.

[dinesh16]

Dear Abhijeet,

Thanks a lot for your reply. I met a neurologist last week who asked me to get a an EMG test done. I have been given an appointment in January 2011 to get the EMG done. But I can't wait for such a long time. I am going to Hyderabad, India to get the tests done. My cholesterol levels are also not good. I have low HDL and high triglycerides.

Thanks