Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Back of head numbness, radiating from ear to ear and up to my crown

This all started in Dec 2020, with numbness in the back and side of my head, by the back of my ear lobe (including the same area of my lobe). Originally I didn't think much of it because it happened quickly after lying down to sleep, so I assumed I was just putting pressure on the wrong areas of my head. But then, in mid-January, the numbness began while I was wide awake, and had been for hours, while sitting up. The numbness started behind (and included) the left earlobe edge and slowly radiated around the entire back of my head, as well as up to my crown, ending just behind my right earlobe and also including that same portion of my earlobe. That's when I went to the ER, thinking I might be about to have a stroke or something serious like that. The ER did cat scan and other tests to rule such things out and came to the conclusion that this must be the result of my polyneuropathy. They sent me home with a RX for 300mg gabapentin to be taken at bedtime each night and told me to follow up with my pcp within 2 weeks, which I did, and she wrote another RX to continue the gabapentin for another 6 month supply and told to return in late Mar for a recheck of my progress. However, the gabapentin only stopped this numbness from being constantly severe, though I could always feel it latently there, with sporadic episodes of varying severity and duration. It wasn't long until these episodes began to affect my ability to focus to the point that I couldn't even recall my own birthdate. Then the episodes began to include a burning feeling that seemed to skip over the top portion of my neck as it started going down the right side of my spine, ending right around my lower bra line. Within a week, this would be followed by the same burning going down the left side of my spine, so this made me think that, aside for a neurologist, perhaps I should see a Orthopedic doctor. I mentioned all of this with my pcp at the end of March and he increased my gabapentin to 600mg and said he would prefer I see the orthopedic doctor before getting referred to a neuroligist, since I had a previous referral to an orthopedic doctor due to my knees, in which the OA has progressed to the point of requiring bilateral knee replacement surgery. Anyway, the 600mg gabapentin hasn't really changed this, except the burning down both sides of my upper spine has eased up a little. Needless to say, I just saw that orthopedic doctor again, but he had to refer me to another orthopedic doctor, since he could only help me with my knees and left shoulder. However, in doing x-rays relating to an old rotator cuff injury, he discovered that I have a bone spur in my shoulder that is pinching a tendon in my shoulder and also noted that I do have several pinched nerves in my neck. Can you give me some idea of what is going on here and what to ecpect moving forward? I have searched Google repeatedly and can not find any condition that matches my symptoms, but I know I'm not crazy here. I have a very high tolerance for pain, as well as a tingling type of numbness, but this, whatever it is, is just way too severe. All of these issues make it very hard to sleep and, this constant numbness is seriously affecting my ability to concentrate, carry on conversations and, quite frankly, just think! It's like the worst case of brain freeze I've ever had and, to be honest, I'd prefer brain freeze, since I know the cause and also know that it will be gone in a matter of minutes. Not so with this new condition.
0 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Neurology Community

Top Neurology Answerers
620923 tn?1452915648
Allentown, PA
5265383 tn?1669040108
ON
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
1780921 tn?1499301793
Queen Creek, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease