Can a C5 C6 bulging disk cause a buzzing/vibratory sensation in my face and neck?

[yogamommy]

I am a 38 year old female who has spent too much time at doctor's offices this year.  Years' prior to this I would go for an annual physical and a trip or 2 to the doctor for a sinus infection.  I have seasonal allergies that I take zyrtec or xyzol for when needed.  I don't really take any other meds except a daily vitamin when I remember.  My labs have all come back okay so not my thyroid or potassium levels.  
I went to the doctor in late July because I felt like I was vibrating or better yet had buzzing in my R cheek and a migraine.  Nights prior to this I was waking up in the middle of the night with my fingers asleep (pinky and ring fingers on both hands).  I would change postitions and go back to sleep.   We flipped the mattress thinking it may be that.  The next day I woke up and the buzzing is in my legs as well as my R cheek.  I took a Cyclobenzaper at bedtime and it helped me get to sleep.  I start to notice my legs twitcing, not the whole leg but isolated spots in my legs/certain muscles.  This then goes to my eye as well.  This continues and is noticeably worse at nighttime when I am trying to get to sleep.  I notice it gets worse if I do not sleep well.  The initial doctor who saw me for this back in July was a psyiatrist and said that if my symptoms did not go away to see a neurologist.  In early September, I go to see a neurologist.  I have no weakness with these strange sensations so that is a good thing.  My blood pressure is high at the neurologists office so he thinks it is my heart and refers me to a cardiologist.  The cardiologist does a 24 hour holter monitor and basically says my heart is fine.  I go back to the neurologist who then orders and MRI of the brain and neck.  
I do ashtanga yoga and had a neck injury from doing headstand in 2007.  It was never xrayed though.  I did receive PT with Mackenzie approach that was successful.  Back then, I had headaches and terrible pain with turning my head to the right and upward.  
Back to my most recent MRI's.  My insurance would not approve an MRI with contrast so they were done without.  Brain was unremarkable (phew, no MS) and neck states right paracentral disk protrusion at C5-C6 resulting in mild central and moderate right neural foraminal stenosis.  So, that's it!  I am thrilled to find out what the cause of my weird buzzing or "idling" sensation is from.  I go back to PT for more Mackenzie treatment with neck roll backs.  Only thing is that now I have developed tinnitus in my R ear that gets worse when I pull my chin back or when I push against my forehead.  I do my exercises when I feel the idling sensation but don't really think it is working after 3 weeks. I have woken up the past 3 days now exhausted despite a full nights sleep.  It feels like something is flaring up again.  I called the neurologist today and he is starting me on gabapentin, which I filled and am researching online tonight.  I am scared to take it but will to see if my symptoms go away.  I just want this to all stop.  
So, my question is...can someone have muscle twitching, tinnitus, and a vibratory/buzzing feeling all from a protruding disk at level C5 C6 or is something else going on that the doctors are missing?

[yogamommy]

Saw the UIC neurologist who basically said she could not help me.  My neuro clinical exam is normal, yay!  She recommended chinese medicine or ayruda yoga.  Seriously?!?  Just kinda not expecting that from a neurologist I guess.  
Also saw my new primary doc.  He tested me for lyme's and west Nile.  He also wants my hair tested for heavy metals.  Did the blood draw and awaiting results on the first 2.   I agreed to try lexapro to rule out anxiety. Not liking the $60 copay with that or the fact that a side effect is insomnia.  Hmmm perhaps that is why I am up right now.  He also recommended a vitamin b12 supplement which I also started today.   My BP was high at his office do now ineed yo chart my BP for awhile.  White coat syndrome perhaps!
Now I guess I just wait...

[yogamommy]

I am posting today because I tried a barbell strength class today and had a bizarre experience after.   I only did 2 5lb weights on my bar as I have never done this type of work out before.  It was challenging and 1/4 of the way into the class I started noticing how shaky my muscles were becoming.   In fact, after the class I showered and was drying my hair noticing that I could barely hold up the hair dryer without it shaking.  Then I tried to put on eyeliner and found the same.  My hands and arm shaking like crazy.  This cannot be normal!  

[yogamommy]

EMG day!  I ended up having only my left side done both arm and leg.  I was told essentially it was normal.  My neurologist again saw very slight twitching in my lips and tongue today.  He is referring me to a movement disorder specialist at UIC.  I got a refill for my klonopin .5 mg.   He brought up thyroid again, but it was normal x2 previously.  So here we are again with no answers as to why I am internally vibrating all the time, as well as random muscle twitching throughout my body.  I googled the neurologist he referred me too.  She specializes in ALS and Myastenia Gravis.  "gulp". I really don't think it is either.  Please not!  

[yogamommy]

Well, went back to the neurologist today for follow-up and to discuss my medication (klonipin).  He did the fine motor testing like he has done before on me.  And still says he does not think Parkinson's.  :)  Although, he did see my face/mouth twitch a few times when he asked me to open my mouth.  This would be the first time he has actually seen something.  My labs are okay except for the ESR sedation rate was slightly high.  I do not know exactly what it was and plan to request a copy of my labs.  My ANA was negative and parathyroid was normal.  He would like to do an EMG on me.  All four extremities.  I am not looking forward to that.  April 19th is the lucky day.  He did say he was thinking more metabolic now.  I think I like metabolic versus neurologic.  I will post again after the EMG.  

[yogamommy]

I am really starting to lean towards the whole perimenopausal dx.  I have had a small but present period now for over a week.  I don't recall if I have mentioned in this post that in 2007 I had a DNC and ablation of the endometrial layer.  This essentially electricutes and scars the layer to minimize periods.  I have 2 kids and am done with baby bearing.  I half wonder if this through me into an earlier menopause.  
My workout routine involves kickboxing and power yoga, not relaxation yoga.  I workout at least 3x's a week.  I do feel less symptoms immediately after exercising.  
My sister is a Physical Therapist and has a theory... She thinks I may be overtaxing my nervous system with my Yoga.  Yes, too much yoga.  Ashtanga yoga is pretty strength and flexibility demanding.  It is my passion though.  I have worked very hard for 3 years to achieve what I have gained.  It would break my heart if I had to give it up.  
The Klonipin is working nicely.  I barely notice the shaking during the day.  It does not turn it completely off though.  I am up to .5mg x1 a day.   Neurology follow up is in 1 month.  I imagine we will discuss my normal labs and where we go now.  I did find a website called powersurge.  It has a forum all about internal shaking and menopause.  It was very much like me.  Promising...as I can deal with menopause versus Parkinson's.  

[lbrickme]

I completely understand where you're coming from.  I am 40 and I too have a herniated disc at C5-C6 which narrows the proximal left neural foramen.  My brain MRI/MRA 3 years ago was normal. I also went through a period of 8-10 months last year of widespread twitching - some of them felt like little muscle twitches, some like big jerking single twitches.  Very scary at the time.  I still twitch here and there but not nearly as much.  I've also had the sensation you describe of difficulty swallowing. And I've also noticed the trembling with muscle exertion which I only notice at times.  Finally I've also had dizziness, headaches, bouts of insomnia, lots of muscle aches/pains, etc.  All of my symptoms started 3-4 years ago. The difference is that I know my diagnosis: anxiety and, probably, approaching menopause.  Though it's taken me a couple of years to accept that all of these crazy things could be caused by anxiety plus some hormonal fluctuations for good measure.

My mother and her mother went through menopause by age 40.  I am 40.  So while a test a couple of years ago didn't confirm perimenopause, my OB/Gyn says they aren't really reliable.  In perimenopause hormones fluctuate dramatically each month & even each day.  So a test at 8am might read differently than one at 6pm.  If you've begun to miss some periods then my bet is that you too are in perimenopause.  And women who go through early menopause tend to have stronger symptoms.  I know that this likely applies to me as my mother had the same problems in her 30's. In addition I went on the pill in June and many of my symptoms have abated.

In addition I go to a great therapist who treats only anxiety and he says all the physical symptoms I suffer from are classic generalized anxiety disorder.  If I go to him with a symptom which I think is really wild like the twitching or electric shock sensations he tells me it's par for the course - classic anxiety.  I, of course, have verified this online. Note that I did try an SSRI (Celexa) for about 9 months and all of my physical symptoms went away (other than my occasionally numb fingers and parasthesia in my left arm from the hernaited disc).  Even my backache went away.  I went off of Celexa because I felt so good I was ready to have another child.  Of course about 4 months later I was back to my symptoms.

I've been trying to get my life back in control via other means before I venture back to Celexa as I don't like the idea of being on meds for a long time.  It sounds like you do yoga but another thing to try would be cardiovascular exercise (if you don't already to it).  There is peer-reviewed research and lots of clinical evidence that cardiovascular exercise (at least 30 minutes 3 x per week) has a dramatic impact on mental health and the nervous system.  My therapist says, from his clinical experience, that it takes about 2 months of regular exercise to see a difference.  I figured it's worth a try so I started exercising this week & will see how it goes.  

Finally, I have the benefit (if you could call it that) of having a mom who went through just what I'm going through and lived to tell the tale.  She suffered from muscle pain, twitching, numbness in various parts of her body, insomnia, dizziness, etc.  She was convinced that she had MS, even had a doctor tell her she did.  But she doesn't.  In fact the numbness, pain, insomnia, etc is gone.  Went away in her early 40's.  Note that she went through menopause at age 40.  In addition she didn't suffer from any of these symptoms until about age 34 or 35 and hadn't suffered from anxiety prior to this either.  My mom is a healthy 67 year old.

My suggestion: find a really great therapist (psychiatrist or psychologist) who treats anxiety.  Tell them about your symptoms and let them tell you what they think.  A neurologist doesn't treat anxiety, at least not typically.  They typically treat brain pathologies so he may not have as broad an experience with a psychological disorder.  And keep track of your period.  If you continue to have irregular cycles and skip periods and your gynecologist says you're otherwise healthy, then you are almost certainly in perimenopause.  Then look up the symptoms online.  You'll be amazed at all of the crazy things women go through.

I hope this helped you even a tiny bit.  I know how stressful it can be to have unusual physical symptoms with normal test results and noone around you who can identify or understand what you're going through.  Good luck!