Sudden Weakness in arms

[Vasi]

In the last few months I have been getting a sudden weakness in both arms.  It comes on suddenly and lasts a maximum of 5 minutes.  When it happens I cannot lift anything.  I feel so weak that I have to sit or lie down until it passes.  This week it hit me twice.  Before these 2 incidents, the last time this happened was a month ago and before that was probably another month (2 times in a week).  The sensation is from the shoulders down to my hands.  Any ideas?

Thanks

[Steinbeckgirl]

I am so elated and feel so "not crazy" after finding this thread! Same exact symptoms as everyone else... Heat, uniform numbness then weakness down by arms.  Episodes lasted around a minute. I went to the ER the first time and stayed for a day with every test done and coming out clean. I work out 5-6 days a week and I kept telling the doctors I thought it was related to a rex met pinched nerve in my back. I told 3 different doctors the same thing. I finally did screw it, I'm going to a chiropractor where I can at least tackle one of my issues. He was the only one who thought that they were related. Between stress and recent back injury he felt it was a combo of the two. After my adjustment I've not had another episode. I must say the common thread I've read on this thread has always been a chiropractor. Before it happened to me I was convinced they were quacks but in my case, it saved me from these scary episodes. I hope this helps and yes, initially I thought I was having a stroke even though I'm fit and 40. What a relief to find this thread and know I'm not alone.

[Barleg]

i
  I do agree with you..i have save symptons..no answers..

[trinketress]

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/what-cervical-radiculopathy

this diagnosis sounds spot on to me

[Binney0802]

I disagree.  I've had cervical radiculopathy in the past.

[trinketress]

Linda....thank god you are off the meds.What were they thinking ???? !!!  This is all about compression which can be alleviated by simple yoga exercises  which involved twisting the spine and neck and arching the body back. You could go to a chirprator or a shiatsu practitioner or even a good yoga teacher, but you can only stop these episodes by relieving the presure through exercise. I know because that is how i stop them and i been having them for years. Good luck

[Binney0802]

Not so fast... I do a Yogalates (combination of Yoga and Pilates) class twice a week, for at least the last 10 years.  Every morning I do a shortened version after getting out of bed.  I had my first and second episode this morning...  well after my stretching.

[trinketress]

thank you for giving this a name. This is the most helpful comment i have read on any forum, and i have been following it on and off for years. Pity out doctors are so in the dark

[trinketress]

I agree with this. I have been experiencing this for years, and following a shiatsu session it disappeared for a long time, and now it is back again. I also experiment with raising my arms or lowering my arms to see if that makes a difference. I worked as a jewellery maker and weaver for many years, so lots of neck bending. I find that by doing upper body stretching / simple yoga and  focusing on spinal / nack  twists and arching of the body backwards / opening the chest etc makes the episodes go  away.
I am convinced it's a muscular skeletal / compressed nerve thing that can be addressed by strectching