Hi,
Thanks for the help. In case my concern persists I'll ask my neurologist to prescribe me the tests.
The numbness & thumb twitching have developed only after I started taking medications for my bladder condition. Of late I seem to have started to get tingling sensations which sometimes feel like the hair in the arms/legs have stood up or like and ant is taking a trip on my skin. I don't know if this can be called as itching.
The only other thing that I recall having a problem is that I also suffered for some time with irritable bowel syndrome. When ever after semester holidays I started school again, within the first week I would get loose motions which would resolve automatically within a day. Even now whenever I go out with friends on a out of city trip I start bleeding. The doc says it might be related to bowel irritation to water changes.
I consulted my neurologist and he has asked me to take a blood test report and a nerve conduction test (I wonder if this is EMG?).
Can Nitrofurantoin have caused the Peripheral Neuropathy? I have been taking it for close to 3 months now.
First of all, keep in mind that I am unable to diagnose you because I am unable to examine you, this forum is for educational purposes.
The symptoms you describe are unlikely to be related to MS. Your thumb twitching is likely a normal finding called benign fasiculation syndrome. Your unremarkable MRI also is reassuring. If concern of MS persist then you should have a lumbar puncture to evaluate for inflammation and proteins found in MS (Tortelotte panel, IgG index, oligoclonal bands).
The combination of syrinx, numbness and neurogenic bladder is more concerning. A syrinx is a fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) filled cavity that can place on the nerves traveling in the cord (can be congenital or caused by trauma, etc). This pressure often causes numbness and bladder dysfunction including neurogenic bladder.
I would recommend that you get urodynamic studies and possibly a sphincter EMG (you should discuss this with your urologist). I would also recommend that you get an SSEP (somatosensory evoked potential) to measure if there are signs of dysfuntion in the spinal cord across your area of syrinx. If symptomatic, a syrinx can be dealt with surgically.
I hope this has been helpful.
Your neurologist is right. Anatomically ,a bladder problem due to MS plack (area), especially this long peroids, should show clinical signs in your legs also.
I'm sure he/she looked/examined your back to see if there is any abnormal hair growth, tags, or swelling before imaging you (Congenital anomalies which could present at your age with isolated urinary problem)
As you mentioned there is no other problems this includes youe sexual life (Sorry English is not my 1st language , so I ask directly)
About the syrinx it could be due to so many reasons including trauma, infection or ideopathic (no causative) and so far what you are describing is not typical of that.
In the end I will say the same as your neurologist its not MS and twiching or a short lasting sensory symptomes are all normal things.... do not be buisy with it
Cheers