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Numbness In Hands And Light Headedness When Laughing, Neck Popping, Feeling Foggy. Why Does It Happen?

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Posted on Tue, 18 Sep 2012
Question: Why do my hands go numb and i feel light headed when I laugh? my necks pops near the bottom of my skull a lot, since I was 17 and I'm now 24, does that have anything to do with it? I've been feeling kinda foggy in the head these days.
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Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (45 minutes later)
Hi,
Thank you for contacting Healthcare Magic.
When one laughs, the lungs and chest expand, which reduces the amount of venous return (the blood that comes to lungs for oxygenation). This, in turn, leads to decreased blood flow to brain and rest of body. During this period, one may feel dizzy/lightheaded. There may also be a tendency to fall. As one stops laughing, the blood flow normalizes fairly quickly (within a few seconds) and everything is back to normal (all symptoms stop).
Popping near the neck in your case may not be significant and there is no need to worry.
However, in most people, symptoms due to laughing should not trouble much. If the symptoms are bothersome, you may consult your GP. After a clinical examination, he may check your hemoglobin, echocardiography for the heart function and carotid doppler (a study to look at the blood flow to brain).
Please get back if you have any more queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Health City, Hyderabad

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sudhir Kumar

Neurologist

Practicing since :1994

Answered : 6232 Questions

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Numbness In Hands And Light Headedness When Laughing, Neck Popping, Feeling Foggy. Why Does It Happen?

Hi,
Thank you for contacting Healthcare Magic.
When one laughs, the lungs and chest expand, which reduces the amount of venous return (the blood that comes to lungs for oxygenation). This, in turn, leads to decreased blood flow to brain and rest of body. During this period, one may feel dizzy/lightheaded. There may also be a tendency to fall. As one stops laughing, the blood flow normalizes fairly quickly (within a few seconds) and everything is back to normal (all symptoms stop).
Popping near the neck in your case may not be significant and there is no need to worry.
However, in most people, symptoms due to laughing should not trouble much. If the symptoms are bothersome, you may consult your GP. After a clinical examination, he may check your hemoglobin, echocardiography for the heart function and carotid doppler (a study to look at the blood flow to brain).
Please get back if you have any more queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Health City, Hyderabad