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Body Numbness, Pressure In Head. Back Surgery Done. History Of DVT In The Left Groin. Causes For Numbness And Pressure?
Question: Sometimes, when i stand up, my body starts to have a numbing feeling from my feet up to my head. Also, I sometimes feel like my legs won't hold me up and I will collapse and if I'm walking, my legs have jerking movements like I can't control walking. I also have a pulsating pressure in my head (can hear heartbeat). It lasts anywhere from several seconds to a few minutes and if I sit down, it starts to go away. I am a 56 year old woman. I was diagnosed with a dvt in the left groin when I had back surgery about 14 years ago (incidentally, this started happening a few years after that but was very sutle). Before I get out of the car, I have to let my feet dangle out the side and sit on the edge of the seat before standing upright. What I have noticed is that while sitting at my desk, if it starts happening (milder when I'm sitting), if I lean forward and lean back, I notice a shift in the pressure, sound, and feeling (less when I lean back and more when I lean forward). I wonder if maybe I did not have a dvt but maybe some kind of malfunction. Please help as I've been suffering with this for over 10 years and all the doctors i've seen either ignore me or say it's syncope.
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
Your symptoms which improve with changing position of head are suggestive of vertigo. This usually happens due to a middle ear problem.
Sometimes lesions of ear or brain (along the pathway of the cochlear nerve) can lead to such symptoms. Other causes include cervical spondylosis, hyponatremia, anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, disorders of the hypothalamus, psychiatric disorders like depression, etc.
The treatment usually involves using medications to suppress the impulse generation in the inner ear.
You must get your ear checked to see if there is any reversible cause such as wax, infection of ear or any other pathology.
My suggestion would be to first get an ENT examination done from an ENT specialist to rule out Meniere’s disease and then get blood count, Hemoglobin levels and thyroid function tests done along with fasting blood sugar levels to find out the cause under your physician's guidance.
Hope this answers your query. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Thanks for posting your query.
Your symptoms which improve with changing position of head are suggestive of vertigo. This usually happens due to a middle ear problem.
Sometimes lesions of ear or brain (along the pathway of the cochlear nerve) can lead to such symptoms. Other causes include cervical spondylosis, hyponatremia, anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, disorders of the hypothalamus, psychiatric disorders like depression, etc.
The treatment usually involves using medications to suppress the impulse generation in the inner ear.
You must get your ear checked to see if there is any reversible cause such as wax, infection of ear or any other pathology.
My suggestion would be to first get an ENT examination done from an ENT specialist to rule out Meniere’s disease and then get blood count, Hemoglobin levels and thyroid function tests done along with fasting blood sugar levels to find out the cause under your physician's guidance.
Hope this answers your query. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thank you.
What is causing my body to go, what I can only explain as, numb like how a hand might feel after holding something for a long time that was vibrating. It starts from my feet and moves up my body.
My legs, if I continue to walk, will start to buckle out from under me. My leg movements are jerky.
I have a more difficult time with finger and hand movements.
What artery/vein runs through my left leg at the thigh/hip (front)? When I am sitting forward, I believe I may be cutting off blood flow because I have an increase in pulsing in my head. When I lean back, it lessens. I was diagnosed with a dvt in that spot about 12 years ago.
What is causing my body to go, what I can only explain as, numb like how a hand might feel after holding something for a long time that was vibrating. It starts from my feet and moves up my body.
My legs, if I continue to walk, will start to buckle out from under me. My leg movements are jerky.
I have a more difficult time with finger and hand movements.
What artery/vein runs through my left leg at the thigh/hip (front)? When I am sitting forward, I believe I may be cutting off blood flow because I have an increase in pulsing in my head. When I lean back, it lessens. I was diagnosed with a dvt in that spot about 12 years ago.
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
Your problem seems to be related to nerve compression. A blood flow to a limb cannot be cut off by sitting. The arteries are XXXXXXX seated and do not collapse on sitting.
Since I do not have all the details and a privilege to examine you my assessment is severely limited.
I would advise you to follow with your neurologist. He would be the best person to guide further diagnostic workup and treatment.
Hope my answer is helpful. Write back if you have further queries.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you a trouble free speedy recovery.
Thanks for writing again.
Your problem seems to be related to nerve compression. A blood flow to a limb cannot be cut off by sitting. The arteries are XXXXXXX seated and do not collapse on sitting.
Since I do not have all the details and a privilege to examine you my assessment is severely limited.
I would advise you to follow with your neurologist. He would be the best person to guide further diagnostic workup and treatment.
Hope my answer is helpful. Write back if you have further queries.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you a trouble free speedy recovery.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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