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Left Hand Paralyzed. What Could This Be?
Question: My left hand is paralyzed as of yesterday. I need to know enough information about it so I do not have to see a neurologist. I am isolated and cannot get out. it is not an injury. I have hip, knee, and back damage from several years ago. I realize MS is hard to diagnose, but please give me a ball park idea, one that is not so general as to prove your response useless. thank you, XXXXXXX *I am 67 years old.
Brief Answer:
Stroke
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for the query. This is a stroke until proven otherwise, MS is by far less common and usually presents early in life; the two main possibilities of a stroke are either embolization of a clot from the heart, typically with atrial fibrillation even if silent (you are at risk due to female gender and age) or a clot in one of the arteries of the brain. Regardless, it is important for you to see a physician because the treatments are different; if it was a clot from the heart you would need blood thinners, if not you would need aspirin and a cholesterol lowering medication. You don't necessarily need to see a neurologist, an XXXXXXX Medicine of Family Medicine doc should be able to guide you further.
Yours truly,
Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN
Stroke
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for the query. This is a stroke until proven otherwise, MS is by far less common and usually presents early in life; the two main possibilities of a stroke are either embolization of a clot from the heart, typically with atrial fibrillation even if silent (you are at risk due to female gender and age) or a clot in one of the arteries of the brain. Regardless, it is important for you to see a physician because the treatments are different; if it was a clot from the heart you would need blood thinners, if not you would need aspirin and a cholesterol lowering medication. You don't necessarily need to see a neurologist, an XXXXXXX Medicine of Family Medicine doc should be able to guide you further.
Yours truly,
Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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