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Sudden Numbness And Tingling Of Arm And Leg. Due To Nerve Or Disc Damage?
Question: I have sudden (not gradual, it has lasted over 2 weeks now) numbness/tingling in my left arm and left leg (from buttocks down to my feet). Could this be nerve or disc damage? I have had problems with L4, L5, S1 in the past. Or should I be more concerned with a possible neurological disease? I had complete bloodwork last week, and all counts are within normal ranges, except for a slight Vitamin D deficiency.
Hi XXXXXXX
Thank you for contacting Healthcare Magic.
Your symptoms are suggestive of cervical and lumbo-sacral radiculopathy respectively. In radiculopathy, pain is the commonest symptom. Pain radiates from neck to arm in cervical and from buttocks to feet in lumbosacral radiculopathy respectively.
Though pain is the commonest symptom, other symptoms could be numbness/tingling/burning along the same distribution. These symptoms could get aggravated with neck movements (for cervical) and walking (for lumbosacral); coughing; straining at stool, etc.
If your symptoms persist, I would suggest you XXXXXXX your GP/neurologist and get MRI of cervical and lumbo-sacral spine performed. This would help in establishing the diagnosis. Rarely, the symptoms could be due to other causes (such as infection, demyelination, tumor, etc) , which could also be diagnosed on the MRI spine.
Please get back if you have any additional queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
Thank you for contacting Healthcare Magic.
Your symptoms are suggestive of cervical and lumbo-sacral radiculopathy respectively. In radiculopathy, pain is the commonest symptom. Pain radiates from neck to arm in cervical and from buttocks to feet in lumbosacral radiculopathy respectively.
Though pain is the commonest symptom, other symptoms could be numbness/tingling/burning along the same distribution. These symptoms could get aggravated with neck movements (for cervical) and walking (for lumbosacral); coughing; straining at stool, etc.
If your symptoms persist, I would suggest you XXXXXXX your GP/neurologist and get MRI of cervical and lumbo-sacral spine performed. This would help in establishing the diagnosis. Rarely, the symptoms could be due to other causes (such as infection, demyelination, tumor, etc) , which could also be diagnosed on the MRI spine.
Please get back if you have any additional queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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