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What Causes Tingling In Left Arm, Terrible Grinding And Crunching In Neck?

Posted on Thu, 24 Sep 2015

Question: Have tingling in my left arm. Poor posture brings it on as well as turning my head to the left. When either occur..tingling starts slowly moving down my arm to thumb and first finger. No numbness. When I reposition my head it disappears...if I don't reposition head it eventually resolves itself. No real pain in neck..slight aching, but terrible crunching ( often awakens me) and grinding when moving head and neck. I am a cancer survivor and can become very anxious of brain problem vs cervical issue. PS. When standing, walking or conscious of sitting posture I have no issues with my arm

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Cervical spinal degeneration with radiculopathy needs to be ruled out.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.

I have gone through your comprehensive clinical history.Your symptoms appear to be those of cervical radiculopathy,which are probably secondary to cervical degeneration changes(though you mentioned that you are a cancer survivor and cancerous changes in spine can also cause these symptoms.What type of cancer you had?).

I would suggest you to get a MRI cervical spine done with contrast with screening of whole spine.

Meanwhile,you can be on-pregabalin,methylcobalamin,vitamin D and calcium supplementation.PLEASE TAKE ALL MEDICINES UNDER A PHYSICIAN'S GUIDANCE ONLY.

If you have any further questions,I shall be glad to answer.

Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

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

Follow up: Dr. Ajay Panwar (10 minutes later)

Only concerned about cancer because I read that cervical radiculopathy always has neck pain. I do not. Family history...mother, arthritic spine. Father, serious cervical stenosis not much relieved by laminectomy. Uncomfortable ache on occasion in neck and shoulder area but not pain. That's when I worried about cancer...but wouldn't a tumor affect the area regardless of posture or position of head?

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Appears to be cervical radiculopathy.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up.

Neck pain is not an absolute criteria for cervical radiculopathy.Cervical radiculopathy can present exactly like your symptoms.

Though,even if it is secondary to some tumor infiltration,even then posture and position of the head may affect the symptoms.That's because the symptoms mainly result from nerve radicles compression,which may be more in specific postures whether due to the degeneration or tumor infiltration.

If you have some further questions,I shall be glad to answer else please close the thread,rate it and write a review as your rating will be of help to me.

Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

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

Follow up: Dr. Ajay Panwar (7 minutes later)

Forgot to answer your question....breast cancer 26 yrs ago....mastectomy ...second mastectomy 13 yrs ago ...recurrence in a lymph node ( final chemo treatment) 9 years ago. Been cancer free since. Last bone scan in 2013

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
MRI cervical spine with contrast with screening.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up and telling further details.

In that case,I would stress upon as already advised that you should get a 'MRI cervical spine with contrast with screening of whole spine' to rule out any cancerous deposits.

If you have some further questions,I shall be glad to answer else please close the thread,rate it and write a review as your rating will be of help to me.

Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

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