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What Causes Tingling Sensation All Over Left Side Of The Body?
Question: Good evening
Three months ago I woke up with a tingling sensation all over the left side of my body and a constant shake/tremor on my left arm/hand and I also think my leg. Also my left toes twitch. I had an MRI of my back, Brain and neck and besides a bulge on a disc in my neck , everything else was normal. I then got tested for Lyme disease and it came back Positive. I've been on antibiotics for almost 3 months - doxy and Omnicef - now And my symptoms have gotten worse. Now my right side of my body - leg and arm also tingles and different muscles in my body twitch all the time. I also have muscles that jerk sometimes and the tremors have not gone away either. I had an EMG done back when my symptoms started and it came back normal. All other blood work was normal, vitamins, etc Should I get a spinal tab done? Could I have MS too besides Lyme? Why am I not getting Better with the antibiotics ? I'm so Worry I will just get worse .. The only time i dont feel The tingling is when I wake up but once I get up and start my daily routine it starts all over again. I'm a single mom Of a 2 year old and I need to be here for him.
Three months ago I woke up with a tingling sensation all over the left side of my body and a constant shake/tremor on my left arm/hand and I also think my leg. Also my left toes twitch. I had an MRI of my back, Brain and neck and besides a bulge on a disc in my neck , everything else was normal. I then got tested for Lyme disease and it came back Positive. I've been on antibiotics for almost 3 months - doxy and Omnicef - now And my symptoms have gotten worse. Now my right side of my body - leg and arm also tingles and different muscles in my body twitch all the time. I also have muscles that jerk sometimes and the tremors have not gone away either. I had an EMG done back when my symptoms started and it came back normal. All other blood work was normal, vitamins, etc Should I get a spinal tab done? Could I have MS too besides Lyme? Why am I not getting Better with the antibiotics ? I'm so Worry I will just get worse .. The only time i dont feel The tingling is when I wake up but once I get up and start my daily routine it starts all over again. I'm a single mom Of a 2 year old and I need to be here for him.
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
It is I must say a little perplexing to have such prominent symptoms and normal imaging, electrophysiological and blood tests. That acute onset which you describe would be more compatible with a brain lesion due to stroke, but in the face of normal MRI that shouldn't be the case.
Those symptoms you describe are not that suggestive of Lyme disease. Most commonly it affects the nerve roots causing painful radiculopathies. So we shouldn't necessarily interpret the fact you are not getting better as due to antibiotics not working, but think of other possible causes as well. However it can't be excluded as less commonly can cause other types of central nervous system involvement.
Regarding the MS which you mention I do not think that to be the case. A normal MRI almost excludes MS and the symptoms you describe as well as their evolution is not suggestive of MS at all.
It is unclear what is the scale of the disc bulge you describe. If it compresses the spinal cord it may cause such symptoms as well.
So I believe that you should have the spinal tap which you mention, both to support the diagnosis of a Lyme associated nervous system involvement as well as to detect other changes which could indicate another diagnosis. Antibiotics can not be continued like that forever, generally they are used for 2 weeks, so at three months some reinforcement of diagnosis must be obtained if it is thought to be the cause.
Right now with everything else being confirmed as normal it is hard to suggest other diagnosis, but you should feel relieved they are normal though as it excludes serious conditions. At times anxiety may also mimic any neurological symptom, but that is considered only when all the rest has been definitely ruled out.I do not know whether your MRIs have been done with or without contrast administration, if without I would consider redoing them with contrast administration as well.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
It is I must say a little perplexing to have such prominent symptoms and normal imaging, electrophysiological and blood tests. That acute onset which you describe would be more compatible with a brain lesion due to stroke, but in the face of normal MRI that shouldn't be the case.
Those symptoms you describe are not that suggestive of Lyme disease. Most commonly it affects the nerve roots causing painful radiculopathies. So we shouldn't necessarily interpret the fact you are not getting better as due to antibiotics not working, but think of other possible causes as well. However it can't be excluded as less commonly can cause other types of central nervous system involvement.
Regarding the MS which you mention I do not think that to be the case. A normal MRI almost excludes MS and the symptoms you describe as well as their evolution is not suggestive of MS at all.
It is unclear what is the scale of the disc bulge you describe. If it compresses the spinal cord it may cause such symptoms as well.
So I believe that you should have the spinal tap which you mention, both to support the diagnosis of a Lyme associated nervous system involvement as well as to detect other changes which could indicate another diagnosis. Antibiotics can not be continued like that forever, generally they are used for 2 weeks, so at three months some reinforcement of diagnosis must be obtained if it is thought to be the cause.
Right now with everything else being confirmed as normal it is hard to suggest other diagnosis, but you should feel relieved they are normal though as it excludes serious conditions. At times anxiety may also mimic any neurological symptom, but that is considered only when all the rest has been definitely ruled out.I do not know whether your MRIs have been done with or without contrast administration, if without I would consider redoing them with contrast administration as well.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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