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Old 05-05-2012, 11:26 AM
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Dr. Smith Dr. Smith is offline
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Dr. Smith Dr. Smith is offline
Senior Member (**Dr Smith is named after a character from Lost in Space, not a medical doctor)
Dr. Smith's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lost in Space
Posts: 3,515
10 yr Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grandma123 View Post
I don't believe in coincidences in health and medicine
Quote:
I don't think it's a coincidence that the numbness & tingling started the day after PT started. Didn't have it before.

However, my biggest fear has always been getting MS.
But you think you may coincidentally be exhibiting/manifesting MS the day after PT?

I'm not doubting you, taking sides, or ruling anything out. None of us on this site are doctors; we're just folks like you who are trying to help each other.

I mentioned peripheral neuropathy (PN), because it affects me personally, the numbness/tingling (parasthesia) you describe sounds very much like it, your age, and comparative prevalence with MS.

PN affects at least 20 million people in the US (~7%).
http://www.healthcommunities.com/neu...uropathy.shtml

MS has a prevalence of between 2 and 150 per 100,000 (up to ~1.5%) and its onset usually occurs in young adults.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sclerosis

Having both hands & feet affected also doesn't sound like a cervical injury. Hands - possibly; feet - no, that would more likely be from something in the lumbar/sacral regions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatome_(anatomy)

You may have been injured in both the cervical and lumbar/sacral areas at the same time, but that would be a health/medical coincidence.

There are literally dozens of possible causes (diabetes, vitamin deficiency, more), and several kinds, of PN, and still ~30-40% are idiopathic (of unknown cause/origin). Some causes, if found/known, are treatable; with others, only the symptoms can be treated. PN (and possibly its cause) can be DXed by a neurologist by a number of tests:
http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uc...pn/evaluation/

We have a forum here for PN that has much more information:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum20.html


My PN was DXed as idiopathic, but so far it has been arrested and I've seen some slight improvement with a change in dietary habits and a regimen of vitamins & supplements.

I am also an intractable pain (IP) patient for many years, and have recently seen improvement there (by about 1/3 to 1/2) by following a diet for IP and adrenal hormone therapy.
http://www.foresttennant.com/pain_ma...self_help.html
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread156416.html

I'm not saying/suggesting you have PN. I'm just saying that it sounds like it could be, and I think it's worth asking your doctor about and having it checked out. To put your mind at ease, you can be checked out for MS as well.

HTH,

Doc
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Dr. Zachary Smith
Oh, the pain... THE PAIN...

Dr. Smith is NOT a medical doctor. He was a character from LOST IN SPACE.
All opinions expressed are my own. For medical advice/opinion, consult your doctor.
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