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  • egma221
    Member
    Post count: 1

    Hello
    A couple of months ago I randomly woke up with pins and needles in my left hand that wouldn’t go away. Each day, I slowly started to lose function in my fingers, particularly my little finger and thumb. But it was an overall weakness – I couldn’t grip or pick anything up. The doctor I saw initially thought I was having a stroke but me being a nursing student decided that I wasn’t and that it was probably to do with a neck injury that I sustained last September. The disc wasn’t herniated when I had that CT scan but it did cause extreme pain, however it was on the right side of my neck.

    Since the feeling of tingling and numbness in my left hand went away, I have been left with the most deep, intense pain that feels like it is actually inside the middle of my shoulder trying to claw the bones out. All of the muscles around my arms and into my forearm cramp up like rocks at the end of each day and I am not sure why. I had a CT scan today and they didn’t provide me with a report so I don’t know whether I have a herniated disc, a compressed nerve root or some other sort of neuropathy.

    If you could possibly shed some light as to what could be going on that would be great because every doctor I have seen here in Perth has told me to rest and not exercise – that is it! They won’t even listen to me when I tell them how much pain I am in and I am really truly not making it up!!!

    Thanks again

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8656

    Weakness in your left hand associated with paresthesias (pins and needles) could be from cervical radiculopathy, carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS), cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) or even thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS).

    CT scans can be helpful but MRIs are much better for diagnosis as CTs cannot easily pick up disc herniations but MRIs can. Basic physical examination can go far to diagnose any of these syndromes.

    Cramping of your upper extremity muscles in a circumferential pattern is probably not radiculopathy but the severe pain in the shoulder could be from radiculopathy. Do not forget arterial insufficiency can also cause this pain and cramping.

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
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