Numbness/tingling.... Please help!

[Smiler03]

Hello, i am new here and am really looking for some advice, so if anyone could help I would appreciate it more than you realise!

I am 27, female and overweight at 14 stone, for the last 8 months i have had unexplainable symptoms that are hobestly worrying me like mad. I am a quite an anxious person, admittedly tgat stems from gauning weighr, wgich has made me unhappy, but im worried that im being fobbed off with 'anxiety' or something else, when it isnt the real cause.

About 8 months ago It started with my ears feeling clogged, like i was on an airplane, really pressurised feeling that lasted a couple of weeks, dr said it was labrynthitis. It faded out a couple of weeks later with only a few brief encounters that lasted a couple of days over the next couple of months, then about four months ago it came back agin for a few weeks, this time I also had a tingling feeling on my forehead between my eyebrows, only way i can describe it is its like a half numb, half tingling sensation, but i can feel it when i touch the area, so isnt actually numb if you get me! Probably not! Lol! Sorry, im bad at explaining things. Sometimes i also have the feeling under my eyes also. Again, it went after a couple of weeks, in persistancy, but has pretty much been there since (this time dr said it was a sinus infection amd gave me a precription for a nasal spray, which didnt work, then tablets, which also didnt work) checke my ears and said they were fine also. Anyway, for the last few days it has been worse than ever. My ears feel clogged, i have the numbness and tingly feeling on my forehead, under my eyes by the cheek bones, lightheaded/ dizzy feeling, but now it seems to be travelling through my body. My right foot big toe has the same feeling, my arms have it, though it isnt as bad and random spots on my back also. It is much worse when i am sitting or layong down. I am honestly scared, if anyone could five me any insighr i would be so appreciative... Ps: sorry for any grammer errors i am using my phone! Xx

[MovingOn]

Hi there,

Registered just so I could reply to you as had the same (and still do) symptoms.

Over Xmas I had a crazy busy time in my life and have three kids, one 9 months that were wearing me out. During this period first I noticed tingling, then numbness (as you described) in my fingers, then toes. The worry seemed to then make the tingling spread, parts of my face, up my legs etc. They felt strange to touch almost. I saw a wonderful GP who is also a friend who specialises in anxiety and stress.

She explained how people deal with stress differently, my current problem is lack of sleep which can make handing the simplest of tasks, almost impossible. Do to the stressful time I had over Xmas and my unfortunate inability to be able to dea with stressful situations, I started to unknowingly hyperventilate.

I didn't have a panic attack of any sorts, haven't and one since I was much younger. However, as I said without knowing I was either shallow breathing or breathing too heavily over a period of time. This increased the carbon dioxide in my body usually expelled by breathing out. The build up of carbon dioxide causes, tingling, then occasional numbness. It can spread around the body but is more commen in the extremities, such as fingers and toes, and also the face.

My understanding of the mechanics behind my tingling, and the knowledge I wasnt suffering from MS or something equally as bad, enabled me to stop worrying so much and very soon the tingling and numbness disappeared.

Two weeks ago I too suffered a feeling of blocked ears, like I'd got off a plane and they hadn't popped. This was occasionally accompanied by moments of light dizziness. I visited the doc who said my ears looked fine and it must be labarynthitis. I understand it can last for weeks, sometimes years if you're unlucky. I hear too it can come and go. Some people suffer worse than others. If you're lucky it should clear within a month. I too was given drops that haven't helped.

One thing I haven't been able to shift since Xmas is a horrid pressure headache. They are the worst. It's been weeks now and it affects a lot of what I do. I find myself squinting a lot due to pressure behind the eyes.

Anxiety and its symptoms and horrid things to live and deal with. The worry and 'what if' questions rarely go even if you know it's most probably anxiety linked.

I hope you feel better soon, if your doc thinks you are ok, just try whatever you can to forget about it and get out for a walk or see friends and family. This always helps me a lot.

[Smiler03]

Hello there,

Thank you so much for registering to reply to my message! Amazed that anyone would read it, let alone try to offer help :)

It's funny you ahould say that about the breathing, because for a while now I have noticed that I hold my breath, quite literally! I don't realise I am doing it and sometimes it can be for only a couple of seconds, then something kond of tells my brain to breathe! Honestly, i dont think it is the cause of my symptoms because i have done this for quote a long time, even before the symptoms appeared, but I doubt it helps!!

Since Christmas youve had the headache? That cannot be nice! Do you think it is a tension headache if its been that long, or even a migraine? I suffered with awful migraines or a couple of years, first one came out of the blue, never had one before and then suddenly I had a constant migraine for three weeks. Slurred speach, projectile vommiting and one side of my body numb, only the injections helped, an even they werent good.... But one thing that did work, was a neck massage! After all the pills and potions I was prescribed, a nurse in the A&E department suffered herself and showed me a technique that amazed me! You literally get two fingers and place them just above the lumpy bone in the centre of your neck, place pressure, not too hard but pretty firm and move the fingers up to the base of your skull. Take them off and repeat it as many times as needed. The nurse esplained that a migraine is a spasm of the front of the head, and by doing this specific massage and tricks the brain in to stopping it.... All though she explained it far better than I did, definitely reccomend you try that though, regardless! I had a migraine for about 5 days solid that specific time and was dosed up on every painkiller possible, but after one massage of the neck for about ten minutes, it seriously went away. Was very odd, but if it works, most definitely worth it. You can do it yourself, but if you have someone who could do it for you, definitely take advantage of that! Lol!

Anxiety is horrid, full stop, isn't it. Sorry you have to deal with it too! Considering you have children, I honestly dont know how I could pull through some of the days when symptoms are worse, eith little ones about.... Hats off to you!