Tingling/pins and needles/numbness back to the doctors or not?

[KatiePink]

I remember having an issue similar to this years and years ago, and after having an MRI on lower back and a very brief visit with neurologist they told me all was fine.

Over the years it has come and gone but recently the tingling feeling is back and pretty constant, i posted recently about the numbness tingling in saddle area when sitting down, but i keep getting the tingling/numbness in shoulder blades, and briefly in arms, thighs and feet.

It also seems that what ever i put pressure on when lying down, be it my leg, face ect starts to feel numb and tingly.

The saddle area numbness worries me the most, but GP always says 'have you lost any bladder/bowel control' and that's it.
I do have on and off lower back and neck pains(waiting for physio)

I don't know whether this warrants a visit to my doctor again as it's worrying me or if that is just seeking reassurance. I would like to know if people have any of the above as that might put my mind at ease a little x

[bartin]

Katie, as a fact, numbness in the saddle area may be caused by pinched nerves below your lumbar spine -- the condition is called cauda equina syndrome and you've probably heard about it. This is why a doctor asked you about bowel/bladder problems that are often associated wit it.

I by no means can say if you have this or not, but if worried, visit a neurologist. Prepare a detailed list of symptoms with exact locations, timeline, triggers and relievers.

The actual neck/lower back pain may also speak for a pinched nerve. Pain due to pinched sciatic nerve is in the lower back and travels over a buttock and back side of the thigh and sometimes further into the back of the calf and foot.

Hyperventilation due to anxiety can result in a temporary drop of blood calcium levels, which can result in tingling...

Use your best intuition...

[KatiePink]

Thank you, yeah I definitely believe it's due to my lower back, when ever it's bad i get the tingling and numbness in saddle area, when ever i sit down too.. yes cauda equina syndrome is what i am worried about. I don't want to wait til i lose bladder control and it's an emergency to get checked out, so i am going to tell them my worries as i am at docs on Tuesday, just hope they don't faff me off

---------- Post added at 11:02 ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 ----------


Although early treatment is required to prevent permanent problems, cauda equina syndrome may be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms vary in intensity and may evolve slowly over time.

See your doctor immediately if you have:

Bladder and/or bowel dysfunction, causing you to retain urine or be unable to hold it.
Severe or progressive problems in the lower extremities, including loss of or altered sensation between the legs, over the buttocks, the inner thighs and back of the legs (saddle area), and feet/heels.


I have the second one, really freaked out about it, because i know how serious it can be. Feel like i can't wait til Tuesday for my appointment but then not sure what else i can do, it's not constant numbness just when i sit down or lie down.

---------- Post added at 11:59 ---------- Previous post was at 11:02 ----------

Decided to go to my nearest walk in clinic, better safe than sorry

[KatiePink]

I went waited a nice 2 and a half hours in a crappy school chair(if i didn't already have back issue's, i do now!) ha.

The doctor wouldn't let me get a word in he was throwing questions at me "Have you lost bladder or bowel control?" "Is the pain on your spine?" "Can you lift your legs?" "Are you having trouble walking?" "How long does the numbness last?"

I had to raise my voice a bit and say.. let me speak please.. so i told him the symptoms and tried to describe them best i could, he prodded my back in different places asked me to tell him where it hurt(tailbone)

He then made me lie on my back and lift one leg at a time then bend my knee towards my chest. He then asked me to close my eyes and he touched different parts of my thigh and asked if it felt the same(it did) so he gave me painkillers and sent me on my way,

I asked if i shouldn't be worried then and is this numbness in that area i am feeling not 'true numbness' he said 'no' 'If you lose bladder control or you have true numbness go to A&E'

My fear is cauda equina and from what i know about it if you go to hospital when you have lost bladder control it's pretty much too late. So i don't feel at ease with that, although my mind is telling me if he thought there was any chance he wouldn't have let me go, but then my subconscious is saying "He wasn't taking me seriously".. I feel anxious about it still. But going to try my best not to let the anxiety take over and work on accepting what has been said