View Full Version : Tingling/burning sensations that come and go. Is this MS?
I've been so nervous this past month I can't handle it anymore.
Since May 12 of this year I've been dealing with on and off tingling burning in my extremities. I figured it was just anxiety/stress as I've had a terrible year and have never been so anxiety ridden in my life.
It started in my left hand/arm and two weeks later was in my left foot. The tingling/prickling/burning sensations are usually not in one specific spot on these extremities, they kinda fluctuate and manifest in different areas of my hand and foot. One minute my left ankle will tingle/buzz, the next day my left foot feels like its on fire, the next day I get stabbing sensations in my toes on the same foot. It seems to fluctuate with little consistency.
Today, I now have a burning sensation in my right foot. This is the first time since this started over a month ago that a right side extremity has been affected. My left hand and left foot seem fine today (so far)
I've also been getting other random symptoms such as left temple throbbing/pressure (painless) and when I look left or right and bend my neck I get a crackling/grinding noise. I haven't had any complete numbness or loss of feeling but I have had some dizziness lately.
I'm so scared that this is MS. I went to my doctor only for him to prescribe a vitamin supplement and schedule a nerve conduction test which I'm pretty sure won't show if I have MS. I was so sure this was just anxiety as I've been hyper focused on this for over a month but because it has lasted so long, I'm beginning to get concerned. Can anyone offer any advice?
I've been so nervous this past month I can't handle it anymore.
Since May 12 of this year I've been dealing with on and off tingling burning in my extremities. I figured it was just anxiety/stress as I've had a terrible year and have never been so anxiety ridden in my life. (especially health anxiety)
It started in my left hand/arm and two weeks later was in my left foot. The tingling/prickling/burning sensations are usually not in one specific spot on these extremities, they kinda fluctuate and manifest in different areas of my hand and foot and come and go at random.
For example, One day my left ankle will tingle/buzz, the next day my left foot feels like its on fire, the next day I get stabbing sensations in my toes on the same foot. It seems to fluctuate with little consistency.
Today, I now have a burning sensation in my right foot. This is the first time since this started over a month ago that a right side extremity has been affected. My left hand and left foot seem fine today (so far).
I've also been getting other random symptoms such as left temple throbbing/pressure (painless) and when I look left or right and bend my neck I get a crackling/grinding noise that I can hear and some frequent urination. I haven't had any complete numbness or loss of feeling but I have had some dizziness lately.
I'm so scared that this is MS. I went to my doctor only for him to prescribe a vitamin supplement and schedule a nerve conduction test which I'm pretty sure won't show if I have MS. I was so sure this was just anxiety as I've been hyper focused on this for over a month but because it has lasted so long, I'm beginning to get concerned. He also told me stress/anxiety usually doesn't just manifest in one side but I am now getting unusual sensations in my right foot as well. Idk. Can anyone offer any advice?
TLDR: Tingling in left arm/hand, 2 weeks later started tingling in my foot, a month later now my right foot is burning/tingling as well. Sensations very from day to day, but predominately hits my left foot and hand. Help?
Worrygirl32
01-07-17, 04:23
Well to start off, the good thing is that your in a doctors care. Luckily, you have expressed all your feelings to him and he will do what he is supposed to. I highly doubt it's MS, especially considering the fact that your in a health anxiety board. We tend to worry and expect the complete worse. Follow-up with your doctor, express all your concerns, and ask him all your questions. He will be able to calm you down a lot better. I am sure you will be fine :)
Thank you for the reply. Hopefully you're right! I'm so tired of worrying about this. :(
So I posted a thread a few days back about an on again off again tingling/burning/prickling sensation that I've been getting in my left hand and left foot for over a month now.
Over the course of this past week I've also been getting really strange dizzy/light headedness spells that kinda come and go as well. Mostly when I'm in public and walking around. I don't get them as much when I'm just sitting in my own home but admittedly I do feel a bit light headed at the moment.
What kills me is I literally just saw my doctor and failed to mention this symptom. I'm hoping its just my HA but its kinda striking me at random, when I'm not even feeling all that anxious. Anybody else get this?
*sigh* If this is just anxiety, I'm kind of annoyed I've let myself get this bad. :weep:
Anxiety can cause pins/needles/numbness etc at seemingly random intervals. It's to do with breathing I believe.
It's same for lightheadness/dizziness.
It's a pain.
Anxiety can cause pins/needles/numbness etc at seemingly random intervals. It's to do with breathing I believe.
It's same for lightheadness/dizziness.
It's a pain.
It really is. Idk if it's my breathing or what, I don't feel like i'm breathing unusually but I was having some shortness of breath issues before all this started in early May.
TattooArtist
02-07-17, 23:33
In the middle of getting myself worked up I always get symptoms like this. They diminish when I finally distract myself and my brain gets on a different track. Some of the CBT tenets help me to avoid those symptoms of panic. I think of a stop sign, which is my symbol for "this isn't real, but it will continue if I continue to spend time focused on these strange feelings". I do better these days with distraction techniques. Dizziness, trembling, depersonalization, tunnel vision, etc used to follow me around during episodes of panic A LOT.
After hanging out on this forum for the past week and reading a lot of different posts from a wide variety of people going through similar situations as to what I'm going through, I find it somewhat fascinating how the mind can influence the body in such profound ways.
Like many of you, I consulted Dr. Google, I read symptoms and stories and testimonies from those who had MS and really (even somewhat still) believed I have MS. It's good to recognize, however, that I'm not alone with this fear.
We get these random physical sensations (tingling, weakness, dizziness, twitching, etc.) and they just seem so real and profound when in reality it's usually just anxiety and that fear causing them. We get a random sensation and it sends us into a tailspin.
I suppose it's not just MS either, It's the dreaded C word and other random diseases as well.
Maybe it's just because I'm new to the concept of health anxiety but its so fascinating to me how paranoid we get, how we use this medium (the internet) for relief, and how ultimately we end up in full blown panic. I'm surprised there's not more literature/articles out there on the subject other than what you can find on aboutBFS, AnxietyCentre, and this website right here.
Good luck to you all, I'm glad I'm not alone in this weird little struggle of ours.
The symptoms of anxiety are so real and so physical! Also, if you look up somatization you will find that the body can actually produce symptoms that you are anxious about. I have lost count of the number of times I've been a complete idiot and googled, feeling temporarily reassured that I don't have XYZ symptom, only to develop it a day or two later! I am constantly amazed (in a bad way) at the things anxiety can do to our bodies.
I think it's good to be wary of using the word "just" in anxiety.
Yes, it's "just" anxiety in the sense you've not got something sinister that will kill you.
But I also think sometimes we downplay anxiety and its sometimes debilitating nature, and this in turn stops us realising - sometimes on a subconscious level - that alarming symptoms can be very clearly be put down to anxiety. Prefixing anxiety with "just" stops us realising it can be pretty nasty, and give us some horrible physical symptoms, and that we don't have to look for anything else to explain them.
I've been getting random dizzy spells off and on for the past week and a half. Sometimes they last all day, other times they come and go. They also kinda just occur out of the blue, whether i'm anxious or not. Nothing is really spinning, I just kinda feel light headed.
I dont think I'm breathing funny but apparently that could be the reason. Anybody have any tips?
I have exactly this same problem for years now! I used to think it had to do with my ears but my doctor told me that it was plain anxiety several times. Even when I haven't had anxiety for weeks, I still get these spells! I found that putting an ice pack on my forehead helps a bit. It colls down your body and just somehow gets rid of the sensation. Also, accepting the dizziness as it comes. i often used to break down crying every time the dizziness hit. I was terrified of the sensation. Now I just accept it and it goes away faster than before. Hope this helps!
I've been getting random dizzy spells off and on for the past week and a half. Sometimes they last all day, other times they come and go. They also kinda just occur out of the blue, whether i'm anxious or not. Nothing is really spinning, I just kinda feel light headed.
I dont think I'm breathing funny but apparently that could be the reason. Anybody have any tips?
I've had and even still have this issue. I remember last 4th of July (2016) being in the emergency room it got so bad. It was actually causing anxiety, or more depending on how you look at how anxiety manifests originally.
I went to the ER, had a follow up appointment with an ENT, GP and a Cardiologist. No one could find anything wrong with me. I had an MRI done, blood work, many EKGs, etc. It basically left everyone scratching their heads.
To this day it seems that if I have anxiety - even a little bit - and am standing still, I'll feel off balance ever so slightly. Other times I will get little dizzy spells, although this was moreso when coming off of a medication recently. So, fret not, you're not alone, friend.
My advice is to first see medical professionals if you have not already. They can run labs and tests that will bring more clarity to your personal medical issue(s). If you're in the clear from that standpoint, which I am sure you will be, it's good to have a baseline for these numbers so they can reference back to them in the future.
Next, stay adequately hydrated at all times, especially in the Summer and during and post exercise. Many people get dizziness because they're not taking in an adequate amount of water, especially when they're losing water from respiration and perspiration, more heavily during exercise. I bring water to work every day and fill up the water bottle a couple of times. Plus water is healthier for you compared to juices filled with sugars, soda filled with sugar and chemicals (I say that as I have a Diet Coke on my desk... it's ok once in a while), and energy drinks full of chemicals and sugar.
Fix any issues with blood work. Have your Ferritin checked. Ferritin is a blood cell protein that tells you how much iron your body has stored. I recently found out mine was insanely low. I also read recently that such a deficiency can cause many symptoms, from anxiety to dizziness and much more. So now I am on the road to supplementing with Iron to see if it helps remedy it.
Fix any postural issues and obliterate tight muscles via stretching and other methodologies. Some people have tight scalene muscles and other muscles in the next and head. This causes tension and sometimes dizziness. You can go to a Massage Therapist to have them work on it or get a foam roller and a lacrosse ball to help roll out the myofascial adhesions and tightness.
I've been putting up with dizzy spells for the past two weeks, and tingling in my left foot and hand for almost 2 months following a extremely stressful period of my life.
I've had some pretty significant health anxiety over these sensations during most of this time. Lately I've accepted that this is anxiety and it has helped keep me pretty calm for the past few weeks but the physical symptoms persist. Is this normal? When will it stop? :(
Anxiety is like a campfire. When you're in the midst of a spiral the fire is burning bright and hot. When the flames die down, there's still a bed of red hot coals burning away just waiting for some more fuel. You may not feel anxious but your body is still on high alert and has a bed of hot anxiety coals inside just waiting to flare up. Just like a campfire, the hot coals of anxiety take a long time to finally go out.
Positive thoughts
NorseWolf94
11-07-17, 19:13
Everyone has a super scanner that scans for potential danger. For those of us who suffer with HA, the super scanner is extremely sensitive and is pointed inwardly to how we feel physically. It will pick something up that's completely normal and harmless, for example, a brief dizzy sensation that could have many different benign origins like heightened stress etc. Instantly the "What if?" thought patterns emerge and a fight or flight response is activated. This produces more symptoms or worsens the one you had in the first place. Now you really believe somethings wrong and the anxiety response gets stronger. Can you see how easy it is to get stuck in that cycle? As long as you stay in that cycle the symptoms can persist indefinitely.
What I have found helpful is this little technique to turn the sensitivity down a bit. Anytime you become aware of a symptom think to yourself or say out loud "There's that super sensitive scanner again, think I'll turn it down a bit." Then remind yourself of how the scanner works for us with HA, remind yourself that you suffer from HA and that all that is happening is that your scanner has picked up a harmless sensation. Acknowledge the sensation and that it is completely harmless then give it no more thought and carry on doing what you where doing before this happened. Do the same thing every time your mind wanders to the symptom. The trick is to not let yourself get into the "what if?" thinking patterns. You won't see instant results so this does take daily practice but it is most definitely worth it.
Also, if the dizziness and tingling continue I would suggest maybe looking at any area in your life that is really stressing you out. Stress causes anxiety which then causes symptoms. Dealing with the stressful situation (If possible) that's causing this will most definitely stop the symptoms.
Good luck and I hope this information is of some use to you!
It took mine several months and there were several physical symptoms. One I got on sertraline and read a good book on managing worry and applying those techniques, things started to improve. So, from when I started mentally feeling better: Irritable bowel lasted about a month, globus showed up a bit later for me and is still a small issue sticking around. Chest tightness went away after about a month. Had an ear / throat pain that lasted about a month and was resolved through massage a facial muscle that apparently entrapped a nerve. It would have been there longer without the massage.
That said, I'm not a long time HA sufferer. Mine only came on about three months ago. Everyone is different if I hope this gives you hope that they symptoms will eventually fade away.
MyNameIsTerry
12-07-17, 01:36
Anxiety symptoms can be just that, and that can mean they are a feature of your anxiety for however many years you struggle with an anxiety disorder.
I've had some for months, some for years.
My physical symptoms hang around as long as I'm in the initial spiral and thinking about them. I distract myself by any means necessary. And I'll find myself thinking "hey...my ----- hasn't hurt lately, it must have really been anxiety" and within the hour whatever my worry was will start up again and I have to remind myself that it only hurts because I thought about it. Eventually it goes away again, a little sooner than the first time. Wash, rinse, repeat. After a few cycles of that, I finally learn to let it go.
It's all a mind game and it gets easier to win the more play it.
Hi Think there is some great advice on here. I have always had the fear that if 'this has gone on for this long it must be more than anxiety'. Inevitably it isn't. You are in a constant anxiety spiral - even when you don't realise. Keep your chin up
I just want to vent as my anxiety over my current health situation has been getting to me again lately.
As some of you may already be aware with my other posts, I've been having pretty consistent physical symptoms of tingling in my left hand (mostly my left foot/ankle) lately. I went to my Dr. who put me on a vitamin regiment and ordered a nerve test.
Unfortunately, my clinic can't get me in for the test before the 17th which was a huge bummer as I have a 6 week job training program that I have to participate in beginning on that date.
Lately the tingling seems to be more localized in my left ankle and ring/pinky finger on my left hand. It comes and goes in waves. I've been trying so desperately to not worry about it but the constant "what ifs" keep popping into my brain and make me doubt things i've read here and elsewhere about it potentially just being anxiety. I'm really concerned this could be something serious.
I've been exercising regularly, taking buspar, eating, sleeping, but can't seem to find relief as the sensations never seem to cease. Exercising seems to get rid of my sensations temporarily so that's nice but eh...
It's gonna be a rough six weeks. :weep:
Hi
This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads
It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.
Elen
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