Numbness and tingling in fingertips and toes

[Chris R]

TMS recoveree since about 2010. Recovered from most symptoms of 15 years. When I get familiar symptoms that flare up, I know what it is, don't worry about it, and then it goes away in a day or two.

However, for the last 3 months I've had some new symptoms that I don't know if I can say are TMS yet. I was sitting awkwardly in a diner booth for about 2 hours with my head jutting forward from a bothersome headrest, then when I got up, my ring and pinky fingertips felt like they were asleep as though I'd been sitting on them. The numbness didn't go away.

Over the course of the next few months, all my fingertips have become numb as well as my big toes. I can feel it if I poke myself there, so it's not like I have no feeling, but I am concerned because of it's progressive nature. I started running a few years ago once or twice a week and at times after I run my feet feel numb.

I had an appt with a neurologist last week who said it could be a number of things like a B12 deficiency (which is doubtful since I eat chicken), an inheritance of my father's neurological condition of CIPD(which he didn't develop until his 60s - I'm 46), a pinched nerve, early signs of MS... naturally I freak out inside. Have an MRI next week.

I was curious if anyone had experienced something similar and had recovered from it as a symptom of TMS?

 

[MindBodyPT]

Yes lots of people have had symptoms of numbness that were TMS caused. That being said, its a good thing you're being checked out by a doctor to rule out the other stuff!

I'll tell you the most dramatic case i've seen of this- I had a patient who was diagnosed with "conversion disorder" (Aka severe TMS) whose TMS presented as a stroke. She was rushed to the hospital and given lots of tests but nothing was found. Her entire left side was numb and barely moved for weeks! This was ENTIRELY TMS caused! She kept banging her left leg into things and didn't even notice. She did eventually recover, thankfully! So numbness, like any other symptom, can absolutely be caused by the brain and not another disease process. Also- just so you can rest a little easier, MS is really unlikely! I work with lots of folks with MS and numb fingertips is rarely a first sign Hope all goes well for you!

 

[Chris R]

Thank you for this MindBodyPT. I'm glad I'm being checked out by a doctor, but it is very reassuring to hear that given your experience MS is unlikely and that an entire left side of someone's body can be numb from TMS alone. Wow.

Your post was very helpful indeed - thanks again!

 

[Baseball65]

check. I get it when I sit down to play guitar. It usually starts about 5 minutes into playing. I just ignore it and it goes away. It is usually triggered by some other thing going on in my life... probably guilt over the time I am 'wasting' playing guitar.

I used to get the numb feet thing (Reynauds syndrome) but it mostly went away when my Pain did

 

[Chris R]

For the interest of anyone who might either have similar current or future symptoms, I had my thoracic MRI Monday and they found nothing wrong. I was relieved, but also not altogether surprised given my past history of TMS symptoms and myriad of inconclusive MRIs.

I met with the neurologist a few hours after the MRI, and he basically shrugged his shoulders as to what it could be. Before I left the hospital, they had me take more blood work to definitively rule out a pre-cancerous antibody and Sjorgen's syndrome. The doc said to have either one would be unlikely, so at this point I'm not worried. Will get a call by the end of the week if either of these things are true, but at this point, it's looking like a classic instance of TMS.

 

[georgethee]

Hi Chris, after an intense workout that night my pinky went numb in my sleep. It woke me up. I shrugged it off as sleeping akward. Next night both my hands went numb that night. That went on for a while, saw my neuro guy after tests he couldn’t find anything. Right there i knew it was not the gym or from sleeping. Now months later I get it once so often and i just shrug it off as TMS and fall back to sleep.

 

[Chris R]

Thanks for the info George - that's helpful to know that shrugging it off as TMS is working for you.

FYI, my blood work for Sjorgen's and pre-cancerous antibodies was negative. So at this point, I'm chalking it up as TMS and going to implement the same strategies that helped me overcome a ton of other issues.

 

[EileenS]

Yes, I have experienced similar symptoms. There were 3 causes for me: TMS, jutting my head forward all the time causing constant tight muscles, and I was keeping the house too cold.

My doctor diagnosed me with Raynaud's in my fingers about 5 years ago. It had been getting worse, and I went to the doctor when my whole hands went numb. Very scary. After ruling out other things, she said it was Raynaud's with no known cause. I found the simple solution though. I had been trying to save money by keeping the house heat low in the daytime when I was the only one home. When I turned the heat up, the Raynauds went away, never to return. My body was just doing what it's supposed to do; take my circulation away from my extremities to keep it in my core.

 

[Marla]

I have been having numbness and tingling off and on last few months. I thought it was my circulation as I always noticed it first thing in the morning or in middle of night.

But all of a sudden it hit me, TMS strikes again! Last few months dealing with stomach issues and doctor put me on strict elimination diet for a month. I figured out from that no particular foods were bad I just have to watch sugar, fats and acidic foods. Moderation is the answer as always.

I have a appt with my natural path doctor this week. Made it before I thought of TMS.

When we get pain or symptoms like this fear comes in, is it a really bad thing? I think that makes it worse and keeps it going.

 

[Durga]

I have it! It comes and goes, sometimes both my arms and legs gets numb also and it feels like I can`t lift them or walk, but when I am not afraid of it, it passes after a while!

 

[Would be TMS practitioner]

I have had the same issue in the past, now it's cold feet and lower legs, even when the rest of me is warm. In fact, it's one of my hardest symptoms to shake. But I'm 100% certain it's TMS, it clearly relates to stress. Glad to hear your scan was clear!

 

[WorryWart]

How’s it going Chris? Very similar situation here.

 

[Some Guy]

Thanks for the info George - that's helpful to know that shrugging it off as TMS is working for you.

FYI, my blood work for Sjorgen's and pre-cancerous antibodies was negative. So at this point, I'm chalking it up as TMS and going to implement the same strategies that helped me overcome a ton of other issues.

Any update on your fingers? I'm having the same issues now...

 

[ficus]

Yes lots of people have had symptoms of numbness that were TMS caused. That being said, its a good thing you're being checked out by a doctor to rule out the other stuff!

I'll tell you the most dramatic case i've seen of this- I had a patient who was diagnosed with "conversion disorder" (Aka severe TMS) whose TMS presented as a stroke. She was rushed to the hospital and given lots of tests but nothing was found. Her entire left side was numb and barely moved for weeks! This was ENTIRELY TMS caused! She kept banging her left leg into things and didn't even notice. She did eventually recover, thankfully! So numbness, like any other symptom, can absolutely be caused by the brain and not another disease process. Also- just so you can rest a little easier, MS is really unlikely! I work with lots of folks with MS and numb fingertips is rarely a first sign Hope all goes well for you!

do you feel the TMS work helps people with diagnosed MS ? The symptoms seem to be very TMS in nature as they come and go for that condition and lesions even heal at times...but thoughtss?