law5

I have had some odd numbness problems over the past four weeks. Started as numbness on left side of face and left arm and hand but has spread to numbness all around my face, both fore arms and hands, sometimes even in my feet.

This has been accompanied by neck and shoulder stiffness and pain as well as a off and on headaches from mild to severe. Also a near constant heaviness in my head like a sinus infection (which they treated me for).

I have had no vision troubles.

The head pain was bad enough for me to go to the ER and I had a cat-scan - which was clear. No sign of sinus problems either.

I have also had a CSPINE x-ray which showed:
"C5-6 space is slightly but sig. narrowed with early posterior osteophyte formation at this level. Minimal similar changes at the C6-7 level. Olique films show that the right neural formamina are clear, but on left side, there is slight osteophyte encroachment into the neural foramina at both C5-6 and C6-7 levles. This two level cervical sponylosis would correspond with clinical findings of left arm pain resulting from root pressure."

The best guess so far is that the arthitic problems above may be causing nerve damage which is causing the numbness. Is this sort of numbness in face, both arms, both hands and mildly in both legs/feet reasonably attributable to the athritic problems?

I won't get to see a neurologist for weeks so I am anxious to find something out. For now I am hoping an anti-inflamatory will help.