40 replies to this topic

[MSgt]

Sometimes I feel a pressure under both sides of my sholderblades and then it (pressure/heaviness) moves down my arms and into my fingers. Then I have trouble moving my fingers. Once in a while my fingers actually crink up and I can't move them at all. When this happens it usually lasts a couple mins. Then everything is ok. I went to the dr but she said she had never heard of that and had no idea what it was.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? It is kinda scary.

[a little bean]

Sometimes I feel a pressure under both sides of my sholderblades and then it (pressure/heaviness) moves down my arms and into my fingers. Then I have trouble moving my fingers. Once in a while my fingers actually crink up and I can't move them at all. When this happens it usually lasts a couple mins. Then everything is ok. I went to the dr but she said she had never heard of that and had no idea what it was.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? It is kinda scary.

It sounds scary. What did the dr do? Just send you on your way? I say keep getting second opinions until someone can help you.

[mylo]

You're having a heart attack. Please turn off your computer and call 911.

[MSgt]

It sounds scary. What did the dr do? Just send you on your way? I say keep getting second opinions until someone can help you.

She just said Wow! I have no idea what that might be.
It just happened so I thought I would post and see if it happens to anyone else. IT has happened twice in the last four days. Sometimes it only happens a couple times a year. What is scary is when my fingers and thumb curl up and I can't move them at all.

[a little bean]

You're having a heart attack. Please turn off your computer and call 911.

That was my first thought too...

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Hm, found this:

Cervical Disk Syndrome

Cervical disc syndrome (cervical discs are cartilaginous plates lying between bony parts of the backbone in the neck) results from compression of nerve roots arising from the neck part of the spinal cord. It is caused by disc herniation, degeneration, or hyper-extension injury (head moves rapidly toward the back) of the neck backbone. A herniation may develop suddenly or gradually over weeks or months and result in the following symptoms:

* position/movement dependent pain, tingling or numbness in the neck, shoulders, between the shoulder blades, in the arm, hand or fingers (when nerve roots are compressed)
* stumbling gait, difficulty with fine arm and hand moves, and tingling in the body or legs (when the spinal cord is compressed)

Diagnosis is made by CT, MRI or myelography. Therapy includes immobilization, cold therapy followed by heat therapy, cervical traction, analgesics, muscle relaxants, physical therapy or surgical decompression of nerve roots or spinal cord.

I'd push the issue -- either demand that your doctor order up tests and/or refer you to a specialist who will. It could be something like the above, could be a pinched nerve... but it's obviously something not normal.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

I'd want to see a neurologist.

[ngilbert]

She just said Wow! I have no idea what that might be.
It just happened so I thought I would post and see if it happens to anyone else. IT has happened twice in the last four days. Sometimes it only happens a couple times a year. What is scary is when my fingers and thumb curl up and I can't move them at all.

If your heart checks out okay, you may wanna look at the way you sit and work. I only mention it because I knew someone who would get tingling in her fingertips, and sometimes lose feeling there altogether. Turned out that she had her computer monitor too low on her desk. This was 20-odd years ago - back before anyone knew about ergonomics. Working with her head bent down all the time was pinching her spinal column or something and affecting whatever nerves went out to her arms and hands.

It could also be the alien implant in your brain acting up.

[MSgt]

Hm, found this:

Cervical Disk Syndrome

Cervical disc syndrome (cervical discs are cartilaginous plates lying between bony parts of the backbone in the neck) results from compression of nerve roots arising from the neck part of the spinal cord. It is caused by disc herniation, degeneration, or hyper-extension injury (head moves rapidly toward the back) of the neck backbone. A herniation may develop suddenly or gradually over weeks or months and result in the following symptoms:

* position/movement dependent pain, tingling or numbness in the neck, shoulders, between the shoulder blades, in the arm, hand or fingers (when nerve roots are compressed)
* stumbling gait, difficulty with fine arm and hand moves, and tingling in the body or legs (when the spinal cord is compressed)

Diagnosis is made by CT, MRI or myelography. Therapy includes immobilization, cold therapy followed by heat therapy, cervical traction, analgesics, muscle relaxants, physical therapy or surgical decompression of nerve roots or spinal cord.

I'd push the issue -- either demand that your doctor order up tests and/or refer you to a specialist who will. It could be something like the above, could be a pinched nerve... but it's obviously something not normal.

whew... Good, I was worried it was something serious. I knew it wasn't a heart attack because my heart didn't hurt or pound hard.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Have you had an EKG recently? I'd want to rule out heart problems.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

I absolutely hate the fact that your doctor just sent you on your way and didn't look into this further.

[Darthvader]

Sometimes I feel a pressure under both sides of my sholderblades and then it (pressure/heaviness) moves down my arms and into my fingers. Then I have trouble moving my fingers. Once in a while my fingers actually crink up and I can't move them at all. When this happens it usually lasts a couple mins. Then everything is ok. I went to the dr but she said she had never heard of that and had no idea what it was.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? It is kinda scary.

Viagra gone wrong?

[4thgenFolsomite]

whew... Good, I was worried it was something serious. I knew it wasn't a heart attack because my heart didn't hurt or pound hard.

yes, it sounds nerve related, like something pressing against something else. but your doctor sucks for not doing more to figure it out, reassure you, or refer you. you couldn't be with kaiser, I hope. find out what it is so you don't have to resort of getting a diagnosis from us lot!

you deserve better than that, MSgt! We don't want you to be frightened! plus, there may be something you can do about your posture, etc. so you don't keep having to put up with it. you may even be able to get insurance to cover some delightful back massages!!

[MSgt]

yes, it sounds nerve related, like something pressing against something else. but your doctor sucks for not doing more to figure it out, reassure you, or refer you. you couldn't be with kaiser, I hope. find out what it is so you don't have to resort of getting a diagnosis from us lot!

you deserve better than that, MSgt! We don't want you to be frightened! plus, there may be something you can do about your posture, etc. so you don't keep having to put up with it. you may even be able to get insurance to cover some delightful back massages!!

Your right... thanks I made an appt for Thursday AM. It happens when i stand, or sit... doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. I hate going to the dr for stuff like this... it is like going to a mechanic and saying "you know... one time my car did this... and it only happens once in a while" Unless it is happening all the time it is difficult to get diag. I posted about it here because I was wondering if it ever happened to anyone else.

[Bill Z]

She just said Wow! I have no idea what that might be.
It just happened so I thought I would post and see if it happens to anyone else. IT has happened twice in the last four days. Sometimes it only happens a couple times a year. What is scary is when my fingers and thumb curl up and I can't move them at all.

Did she say, let me check into that for you. Or just the Wow part and left it at that.

I would look to change doctor's if my doctor said "Wow! I have no idea what that might be", and didn't immediately follow up with "Let me check into that and I'll get back to you in a couple of days"

For a doctor to say "I have no idea what is wrong with you, see ya, have a nice day" is absolutely a disaster waiting to happen.

If your ticker is fine, I agree with whoever recommended the neurologist. Hopefully the compressed spine is the more likely cause and not something like a tumor in the brain. As you said it has happened occasionaly for a year or more, I think the brain tumor is not likely, but you never know.