Question:
Wednesday I had a bad headache (thankfully, the only migraine I’ve ever had was one ophthalmic migraine) — felt like a tension headache. (I know this newsgroup is migraine specific, but y’all seem so knowledgeable.) Along with it, the right side of my face, my right hand & my right leg were feeling strange. I had a prickly feeling on my scalp, & my right ear & that side of my face felt like it does when you’ve slept on one side too long — not numb (no loss of feeling or movement) but strange. I do have disk compression syndrome in my neck which causes carpal tunnel symptoms in my right wrist. Wednesday afternoon thru Thursday morning, the ring & little fingers on that hand were tingling. My right leg also felt "prickly" in various places at different times, with definte tingling in a couple of my toes for awhile. I decided since the symptoms lasted overnight & since they were all on the same side, it would be wise to see the doctor. (After lecturing my 82-year-old dad last January when he had a small stroke & didn’t go to the emergency room for 3-4 days, I decided I’d better set a good example. <g) Didn’t think it was a stroke, but it definitely wasn’t normal (for me). He ordered a blood test, prescribed 500mg of naproxen twice a day for 2 weeks, & said he thought it might be inflammation in an artery. Anyone had that/heard of it? What causes it? What problems can it cause? Thanks in advance for any input. Alicia <— feeling better, but had another bad headache this afternoon (& I haven’t had headaches often the past decade or so, thankfully)
Response:
he thought it might be inflammation in an artery. Anyone had that/heard of it? What causes it? What problems can it cause?
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Response:
It would be worthwhile seeing a neurologist. There are troubling loose ends in what you’ve been told. Wednesday I had a bad headache (thankfully, the only migraine I’ve ever had was one ophthalmic migraine) — felt like a tension headache. (I know this newsgroup is migraine specific, but y’all seem so knowledgeable.) Along with it, the right side of my face, my right hand & my right leg were feeling strange. I had a prickly feeling on my scalp, & my right ear & that side of my face felt like it does when you’ve slept on one side too long — not numb (no loss of feeling or movement) but strange. I do have disk compression syndrome in my neck which causes carpal tunnel symptoms in my right
wrist. No, disk compression in the neck could cause tingling and numbness in the hand, but the distribution (the areas affected) would be different for a neck problem and carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the palmar side of the hand, not the dorsum. Cervical nerve root problems get both sides. Wednesday afternoon thru Thursday morning, the ring & little fingers on that hand were tingling.
If alone, that would suggest ulnar nerve neuropathy, but with everything else going on at the same time, it must be central (in the brain). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My right leg also felt "prickly" in various places at different times, with definte tingling in a couple of my toes for awhile. I decided since the symptoms lasted overnight & since they were all on the same side, it would be wise to see the doctor. (After lecturing my 82-year-old dad last January when he had a small stroke & didn’t go to the emergency room for 3-4 days, I decided I’d better set a good example. <g) Didn’t think it was a stroke, but it definitely wasn’t normal (for me). He ordered a blood test, prescribed 500mg of naproxen twice a day for 2 weeks, & said he thought it might be inflammation in an artery. Anyone had that/heard of it? What causes it? What problems can it cause?
Here’s where it becomes important to see a neurologist first and perhaps, depending on what the neurologist says, a rheumatologist. Inflammation in an artery is vasculitis, often caused by systemic diseases such as lupus erythematosis. Those have effects on the kidneys and other organs as well as the brain and can kill through their effect on the brain or through other organ failure. IF you have one of those (and the ER doc may be in error), you may need long-term treatment and may need other medicines besides naproxen. Vasculitis severe enough to cause those symptoms needs attention in a hurry. The symptom pattern could also be caused by basilar migraine. That might be much less dangerous, but there is a slightly increased risk of stroke with that type of migraine. Please let us know how it works out. Sandy L – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks in advance for any input. Alicia <— feeling better, but had another bad headache this afternoon (& I haven’t had headaches often the past decade or so, thankfully)
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