What could cause hands to go numb, fingers tingle & hands ice cold??

[NanaDeb]

I have fibromyalgia, arthritis & had some pain in my neck, back, basically all over my body, but having increased neck pain, arms & hands going numb, fingers tingly with my hands becoming ice cold. I have done physical therapy, chiropractic, steroid injections, muscle relaxers, pain meds, arthritis meds, fibromyalgia meds. Frustrated because I try to do for myself, but people have said they was tired of hearing about it & said I was whining & it's all in my head. I know it's REAL. Anyone know what could be going on??

[louiseamos]

Hi nanaDeb..tell me about it..right through my 20 so went doctors with chest pains..from middle back..lower back..only when got in my 30 so did MRI ..by then needed a op.. times gone on..pains in all joints..feel I'll most days..turned down my 2 and operation..been to rumotlist. Waste time..took blood..that was that...my upper back..neck kills ..have my electric blanket on now...can't wait...on morpine...my daughters feet hands are cold..numb most time..went a &we other week has toes were black..blue..looked at me like was dumb.???? I've looked on internet..sounds same..have to be careful when warming back up...but ..and after 18 years going to different doctors with pain..and getting told oh just take them..I've arthritis too..in spine ..if in other joints don't knew..has only had lower back MRI..feel like I am wasting NHS so money... has don't seem to send me to get help..I don't want to take morpie rest my life....feel the same regarding ..feel like its made up in head..when your really feeling itxx

[jinger]

Could it be Raynauds????? The symptoms of Raynauds is quite similar

[NanaDeb]

jinger it isn't Raynaud's because it has to do with my neck. Ever since my neck started hurting worse like it use to I have started having the numbing, tingling & cold feeling. I think it's pinching a nerve or something. I go to Pain Management Monday for refills again so I will tell them Then that this is an issue. I also go to Pain Management on the 1st of the month for test results with the Dr that works on injections so I will also bring it up to him. Probably have to get another CT scan done to find out.

[johnsmith]

Chiropractic is a recommended treatment in the NICE guidelines. So it it is worth seeing if anyone you know knows of a good chiropractor. Then see your GP with a copy of the NICE guidelines. A chiropractor may not cure the problem but they may help reduce it.

[NanaDeb in reply to johnsmith]

I have been to chiropractors before, but seems to be a continuous problem. Will this always be like this to where chiropractic care is the only answer for relief without surgery??

[johnsmith in reply to NanaDeb]

Unfortunately as far as I understand it some problems will be continuous. This is because as we get older there are increasing problems with the functioning of the musculo-skeletal system.

I have 35 years experience of the Alexander Technique as well as teaching T'ai Chi. I am now having to spend more time ensuring good functioning of my muscles than what I had to do 10 years ago. Every time I see my chiropractor I have to have the muscles in my legs stretched. If the muscles were not stretched I would have greater difficulty in walking than what I would otherwise. This is because the tight leg muscles pull on one of the lower vertebra in my back which leads to loss of function in my legs.

The muscles in the body are interconnected. Tight muscles can cause high blood pressure as well as cause arthritic type problems. A tight muscle in ons place can cause a tight muscle elsewhere due to spinal reflexes. Muscles are very good at contracting, but not so good at un-contracting. The problem of a muscle not un-contracting gets worse as one gets older. Muscles work best at their longest length. The more contracted a muscle is the weaker it becomes. You can get a situation whereby you cannot do something and you contract a muscle more and more in order to try and do something. Making yourself more weak in the process. Good functioning requires muscle to be at their longest length.

I have McTimony chiropractor treatment every 6 weeks. I get it on the NHS. It keeps me functioning. I need the treatment because muscles slowly go into spasm and they need to be un-spasmed. The treatment is needed because of a Road traffic accident which damaged the ligaments in my back as well as damaged my neck.

I could give a reason based on my study of biophysics and the functioning of the muscles why repeat visits to a chiropractor are necessarily. This would take up several pages of explanation.

I do not trust surgeons. Many do not have even a basic understanding how the musculo-skeletal system works. How many surgeons see their patients three months after an operation? How many surgeons give more than a basic glance to how a patient is functioning? Yet they claim they know what is wrong. There are many people who have found out at first hand that the so called surgical cure has not worked.

In an Alexander lesson I spend 3/4 hour learning about how my muscles are functioning. In my chiropractic treatment I spend 1/2 an hour on having treatment. When practising T'ai Chi I can spend an hour or so learning how my muscles are moving.

Prior to 1993 many surgeons dismissed chiropractors out of hand. In 1993 the first report that chiropractic treatment was better than physiotherapy came out in the BMJ.

Prior to 1991 it was not possible for a British patient to read their Medical notes. Much got recorded that was not true.

The last physiotherapist I saw on the NHS did not have a clue what spinal reflexes were neither could they understand how spinal reflexes influenced muscle behaviour.

Sorry about the long winded answer.

[NanaDeb]

Thank you so much Ether4!! I will definitely try this!! I did go to chiropractic before & it actually included physical therapy & was really effective, but not for my lower back. They said they couldn't help me & I was getting worse even there so they sent me back to Pain Management for that, but all they keep doing is increasing pain meds which help with overall pain. It does not help at all with that severe back pain in my lumbar region at all. They are saying next thing will be pain patches instead of pills, but I know it won't help either. Something even slips out so far that I can't even move to get out of bed because the pain is excruciating.

[Nonni29 in reply to NanaDeb]

Hi  Nanadeb,    I have had the same problem three MRIs, 3 cervical epidurals, four cortisone shots ,Physical Therapy, chiropractor, Two nerve conduction test, acupuncture, two prescriptions of muscle relaxers and I just went back to the doctor begging to help me that I was hurting so bad and he said what do you want me to do we have tried everything....... he sent me away with a prescription of gabapentin and said that I may need to go see a nerve doctor. Very discouraging. Have you had any luck finding out what's wrong with you? This has been going on for me for about 2 years now and now it's moving from my right hand to my left hand. I still think it's a pinched nerve but nobody can tell where it's at.

[trishj46]

Sounds like you have neuropathy in your hands. I have spinal cord problems and I have bad neuropathy in both feet with either burning or freezing cold. You can get same in hands. Wanted to ask anyone out there is I have bad neuropathy in both feet and has now spread to lower limbs, could my legs become paralyzed????

I was paraplegic after surgery four years ago but regained my legs with vigorous PT.

I am afraid can it go all the way back up my legs and throw me back in w/c?????

I take Neurontin but not much help! Please any input I would appreciate!!

Hugs!

trishj46

[micheleq]

These symptoms look like they could be hypothyroidism. Check out this website. There are over 300 symptoms of hypothyroidism. hypothyroidmom.com/300-hypo...

Print and check off you symptoms. You will need to see a Functional Medicine Doctor to treat hypothyroidism correctly. MD's and Endocrinologists don't do a good job.

Go to this website and find one in your area. Set the distance to 150 miles functionalmedicine.org/prac...

Other websites that are helpful are stopthethyroidmadness.com thepaleomom.com

wheatbelly.com againstallgrain.com

[Saami_P]

Hi NanaDeb,

It looks like you have lots of inventive and informative replies to consider, and I am going to add my tuppence worth.

I have similar pains, although not quite as bad as yours seem. Mine are caused by repetitive stress, mostly using a keyboard and my posture while sitting. These two combined can cause me extreme pain and tingling in the lower arms with cold hands a stiff neck that is sometimes incredibly painful.

If you carry your handbag on your shoulder this too can cause stiffness and pain.

While sleeping I like to ensure that my spine is straight when I sleep on my side, thus I prop my head on two pillows. Most nights this strategy gives me some relief.

I know there are no big words or complicated solutions, I rely on 'Occam's Razor' which states that the simplest answer is usually the right one. On other occasions I like the Holmesian quote: "Once the impossible is removed, the remaining facts, however improbable, must be the truth."

Good luck for your future and I hope that in some little way I have added a little cheer to your day.