Month: September 2007

What is Paresthesia?

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Paresthesia refers to a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body. The sensation, which happens without warning, is usually painless and described as tingling or numbness, skin crawling, or itching.Most people have experienced temporary paresthesia — a feeling of “pins and needles” — at some time in their lives when they have sat with legs crossed for too long, or fallen asleep with an arm crooked under their head. It happens when sustained pressure is placed on a nerve. The feeling quickly goes away once the pressure is relieved.Chronic paresthesia is often a symptom of an underlying neurological disease or traumatic nerve damage. Paresthesia can be caused by disorders affecting the central nervous system, such as stroke and transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes), … Read more

Visit to a New Neurologist

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Today I saw a new neurologist. I wanted to get his opinion and see if he had any ideas. When I arrived I of course gave my medical history and described my symptoms. My blood pressure was really high, like 145/94, which may have been caused by either the Advil or amitrityptline I took last week. The doctor recommended I pursue the high blood pressure with my internist. While, I don’t like my current internist, so I called a schedule an appointment with a new one. On to the exam with the neurologist. He examined me by doing a neurological exam and did a few things on my head that I don’t think I had done before. For example, he pricked a few various areas in my scalp and also banged on the back of my neck by the nerves. … Read more

Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome

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In Tolosa-Hunt syndrome, inflammation of the cavernous sinus (behind the eyes) causes severe eye pain and irritation or damage of the nerves of the face. Males and females are affected equally by Tolosa-Hunt syndrome, which usually affects people more than 20 years old. Symptoms Tolosa-Hunt syndrome begins with severe pain behind or around one eye that comes on suddenly. The pain can be constant and intense. As the sinus inflammation increases and spreads, nerves in the face can be affected, producing symptoms such as drooping eyelid  of the affected eye or numbness and tingling in the forehead. Difficulty controlling eye movements and the pupil may cause sensitivity to light and double or blurred vision. If left untreated, vision loss is possible. Diagnosis The International Headache Society criteria for Tolosa-Hunt syndrome are: One-sided eye pain for an average of 8 weeks … Read more

Working Out

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Even though I have had a continuous headache for nearly 15 months now, I still find time nearly everyday to work out, although it is not quite the same as before my wisdom teeth were removed. I did cross country and track in high school and usually would work out by going for a long bike ride or a long run and sometimes both. Now I don’t go running much anymore, once a week at most usually. I also don’t bike quite as much either. I do of swimming and weight lifting these days. I don’t get the same feel good feelings out of swimming as I do with running; however, it still is a workout and usually helps calm down my headache, where as running sometimes makes my headache worse. Another reason why I don’t run much at all … Read more

You might want to get another dentist if..

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Written By Brian Matthews Recently, my stepson Mark had his “wisdom teeth” removed. Mark is 12, but according to the oral surgeon, he has the jaw of a 17-year-old. This was just the information Mark needs to further boost his growing sense of being. I imagine Mark being in school bragging to a girl at lunch that his jaw is really old enough to be in high school. Girls like it when you talk about the relative skeletal ages you possess, right? I wish I knew where he got the jaw of a 17-year-old. I have the toenails of a man three years post mortem and the teeth of someone 27 years older than me. This is why I finally made an appointment to go to the dentist. I wasn’t avoiding a visit to the dental professionals because I didn’t … Read more