Ask a doctor on the topic of General medicine

Nervous tingling due to tension.

January 7, 2014 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello,
I regularly (one or two times per year) experience slight tingling (no pain) in my left foot, left hand (wrist), and left side of my head, usually accompanied by slight dizziness. These sensations in all three areas simultaneously fluctuate in intensity (tingling, pulling). I have a few theories, maybe you can provide a plausible perspective:
- Something in my left ear? Perhaps an infection, crystals in the ear (I've heard of this before), also I have more difficulty equalizing pressure in my left ear compared to my right.
- It's likely related to cold, as it only occurs in winter and I enjoy cold air, during skiing, with open windows, etc. This could be due to severe muscle tension in my back or neck, which could in turn cause nerves (?) to harden. The question remains - why ONLY the left side, never the right...?
- I have a high workload at work (mental work), had a burnout 7 years ago, but have since been stable and healthy. Back then, I had all tests done, including an MRI (or was it a CT scan?) of the brain, and everything was fine. My vision is never blurry, just slightly dizzy and a slight tingling.
- Another idea: I work A LOT on the computer, always with the right mouse. Perhaps the cause is ergonomic, causing muscles in the neck to harden and create tension (see above). Hence the question of 'why only one side'...

I appreciate any helpful ideas, I don't expect a 100% definitive answer - I understand the advice to see a doctor, I'm just looking for a likely and provable assessment.

Thank you.

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good day,

Since the right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for the left side of the body, it can be assumed that your discomfort is caused by muscular tension. This aligns with your hypothesis. Since hardly anyone is perfectly straight, there is always one side that is more tense than the other; depending on the type of stress we are under, spinal curvature, or the development of our muscles.

Crystals in the ear only result in unpleasant, movement-dependent dizziness with nausea, but not discomfort in the body. They also have nothing to do with pressure equalization, as they affect the inner, not the middle ear.

Therefore, I consider both the symptoms and the stress you mentioned to be typical of a tension caused by muscles.

If you are unable to prevent the appearance of these symptoms with swimming, physical training, and heat, it is indeed recommended to visit an orthopedist.

I wish you all the best!

Sincerely, Dr. Höllering, specialist in internal and general medicine