Numb left shin
March 3, 2014 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ralf Berg
Hello,
my left shin down to the side of my foot has been numb for about 5 months now.
It all started with a fall at work on my left knee.
After a visit to the hospital, it was discovered that the knee was fractured and there was a lot of blood inside.
The numbness started about 3 days after the fall with a stabbing pain from my foot to my thigh.
After a neurologist appointment, I was sent for an MRI with suspicion of MS --> No findings
An MRI of the cervical spine and skull was also done --> No findings
Now my neurologist doesn't know what to do next as the numbness is measurable but no cause can be found.
He wants to wait another 2 months and then if it doesn't improve, do a spinal tap.
Hello dear questioner,
I am missing your question here, but I assume you want to know if the procedure so far has been okay and if you want to go ahead with the lumbar puncture = cerebrospinal fluid extraction.
Indeed, if the neurologist can measure the numbness but cannot attribute it to a peripheral nerve or nerve root, it can be puzzling to determine the possible causes. Another thing to consider is ruling out a thrombosis. This can sometimes cause numbness in addition to a feeling of heaviness in the lower leg, which may be difficult to place. Your general practitioner can perform a laboratory test (D-dimers), or refer you to an internist who can conduct a Doppler ultrasound of the veins.
If these steps do not provide any answers, it may be necessary to consider an inflammatory or spinal cause and further investigate this through a cerebrospinal fluid puncture.
Best regards, R. C. Berg
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