Ask a doctor on the topic of Neurology

Problem feeling arms

January 15, 2015 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ralf Berg

Good day,

I am 23 years old and last night I had the feeling that my left arm was losing a bit of strength and was tense, there was also a slight pull in my left cheek and in my left leg. This morning I went to see my general practitioner and he sent me to the hospital. I had various external neurological checks, blood pressure, listened to my heart and an EKG but no scan of my brain. The result was that probably due to my lying position before and stress and a lot of time spent at my desk, I may have something in my neck that radiates to my left side. However, I am still afraid of a mini stroke. I was told to only come back if the symptoms worsen or if I lose strength in my hand or if my arm becomes totally numb. But I continue to learn and I cannot relax my neck because the feeling will probably worsen (I notice that I almost pull my shoulders up to my ears and also tense my jaw). However, I only feel the sensation on the left side. I have also been walking a lot in the last few days, could the feeling in my left leg come from that and the rest really from my neck, and can I trust the statement and not just collapse in the next few hours? How long do I have to observe this, from when can I be sure that nothing else has happened?

Sincerely,

Dr. med. Ralf Berg

Good day dear patient,

I can understand your concerns to some extent, but I also want to assure you that I consider them unfounded.

Based on how you describe the situation, it is not likely that you will collapse and have a stroke in the next few days.

However, the possibility of your symptoms worsening is certainly plausible given the activities you have described.

My suggestion for the weekend is to allow yourself some relaxation (for example, a sauna or hot thermal bath, and if possible, a neck and back massage). If you feel an improvement afterwards, even if it's only for a few hours, the suspected cause will essentially become a certainty.

I have often seen this combination of symptoms in young women who are in a learning/exam situation. Sometimes it helps to have a mirror facing your desk, or to have someone remind you to relax when you start to raise your shoulders or clench your jaw. (The solution: immediately do 1-3 minutes of relaxation exercises, like standing up, circling your arms, actively raising and then dropping your shoulders, letting your arms hang loose, or even doing a few casual dance steps.)

With best regards, Dr. R. C. Berg