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Suggest Treatment For Numbness In Face And Limbs

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Posted on Mon, 10 Aug 2015
Question: I hit my head hard on a wall 16 months ago. Had slight numbness in face and limbs which went away in a week. MRI of neck and brain negative. Non stop tinnitus since 16 months and extreme sensitivity to loud and day to day sounds like traffic horns etc. Brain sensitivity to bumps, jerks and quick movements . still can't run or jump I feel shocks in my brain and head and my neck can't absorb shocks like it should I feel. Can't travel in vehicles because bad roads and bumps send shocks to head. All this is slowly improving but taking a lot of time. Taking B vitamins and fishoil since a year. XRAY neck shows loss of cervical lordosis due to muscle spasms. What's going on ? Why is my brain sensitive after that concussion ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Prasanna Heijebu (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Post concussion labyrinthitis?Need an MRI of labyrinth

Detailed Answer:
Hi Sir,

I understand your concussion.

You possibly seem to have post concussion labyrinthine trauma.

This can present with sensation of tinnitus and vertigo.

Damage to Labyrinth can produce such symptoms.

For this I advise you to get MRI of the labyrinth and vestibular testing.

Consultation with an expert Neurosurgeon will help.

Post your further queries if any,
Thank you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Prasanna Heijebu (8 hours later)
Thanks for the reply Doc. I don't have vertigo or dizziness as such, only tinnitus. The pain and fullness in the ears which started after the head trauma completely resolved in 1 year and only residual high pitch sound is left behind. I just have momentarily dizziness maybe once or twice a day buy that maybe stress or too much computer I suspect and it lasts only for 2-3 seconds. I am fine 95% of the time and I don't have vertigo. I took cinnarizine and dimenhydrinate tablets for 3 days but I developed body jerking and random muscle twitching as soon as I fall asleep after taking that medicine which has lasted for about 8 months and slowly fading. I reacted badly to cinnarizine and dimenhydrinate.

Do you still think I had inner ear concussion? I don't exactly remember what happened as soon as I hit my head but maybe the hit was so hard my hearing was shut down for about 2 seconds before returning back. I am not sure but faintly remember this happened.

Other thing I suspect is that I hurt my upper cervical area as well. I read somewhere that upper cervical misalignments are too common in head traumas and often go undiagnosed 95% of the time. What are your thoughts ? I feel even the slightest of bumps when I am traveling in a car. Bad roads, potholes and speed breakers literally drive me crazy I feel every bump as a shock in my head/ brain. Now this has improved and I feel them at the base of my skull in the upper cervical area. I have started neck stretches and exercises to strengthen those muscles in neck to absorb the shocks better.

1.From my experience of going through all this for so long, I believe it's either my upper cervical injury of some sort or some kind of minor inflammation in my brain responsible for this extreme sensitivity and shocks. I would appreciate if you let me know your thoughts on this and also if you think if there can be something else causing my symptoms.

2. Also please give me a solution for tinnitus. Although it's decreased in 16 months its still present always at low levels . I am tired of all this now.

Please share your thoughts or some medicines on the above 2 queries. Thanks for your time

FYI, XRAY neck normal and shows loss of cervical lordosis due to.muscle spasms and MRI neck is normal.
A chiropractor in singapore told me upper cervical C1 is titled 20° and did 12 adjustments on my neck over a month and corrected the misalignment. He told me I would require 12 more adjustments but I couldn't completthe treatment. A physioyyin XXXXXXX told me there is very slight problem at C1 but it doesn't matter and should not cause any problems. I am confused. I am doing the stretches now. She told me I have spasms

They also did 3T MRI brain and repeated scans of auditory organs and nerve. It was negative

Not sure if labyrinth MRI is different. But general MRI of inner ear and brain was normal. No vertigo though
doctor
Answered by Dr. Prasanna Heijebu (29 hours later)
Brief Answer:
You can expect resolution of your symptoms with drugs .

Detailed Answer:
Hi Sir,

I understand your concern.

I have gone through your query in detail.

Post concussion labyrinthine injury has varied presentations.

Since the injury is mild in your case,only tinnitus is the presenting feature.

MRI of the Labyrinth or Internal Acoustic Meatus is a distinct investigation which can assess the degree of injury(nerve hyperexcitability) and recovery of the labyrinthine trauma.

If this investigation is not available in your locality,an alternative ,but lower sensitive investigation is CT of the temporal bone.

Hence I advise you to consult a Radiologist and get this investigation done.

In order to improve your tinnitus,I advise you the following.

1.Tab Clonazepam 0.5 mg one daily at bedtime for 3 months,followed by 0.25 mg for another 3 months.

2.Tab Talo S 2.5 mg at bedtime for 1 month.Consult your physician for the prescription of above two drugs.

3.Another better modality is rTMS(repetitive trans cranial magnetic stimulation) with neuronavigation.This therapy will help to reduce the cerebral excitability associated with tinnitus.You need to consult a neurologist for the same,if tinnitus has not resolved with medical therapy with Tab Clonazepam and Talo S.

4.Biofeedback therapy-. With biofeedback in tinnitus, the goal is to decrease stress and anxiety levels that may be contributing to tinnitus.

For biofeedback success, the patient must be cooperative and committed.
The patient is taught to relax and is encouraged to relate his state of relaxation to the stress of living and the gradual reduction of the tinnitus.

Therapy may require weekly sessions over several months to demonstrate improvement. A psychologist who can work as a team with the otologist to gain maximum benefit from the therapy conducts this therapy.

Up to 80% of patients find some relief of their symptoms, and 20% of patients may find total relief in this therapy.

Post your further queries if any.

Thank you.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
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Answered by
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Dr. Prasanna Heijebu

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 1422 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Numbness In Face And Limbs

Brief Answer: Post concussion labyrinthitis?Need an MRI of labyrinth Detailed Answer: Hi Sir, I understand your concussion. You possibly seem to have post concussion labyrinthine trauma. This can present with sensation of tinnitus and vertigo. Damage to Labyrinth can produce such symptoms. For this I advise you to get MRI of the labyrinth and vestibular testing. Consultation with an expert Neurosurgeon will help. Post your further queries if any, Thank you.