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What Causes Electric Shock Like Sensation Running Down Legs When I Sneeze?
Question: Hi, I feel electric shock like sensation running down my legs when I sneeze, cough or clear my throat or any jerky movement on my body. Also some time if there is a jerk in neck when looking at left side which is a sudden movement of neck on the left side. Also some stiffness in back just below the neck. No pain but electric shock like sensation running down both the legs and some times I feel a click in both knees. Also, I visited my PCP and she referred me to Neurologist. My appointment with Neuro is next week. She ordered B12 test and my result for vitamin B12 is 193 which I believe is very low. What can be the reason?
Brief Answer:
Yes it does look like B12 deficiency
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
It does seem to be due to Vit B12 deficiency. Vit B12 is important for the nuerons both central and peripheral. Any value less than 250 is suggestive of b12 deficiency. Classically it presents with parasthesias, progressive weakness, ataxia, dementia and megaloblastic anemia. It occurs in predisposed malnutrioned individuals or in alcoholics or vegans mostly.
Parenteral Vit B12 should be used in your case till the symptoms of B12 are gone then as maintenance treatment oral Vit B12 may be used.
Another differential may be multiple sclerosis however its unlikely in the context that your B12 level is low. Hope it helps.
Dr. Khan
Yes it does look like B12 deficiency
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
It does seem to be due to Vit B12 deficiency. Vit B12 is important for the nuerons both central and peripheral. Any value less than 250 is suggestive of b12 deficiency. Classically it presents with parasthesias, progressive weakness, ataxia, dementia and megaloblastic anemia. It occurs in predisposed malnutrioned individuals or in alcoholics or vegans mostly.
Parenteral Vit B12 should be used in your case till the symptoms of B12 are gone then as maintenance treatment oral Vit B12 may be used.
Another differential may be multiple sclerosis however its unlikely in the context that your B12 level is low. Hope it helps.
Dr. Khan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dr. XXXXXXX
thanks for your reply. I want to add couple of things here. I am not a vegan and eat enough meat and eggs and other dairy products. I do take 20mg omeprazole every day for the last 8 years due to severe acid re-flux (GERD). I have read on several medical websites like webmd that long term use of omeprazole can result in malabsorption of B12. Also couple of more symptoms which I am feeling other than electric shock like sensation are:
1. Occasional head ache on back of head and stiffness on neck and area below neck.
2. Some stiffness in back below neck.
3. On my left hand some times I feel weakness in little finger or very occasionally numbness.
4. My main symptom is electric shock like sensation running down both the legs with jerky movements in body (Sneeze, Cough, hiccups etc.) and when moving neck with sudden movement to either left or right.
5. I dont have any problem when I move my head down or bend my neck closer to chest.
6. I am 38 male from XXXXXXX if that helps in your diagnosis.
thanks for your reply. I want to add couple of things here. I am not a vegan and eat enough meat and eggs and other dairy products. I do take 20mg omeprazole every day for the last 8 years due to severe acid re-flux (GERD). I have read on several medical websites like webmd that long term use of omeprazole can result in malabsorption of B12. Also couple of more symptoms which I am feeling other than electric shock like sensation are:
1. Occasional head ache on back of head and stiffness on neck and area below neck.
2. Some stiffness in back below neck.
3. On my left hand some times I feel weakness in little finger or very occasionally numbness.
4. My main symptom is electric shock like sensation running down both the legs with jerky movements in body (Sneeze, Cough, hiccups etc.) and when moving neck with sudden movement to either left or right.
5. I dont have any problem when I move my head down or bend my neck closer to chest.
6. I am 38 male from XXXXXXX if that helps in your diagnosis.
Brief Answer:
ruling out cervical spondylosis
Detailed Answer:
hi,
thank you for writing out your symptoms in detail. Now that you have mentioned your symptoms in detail especially telling me about little finger numbness, I would be interested in ruling out cervical spondylosis, apart from the Vit b12 deficiency. It has this classic neck pain along with parasthesias in the hand. Although the classic sign of electric shock like sensation occurs with neck flexion, in your case its sneeing as you say, still I think we need to rule out . Since this electric shock like sensation on neck flexion is classic of two diseases ie cervical spondylosis and multiple sclerosis. Although your age is not classic for cervical spondylosis but your symptoms are suggestive necessitating the ruling out of this disease. On physical examination your physician would do spurlings test and the shoulder abduction relief test. on nueroimaging although MRI is the initial imaging test of choice, CT myelography remains to be the goldstandard. Ultimate confirmation of the diagnosis is done on needle electromyography.
With all that said, it doesn't mean that your B12 deficiency doesn't need to get treated. That should be your focus now as well. Yes PPIs long term use do cause B12 deficiency since it decreases acid production along with that the intrinsic factor production decreases. Also Why don't you try chewing sugar free gums for your GERD. It helps alot in relieving GERD symtoms. Thank you
Dr. Khan
ruling out cervical spondylosis
Detailed Answer:
hi,
thank you for writing out your symptoms in detail. Now that you have mentioned your symptoms in detail especially telling me about little finger numbness, I would be interested in ruling out cervical spondylosis, apart from the Vit b12 deficiency. It has this classic neck pain along with parasthesias in the hand. Although the classic sign of electric shock like sensation occurs with neck flexion, in your case its sneeing as you say, still I think we need to rule out . Since this electric shock like sensation on neck flexion is classic of two diseases ie cervical spondylosis and multiple sclerosis. Although your age is not classic for cervical spondylosis but your symptoms are suggestive necessitating the ruling out of this disease. On physical examination your physician would do spurlings test and the shoulder abduction relief test. on nueroimaging although MRI is the initial imaging test of choice, CT myelography remains to be the goldstandard. Ultimate confirmation of the diagnosis is done on needle electromyography.
With all that said, it doesn't mean that your B12 deficiency doesn't need to get treated. That should be your focus now as well. Yes PPIs long term use do cause B12 deficiency since it decreases acid production along with that the intrinsic factor production decreases. Also Why don't you try chewing sugar free gums for your GERD. It helps alot in relieving GERD symtoms. Thank you
Dr. Khan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dr. XXXXXXX
I am not clear from your response. Are you suggesting that it's most likely Cervical spondalysis or you are completely ruling out cervical spondalysis?
What I understood from your response is that these symptoms are suggesting cervical spondalysis and my physician need to treat cervical
I spoke to my PCPM last night and she is starting treatment for B12 with one injection per week for next 8 weeks and then 1 injection per month for 4 months after that. After 6 months they will check vitamin B12 level.
Also, my dad has cervical spondalysis and he was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis at the age of 39.
Do you think it can be MS?
Please clarify.
I am not clear from your response. Are you suggesting that it's most likely Cervical spondalysis or you are completely ruling out cervical spondalysis?
What I understood from your response is that these symptoms are suggesting cervical spondalysis and my physician need to treat cervical
I spoke to my PCPM last night and she is starting treatment for B12 with one injection per week for next 8 weeks and then 1 injection per month for 4 months after that. After 6 months they will check vitamin B12 level.
Also, my dad has cervical spondalysis and he was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis at the age of 39.
Do you think it can be MS?
Please clarify.
Brief Answer:
get B12 treated and rule out cervical spondylosis
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You do have Vit B12 deficiency getting that treated is the first thing, but you may discuss with your physician about ruling out cervical spondylosis as a diagnosis as well since your symptoms are somewhat consistent with it. Multiple sclerosis is unlikely. Hope it helps.
Dr. Khan
get B12 treated and rule out cervical spondylosis
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You do have Vit B12 deficiency getting that treated is the first thing, but you may discuss with your physician about ruling out cervical spondylosis as a diagnosis as well since your symptoms are somewhat consistent with it. Multiple sclerosis is unlikely. Hope it helps.
Dr. Khan
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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