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What Causes Pain In The Arms And Legs, Headache, Disorientation And Restlessness?
Question: my mother is 70 years old and in the emergency room for 2 days. She has had 3 episodes of the following:
Extreme chest and arm pain (level 10 from a 1 to 10 scale)
Her legs get jumpy and jerky
Extreme pain in her stomach
Headache
They are doing all sorts of heart tests that have come back normal. My mother normally has very low blood pressure but during an episode the blood pressure goes through the roof. 220 over 120 during the episode. Pain across the chest. Pain inside of both arms and both legs. Jerking movement in legs. During these extreme pain episodes she is disoriented and restless.
Extreme chest and arm pain (level 10 from a 1 to 10 scale)
Her legs get jumpy and jerky
Extreme pain in her stomach
Headache
They are doing all sorts of heart tests that have come back normal. My mother normally has very low blood pressure but during an episode the blood pressure goes through the roof. 220 over 120 during the episode. Pain across the chest. Pain inside of both arms and both legs. Jerking movement in legs. During these extreme pain episodes she is disoriented and restless.
Brief Answer:
As discussed in details.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Noted the history about your Mother and understood the concerns.
The probable differential diagnosis as per the information you have given can be:
Raised blood pressure causing irritation at the central nervous system, the basic cause could have been aneurysm in the brain or bleed or irritation at the high spinal level thus causing pain and the jerks; disorientation and restlessness being central nervous dysfunction.
This is by exclusion as you have mentioned that heart tests are normal.
I would advise the following:
An opinion of a Neurologist for clinical evaluation, examination and advise further investigations.
MRI and MRA that is angiography of the Brain and upper spinal canal and neck blood vessels.
I hope this answer helps for getting an early diagnosis and proper management.
Please talk to your Doctors about this so that one more avenue of an early diagnosis can be made.
Please give feedback and also any other information that can add to my knowledge so that I can assist you better.
As discussed in details.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Noted the history about your Mother and understood the concerns.
The probable differential diagnosis as per the information you have given can be:
Raised blood pressure causing irritation at the central nervous system, the basic cause could have been aneurysm in the brain or bleed or irritation at the high spinal level thus causing pain and the jerks; disorientation and restlessness being central nervous dysfunction.
This is by exclusion as you have mentioned that heart tests are normal.
I would advise the following:
An opinion of a Neurologist for clinical evaluation, examination and advise further investigations.
MRI and MRA that is angiography of the Brain and upper spinal canal and neck blood vessels.
I hope this answer helps for getting an early diagnosis and proper management.
Please talk to your Doctors about this so that one more avenue of an early diagnosis can be made.
Please give feedback and also any other information that can add to my knowledge so that I can assist you better.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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