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Why Do I Have Numbness On My Left Side?
Question: Hello I am a 32 yr old female. No health conditions. For the past week my left leg has been numb. More like a loss of sensation to the touch. In the past couple of days, my toes on that same leg have been having the tingling, "falling asleep" feeling. This morining I noticed my left hand and fingers have that same tingling feeling, and the numbness is in my left arm. What could this be?
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query. There are four possibilities which point towards the symptoms of tingling of left leg, left arm and left hand.
1) The first possibility is of a spinal cause like stenosis or degeneration which is causing nerve irritation. Nerve irritation may present with tingling and numbness in the upper extremities if cervical spine is involved. Any spinal cause in the lower spine may be associated with tingling in the feet and legs. So to rule out this possibility you need a MRI whole spine done after consulting a neurologist.
2) The second possibility is of diabetes as raised blood sugar levels can cause peripheral neuropathy which causes tingling in the extremities. To rule it out you need to get your fasting blood sugar levels and a HBA1c done.
3) The third possibility is of vitamin B 12 deficiency which is more pronounced if you are a vegetarian. You need to get the levels of vitamin B 12 done to rule out this possibility.
4) The fourth possibility if of a neurological cause. Tingling on the left side of the body means that there may be an abnormality in the right side of the brain. It can be diagnosed by MRI brain and MRS of the brain.
We need to confirm the diagnosis by getting your blood sugar levels, EKG heart, vitamin B 12 levels and a neurological examination from a neurologist done. You should eat a healthy diet consisting more of meat and non veg products which are XXXXXXX sources of vitamin B 12. If you are a vegetarian then you can take vitamin B 12 supplements after consulting your physician.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Thanks for posting your query. There are four possibilities which point towards the symptoms of tingling of left leg, left arm and left hand.
1) The first possibility is of a spinal cause like stenosis or degeneration which is causing nerve irritation. Nerve irritation may present with tingling and numbness in the upper extremities if cervical spine is involved. Any spinal cause in the lower spine may be associated with tingling in the feet and legs. So to rule out this possibility you need a MRI whole spine done after consulting a neurologist.
2) The second possibility is of diabetes as raised blood sugar levels can cause peripheral neuropathy which causes tingling in the extremities. To rule it out you need to get your fasting blood sugar levels and a HBA1c done.
3) The third possibility is of vitamin B 12 deficiency which is more pronounced if you are a vegetarian. You need to get the levels of vitamin B 12 done to rule out this possibility.
4) The fourth possibility if of a neurological cause. Tingling on the left side of the body means that there may be an abnormality in the right side of the brain. It can be diagnosed by MRI brain and MRS of the brain.
We need to confirm the diagnosis by getting your blood sugar levels, EKG heart, vitamin B 12 levels and a neurological examination from a neurologist done. You should eat a healthy diet consisting more of meat and non veg products which are XXXXXXX sources of vitamin B 12. If you are a vegetarian then you can take vitamin B 12 supplements after consulting your physician.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I had all my blood work done in January. This was fasting blood work. Should I go have it checked again?
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for getting back. If you had got done fasting blood work in January then fasting blood sugar levels would have been checked. No need to get them rechecked. Now you should check the reports to see if vitamin B 12 levels were also done. Apart from that, you may need MRI head and spine and MRS brain to check for any spinal and neurological cause. You should consult a neurologist and get these tests done.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Thanks for getting back. If you had got done fasting blood work in January then fasting blood sugar levels would have been checked. No need to get them rechecked. Now you should check the reports to see if vitamin B 12 levels were also done. Apart from that, you may need MRI head and spine and MRS brain to check for any spinal and neurological cause. You should consult a neurologist and get these tests done.
Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Wishing you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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