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    Numb Face????So confused

    Hello everyone, I have a question about facial numbness, about 3 weeks ago the right side of my face went numb it has gradually gotten worse and now is on both sides of my face neck and even right side of scalp.

    My question is...is it common for ms to effect both sides of the body at once. When I had symptoms in my legs 6 years ago ( burning, pins and needles) along with other stuff I was told(by Neuro) it could not be ms because it was in both legs.

    My understanding is that ms attacks the covering of a nerve exposing that nerve then symptoms accure.

    That makes me think it would be on one side. For it to effect both sides, the nerves that control my face on both sides of my brain would be being attacked at the same time.

    Would love to hear others view on this, because I know from reading posts here that people do have sx on both sides of body at the same time.
    Cheers
    Kathy
    2004 pos/MS 2006 Pos/MS also Pos/Crazy 14/01/2012 here we go againDx RRMS 21/06/2012

    #2
    Happened to me....big time!

    Hi Kathy-

    Yes...it happened to me. I have had only what I call one major flare. It was the mother-of-all-flares.

    Numbness started in my right toe, moved up my leg, into my right arm and hand, started up my neck, entire neck and face, scalp (top and back) and then started down into my left arm and hand. It stopped there...never hit my left leg. So I was able to walk a couple steps before I fell.

    So yes, the whole face, scalp can go numb. At least it did for me.

    My whole flare lasted four months (I did not take steroids). When I recovered, everything went back to normal except three fingers in my left hand which are still numb five years later.

    I have four brain lesions and use to have a spinal lesion. The spinal lesion went away...not sure how, but it did, and I am good with that.

    Katie

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      #3
      Hi Kathy,

      It sounds like you might be experiencing Trigeminal Neuralgia.

      Yes, symptoms can be bilateral. My MS does not play favorites, it affects both sides at the same time. I usually deal with bilateral leg problems.
      Diagnosed 1984
      “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

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        #4
        Facial numbness was first symptom I had in 1999. Across forehead, then about a year later left cheek too.It then went to also include left forearm by 2 years into it.

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          #5
          Originally posted by wally8 View Post
          That makes me think it would be on one side. For it to effect both sides, the nerves that control my face on both sides of my brain would be being attacked at the same time.
          Hi Kathy:
          As far as the fundamentals go, you're on the right track. The body is neurologically "wired" in halves. An injury to nerves (inflammation, demyelination, trauma, whatever) can anatomically affect only the half of the body on that "circuit." For both sides of the body to affected, there has to be nerve damage on both sides. That's where things get a little more complicated.

          The spinal cord isn't terribly wide, so as the two halves butt up against each other within the spinal column, injury or inflammation of sufficient size can cross that midline and affect both sides of the body at the same time. (That's what happens in transverse myelitis.) A symmetric lesion can cause symmetric signs/symptoms.

          Smaller lesions can affect both sides of the central nervous system at the same time, causing problems on both sides at the same time. But chance alone dictates that those lesions won't affect exactly the same structures at exactly the same time, so it's more likely that there will be some difference in the functions affected or some some asymmetry if the functions are similar.

          In the spinal cord, lesions affect functions below them, so it's possible for relatively widely spaced lesions to affect, say, both legs (each leg being affected by a lesion on its own side). The randomness of chance says that there should be some asymmetry, even if it's slight. This is easier to appreciate in "new" disease, when bilateral damage hasn't already accumulated. After damage has already accumulated bilaterally, it's more difficult to distinguish where new lesions are, what functions they're affecting and to what degree, including symmetry.

          In the brain, functions are more widely separated. That reduces the odds of having two separate lesions onset on each side, in exactly the same place at exactly the same time. That can happen, but the odds are against it.

          Because of chance, an asymmetric presentation -- in space, time, or both -- is more likely. While facial numbness on both sides of the face due to MS doesn't have a high probability because of the exactness of where random lesions would have to occur, the probability increases if both sides don't onset at exactly the same time and if there's some asymmetry in the areas affected.

          Bilateral signs/symptoms are certainly possible with MS. The likelihood of it depends on what and how much function is affected, and the timing. Different functions on each side, highly possible. Similar functions depend on the details. Again, it's more likely for both legs to be affected and less likely for both sides of the face to be affected because of the respective anatomy, but the latter is still possible. And if the bilateral effects accumulated over time, also possible and even likely with MS.

          All of that being said, the kind of numbness you described can also be caused by things other than MS.

          What you're describing isn't trigeminal neuralgia. By definition, the suffix -algia means "pain." You didn't say that you have pain, only numbness. You can't have pain without pain. But if it were possible, I'd say that pain that can't be felt is probably the best kind of pain to have.

          Comment


            #6
            Just to clarify:

            At the time of my diagnosis many years ago my symptoms were bilateral. This disease still affects me bilaterally.
            Diagnosed 1984
            “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

            Comment


              #7
              To clarify, simple bilaterality isn't the issue. All it takes for bilaterality is two lesions on opposite sides of the CNS. The odds are 50/50. What's at issue is the likelihood of a simultaneous, symmetric presentation in a relatively small area (such as the side of a face) when the causative lesions have to be in precise locations that are relatively far apart, such that one lesion can't affect both locations without also affecting a larger area.

              For example, two cows are wandering around on a football field (American football), and the time comes for them to deposit their cow pies. They can both leave them anywhere on the east half of the field, they can both leave them anywhere on the west half of the field, or one can leave its pie somewhere on the east side while the other leaves its pie somewhere on the west side. Lesions are like cow pies, and the third scenario is all it takes for simple bilaterality.

              But, what are the odds of both cows, each on its own half of the field, simultaneously dropping their pies perfectly, symmetrically, exactly on the 40 yard line, equidistant from the sidelines? They're not zero, but they're nowhere near 50/50, either.

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                #8
                I have TN (unilaterally, thank heavens), and I believe that it began with the initial transient facial numbness. I don't know that the facial numbness always leads to TN, but in my case i believe it did.

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                  #9
                  BiLateral

                  My MS has always affected both sides of my body, but not necessarily at the same time or equally.
                  Since the lesions that cause me the most trouble are on my cervical spine, when this area flares, It usually affects one side but gradually spreads to the other side until a whole area is affected. The residuals have left everything from my shoulder's down in a constant numb / tingly / tight feeling state.
                  I started having numbness in my face about a year and half ago. It started with numbness in my chin and lips and gradually crawled up the right side of my face. However it has continued to "creep" and now covers my whole face. However, the right side is still worse than the left.
                  Weird disease and most anything is possible.

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                    #10
                    I hope you find relief from this. I am going to consider myself lucky that only my right side is affected, and I am left-handed. So either God is merciful or has the kind of sense of humor I like. If this were happening to both sides of my body, I think I would go mad. It's dibilitating as it is.
                    Dx: 2/3/12. 6-8 lesions right medulla/cervical spine. GLATIRAMER ACETATE 40 mg 1/19, medical marijuana 1/18. Modafinil 7/18, Women's multivitamin, Caltrate + D3, Iron, Vitamin C, Super B Complex, Probiotics, Magnesium, Biotin.

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                      #11
                      I've read several articles that said that bilateral TN is more likely to be seen in the MS population.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, it seems a bit clearer now. Looked up TN & TM and as Redwings said I dont have any pain at all just the numbness also TM seems to be related to spinal lesions and only mentioned sx that effect the trunk not the face, but of course that does'nt mean it still cant be either.

                        Enjoyed your cow pie explaination Redwings, in your reply you spoke about space,time being a factor...this makes sense to me, but the next question is...how much time... So if both sides of my face had gone numb at the same time its more than likely something other than MS because of the cow pie thing But if it started in one side of my face then gradually spread to the other side over a 3 week period, is that condicative of the time, space senario you mention. Is 3 weeks too shorter period for it to be considered MS?

                        So anyone who has or has had facial numbness please share your thoughts on the time,space senario. Whether it effects/effected both sides, one side and or the time frame it took to spread if it did and what you were finally dx with or were suspected of having.

                        I know that I am grasping at straws here, and that an MRI is the best way (hopefully) to answer these questions...but its xmas and everything is closed and Im not likely to get in to see a neuro anytime soon, this wonderful site and you wonderful people are keeping me sane at the moment
                        Thanks so much
                        Kathy
                        2004 pos/MS 2006 Pos/MS also Pos/Crazy 14/01/2012 here we go againDx RRMS 21/06/2012

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