throat numbness

[jaimec10]

I have a crazy symptom and want to ask if anyone else has experienced it. The right side of my throat is completely numb. It has been numb since 2013 and never came back. I'm wondering if I'm the only one. Thanks.

[rdmc]

I have a crazy symptom and want to ask if anyone else has experienced it. The right side of my throat is completely numb. It has been numb since 2013 and never came back. I'm wondering if I'm the only one. Thanks.

Hi,

I have throat numbness on one side but it's not my whole throat, more like a patch at the back of my throat and palette. I have other sensory issues with that side of my mouth and tongue as well as muscle weakness on that side. From what I'm told it is caused by a lesion that affects the lower cranial nerves.

It's important to bring this to your neuro's attention. Numbness can affect swallowing, and I'd imagine they'd want to do a swallow study.

Symptoms in my mouth/throat were presenting symptoms almost 20 years ago...MS was not even on the radar until other symptoms started accumulating a few years after the mouth symptoms. Same with me in that since the symptoms in that area started, they have never fully remitted...it has been a slow, but steady progression of symptoms and function of that part of my face, tongue, and throat.

Have they ever tested your gag reflex? I'd bet you don't have one on that side of your throat. Next time when you have an MRI, remind your neuro about your throat numbness and see if during the MRI they can take a closer look at the area of the lower cranial nerves.

Hope you get some answers

[poohb3ar]

numbness is my biggest symptom.
the majority of my whole body (almost all skin, can feel in a few patches/ places)

the last to go numb was my lips, tongue, mouth and halfway down my throat.

when my throat went numb (it's all around numb), i started having swallowing problems (dysplasyia sp?)
they ran the barium test on me. thank goodness, it's only liquids i aspirate (swallow wrong).
i have to add a thickener to everything i drink or it usually ends up in my lungs, which, of course, can have bad side affects.

i would definitely tell your dr. may not do anything since it's been awhile and if you're not having swallowing issues. but i think it would be something dr. would need to be aware of.

praying it gets better!

take care & God bless ya!

[22cyclist]

I have the numb tongue syndrome that you all speak of. I also get metallic tongue where everything on one side tastes like metal. My throat will go numb on one side. Mine was all due to a lower pontine lesion. Like Phoo said, get in to see a speech therapist so they can evaluate your swallowing. (They can do the same swallowing studies), except theirs are generally modified for thickened liquids, sold food, things like pudding etc. The coat it in neon green and you watch as the camera goes down there to check it out. It is pretty cool to see (in a morbid way I guess) how much food an MSer can hold in there upper pharyngeal pouches. Sometimes water doesn't even clear it.

They will give you tricks to make things go down.

I agree with the others, this is definitely worth a call.

Take care
Lisa