numbness from drinking

[eits]

wow. you're an even worse "doctor" than anyone thought.



so.. taking 1 asprin on average maybe once every 6-8 months, is a "regular basis" ??

no wonder you're considered a quack here.



hmm.. you didn't ask if i was taking acetaminophen.
didn't take proper history? check.

just stop posting and do yourself a favor. i wonder how many patients you lose every time you post and look like a fool.

haha you're delusional. you said you took aspirin. also, having a headache once every 6-8 months is normal. but as you get older, without having proper alignment and load distribution, you'll undoubtedly need to start taking otc's more often.

i know how to take a proper history... i take a damn good history, too. i don't have to take a history in here because there's no point to. you take a history in order to try and narrow a diagnosis. since i'm not trying to diagnose anything, there's no point.

a headache that feels like a "mild migraine" is almost always a tension/cervicogenic headache (which is always caused by one or more misalignments). numbness/pain into the c8 dermatome is also caused by a misalignment in the neck. therefore, it's highly likely that he's got a problem with his neck that should be addressed.

it's like you think physiology is hocus pocus or something. you really need to get over your issue.

 

[LordMorpheus]

not always... especially not when it's the right side and when it's a specific dermatome and not most of the extremity.

I thought they were more indicative of super-cancer of the brain.

 

[guyver01]

you take a history in order to try and narrow a diagnosis. since i'm not trying to diagnose anything, there's no point.

oh but you are. you are trying to diagnose.

most likely cause = misalignment in your neck is pinching the c8 nerve root... because the neck is misaligned, the muscles in the neck tighten up and are trying to stabilize it, giving you a cervicogenic (aka tension) headache (which most people call "mild migraines")

because you are a chiropractor, your first thought instantly went to "oh.. he's got a neck alignment issue" .. not "oh.. he's a stupid kid and drank himself stupid" which is probably the case.

Did you ask if this happened often? no.
Did you ask if this happens every time he drinks? no.

And you wonder why people on this board dislike you.

 

[eits]

oh but you are. you are trying to diagnose.



because you are a chiropractor, your first thought instantly went to "oh.. he's got a neck alignment issue" .. not "oh.. he's a stupid kid and drank himself stupid" which is probably the case.

Did you ask if this happened often? no.
Did you ask if this happens every time he drinks? no.

And you wonder why people on this board dislike you.

no, i'm not trying to diagnose. i'm speculating and advising the op to see a chiropractor to diagnose.

alcohol isn't going to cause a neuropathy of the right c8 nerve. it can, however, cause someone to move their head in a different way as to exacerbate a misalignment to where, once sober, would manifest in a cervicogenic headache and pressure on the right c8 nerve root.

this is frigging silly. just stop. you have no idea what you're talking about, you're making me repeat myself a million times because you're too dense to comprehend a goddamn thing i'm saying, and you keep making an ass of yourself. just stop. it's getting ridiculous and you've successfully hijacked this thread.

if i see another post from you attacking me in any way or not contributing whatsoever to the thread, i'm gonna report you for trolling, because it's basically all you're doing.

 

[UnatcoAgent]

oh but you are. you are trying to diagnose.



because you are a chiropractor, your first thought instantly went to "oh.. he's got a neck alignment issue" .. not "oh.. he's a stupid kid and drank himself stupid" which is probably the case.

Did you ask if this happened often? no.
Did you ask if this happens every time he drinks? no.

And you wonder why people on this board dislike you.

The guy was giving him some advice, which the OP was looking for, it's more than you have done in this thread. Why don't you just cool your heels a bit.

 

[zinfamous]

😕 wat?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migraine

yeah, i don't get that either.

generally, there's migraine with aura, and migraine without aura. Maybe GA meant there is no such thing as mild migraine?

There is certainly nothing mild about a migraine, with or without aura.

 

[TheVrolok]

most likely cause = misalignment in your neck is pinching the c8 nerve root... because the neck is misaligned, the muscles in the neck tighten up and are trying to stabilize it, giving you a cervicogenic (aka tension) headache (which most people call "mild migraines")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tension_headache
http://www.vancouverspinedoctor.com/images/whiplash_anatomy.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Gray812and814.PNG
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0115/afp20100115p147-f2.jpg

Outta curiosity, what makes you determine it's C8 impingement in the cervical spine? Why not the more likely ulnar nerve impingement further down (post brachial plexus) .. who knows, maybe some sort of elbow issue/bursitis that's impinging on the ulnar nerve there. If it were truly impingement at C8, he would likely have some sort of symptoms from the median, medial pectoral, medial brachial cutaneous, and medial antebrachial cutaneous given that fibers from C8 compose all of those nerves post brachial plexus. However, the only symptoms he's expressing is a cutaneous numbness in the dermatone supplied by the ulnar nerve, and not necessarily all of C8. And yes, obviously T1 extends some fibers to these nerves as well, but I don't see any reason to assume the entirety of C8 is compromised at the spine. Even this is all highly speculative.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

So for the past two days I haven't been able to fully feel my right ring and pinky finger (I would say 85% of the sensation is there). To top it off, I have a mild migraine. Is this anything really serious? I will probably see a doctor soon. In the mean time, anyone experienced anything similar?

Did you bang your elbow? Sounds like your ulner nerve has been damaged...

Bending of the elbow causes the nerve to stretch several millimetres. Frequent bending of the elbow in activities such as pulling levers, reaching or lifting causes the nerve to become irritated and inflamed.

No fapping for you!

 

[PlasmaBomb]

^PS. Look up ulner nerve if you want, if it's just banged a NSAID should reduce the inflammation and help clear it up.

If you can't think of anything (resting your head on your hand and elbow on the table can cause it too, look up the common causes (ulner nerve palsy)) go and see a doctor.

Mild headache may just be a result of drinking...

Dehydration/hangover. Has it improved since yesterday? Keep an eye on it. If you are seeing the doctor you might as well mention it.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

It's the result of the lack of B vitamins, specifically thiamine.
Alcohol flushes it from the body. This results is the numbness you have. If you drink long enough it will cause more severe neurological damage in your brain.
From time to time you might have seen health groups propose that small amounts of thiamine be added to alcoholic beverages to prevent this.

Your body (normally) contains ~ 1 months supply of thiamine, it is unlikely that the OP would be deficient after one drinking session. The lack of other affected appendages suggests that this is not the problem.

If he is a chronic drinker then it's another story.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

While you were drunk, you banged your funny bone on something, talked or texted on your cell phone too much while resting your elbow on a table or something, slept with your arm bent/compressed, or engaged in some weird/prolonged sexual position that put strain on your axilla, elbow, or wrist.

Ring and pinky finger numbness and tingling suggests you banged or stretched your ulnar nerve (usually at or below the elbow but could be higher). Headache is probably unrelated, maybe its the hang-over.

^ sorry I didn't fully read the thread before posting.

This. Credit to tcsenter :thumbsup:

 

[RearAdmiral]

You have AIDS, sorry broseph.

 

[ebaycj]

Yeah I figured that, I just hope this isn't permanent.

Drink water. Lots of water. And take a multi-vitamin. And, if necessary, take some advil/tylenol/whatever works for you. You'll be fine.

 

[caddlad]

numbnuts from drinking

Fap furiously. Everyone knows this.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

All the classic symptoms of brain hemorrhage. Nice knowing you.

It was fun watching guyver01 go all aspergerburger on eits. What a spaz.

 

[eits]

Outta curiosity, what makes you determine it's C8 impingement in the cervical spine? Why not the more likely ulnar nerve impingement further down (post brachial plexus) .. who knows, maybe some sort of elbow issue/bursitis that's impinging on the ulnar nerve there. If it were truly impingement at C8, he would likely have some sort of symptoms from the median, medial pectoral, medial brachial cutaneous, and medial antebrachial cutaneous given that fibers from C8 compose all of those nerves post brachial plexus. However, the only symptoms he's expressing is a cutaneous numbness in the dermatone supplied by the ulnar nerve, and not necessarily all of C8. And yes, obviously T1 extends some fibers to these nerves as well, but I don't see any reason to assume the entirety of C8 is compromised at the spine. Even this is all highly speculative.

there's a difference between nerve compression and nerve root impingement. as you're obviously aware, there's a ventral and dorsal nerve root that makes up the nerve. if the nerve root is being irritated by facet encroachment or an osteophyte on the ganglion or posterior aspect of the nerve, it could affect the sensory portion of the nerve and not the motor. it's mainly when you see osteophytes from the posterior bodies of the vertebrae on the nerve or nuclear material on the nerve or even a spondylo compressing the nerve that you have motor and/or sensory deficits.

furthermore, without doing an exam, it's hard to know whether he's got motor deficits in his finger flexion strength. the c8 involvement in a majority of the brachial plexus is really minor, except for the ulnar nerve. the other nerves kinda pick up c8's slack. furthermore, a dermatome is embryological and neurologically significant in determining where there's a problem along the spine. is it possible that his problem is elsewhere along the nerve's path (double crush syndrome)? absolutely. that's why i said to get checked out by a chiropractor, because i don't know without doing a history and exam. i'm simply speculating based on the info he gave me. it sure as hell isn't something life threatening, though.

i don't know a single person who doesn't know what a hangover headache feels like or know that it's pretty much something that'll happen if you drink too much. i'm making the assumption that the op is smart enough to know the difference between a hangover headache and a headache.

"mild migraines" are almost always tension (aka cervicogenic) headaches. it's really likely that if he has an issue in his neck that would be causing paresthesia at c8 dermatome that it could also be triggering a tension headache. that seems like the simplest explanation to me... not the off-chance that he banged his elbow hard enough to cause a neuropathy (without a bruise or tenderness of his right elbow) or and has a typical hangover headache (that he was dumb enough to not realize he would have after drinking).

maybe the op is dumb enough to have that scenario be what really happened, but i'm gonna give him a little more credit than that (even though his handle would suggest i shouldn't 😉).

 

[GlacierFreeze]

...
furthermore, without doing an exam,
...

Then stfu.

He should go to a regular doctor first. If he then refers him to a chiropractor, so be it. I know a chiropractor ain't gonna be my first damn stop when I get hurt or have unusual symptoms.

 

[tcsenter]

^ sorry I didn't fully read the thread before posting.

This. Credit to tcsenter :thumbsup:

I know because I have it all the time. Any time that I rest my elbow or forearm on some horizontal surface such as a table, desktop, the back of a chair, sometimes even an arm rest in a car, I somehow compress my ulnar nerve, making my pinky and ring fingers numb and tingly.

 

[eits]

Then stfu.

He should go to a regular doctor first. If he then refers him to a chiropractor, so be it. I know a chiropractor ain't gonna be my first damn stop when I get hurt or have unusual symptoms.

it depends on the symptoms you're having and having the knowledge of knowing where to go when you have certain symptoms. in the op's case, a chiropractor would be the logical choice. however, if he was having trouble breathing or something or had pain and swelling in his calf, then obviously, a medical doctor would be the one to see.

 

[eits]

I know because I have it all the time. Any time that I rest my elbow or forearm on some horizontal surface such as a table, desktop, the back of a chair, sometimes even an arm rest in a car, I somehow compress my ulnar nerve, making my pinky and ring fingers numb and tingly.

but it goes away... your hand wakes up and you're back to normal until you put your elbow on another horizontal surface.

if that's what was going on with the op, he wouldn't post about it as being something that's been going on for two days.

i don't know what the hell kind of rockstar hangover you've gotta have in order to have a headache for two days.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

it depends on the symptoms you're having and having the knowledge of knowing where to go when you have certain symptoms. ...

So you're advocating self diagnosis and/or Internet diagnosis?

Neither of those are usually ever good ideas. That's the main reason the other guy was arguing with you so much. People should see a medical doctor first. If that doctor wants to refer them to a specialist of some kind, then that's fine. But to get the general public (the same people that give the Darwin Award a purpose) self diagnosing when they 1) have no idea what the hell they're doing and only think they do 2) can't run tests of any kind, then it becomes kind of an idiotic and moot action.

 

[TheVrolok]

... snip ...

I understand spinal nerves, my point is the only symptom he's expressing is a sensory deficit in the dermatone supplied by the ulnar nerve. If the issue was with C8 at it's root, there would most likely be other symptoms. It sounds more plausible that the issue is occurring down the path of the nerve, most likely post brachial plexus, and even more likely, probably in the elbow. I just don't see any conclusive evidence that there is an impingement in the cervical spine. A possible tension headache? Possibly... but there are no other neurological symptoms. There are many, many things that could also be giving him a headache.

 

[eits]

I understand spinal nerves, my point is the only symptom he's expressing is a sensory deficit in the dermatone supplied by the ulnar nerve. If the issue was with C8 at it's root, there would most likely be other symptoms. It sounds more plausible that the issue is occurring down the path of the nerve, most likely post brachial plexus, and even more likely, probably in the elbow. I just don't see any conclusive evidence that there is an impingement in the cervical spine. A possible tension headache? Possibly... but there are no other neurological symptoms. There are many, many things that could also be giving him a headache.

you don't always have neurological symptoms with cervicogenic headaches.

you're right, there could possibly be an issue with the brachial plexus... probably impingement because of hypertonic muscles possibly?... but, first, i'd shoot the neck and see what's going on. if there's nothing on the oblique, then it's possible that it's something else, like a brachial plexus issue.

and, no, he wouldn't necessarily have other symptoms if it was c8 nerve root. i've seen it plenty of times. i've even seen that there were other symptoms that the patients didn't realize, like muscle weakness upon testing. they were like "wtf? i didn't realize that side was so weak".

like i said, it's worth getting it checked out by a chiropractor. my suspicion is a simple misalignment of the neck causing both problems.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

So you're advocating self diagnosis and/or Internet diagnosis?

Neither of those are usually ever good ideas. That's the main reason the other guy was arguing with you so much. People should see a medical doctor first. If that doctor wants to refer them to a specialist of some kind, then that's fine. But to get the general public (the same people that give the Darwin Award a purpose) self diagnosing when they 1) have no idea what the hell they're doing and only think they do 2) can't run tests of any kind, then it becomes kind of an idiotic and moot action.

eits didn't advocate either thing. Based on the symptoms and the OP's request for ideas, he used his experience to suggest a possible cause and directed him to see a chiropractor for actual diagnosis. What's the problem with that? You think OP should go see a medical doctor first, okay.

What's with all the hate on eits? His advice seemed more informed, reasonable, and helpful than anybody else in this thread.

 

[TheVrolok]

you don't always have neurological symptoms with cervicogenic headaches.

you're right, there could possibly be an issue with the brachial plexus... probably impingement because of hypertonic muscles possibly?... but, first, i'd shoot the neck and see what's going on. if there's nothing on the oblique, then it's possible that it's something else, like a brachial plexus issue.

and, no, he wouldn't necessarily have other symptoms if it was c8 nerve root. i've seen it plenty of times. i've even seen that there were other symptoms that the patients didn't realize, like muscle weakness upon testing. they were like "wtf? i didn't realize that side was so weak".

like i said, it's worth getting it checked out by a chiropractor. my suspicion is a simple misalignment of the neck causing both problems.

I agree with most of what you say, I just don't see it being any more likely that it's an issue located in the cervical spine, than an issue located in the elbow.