You know how your car starts to spaz almost immediately after your warranty expires? And maybe a third of what’s happening is just hypo-car-ndria: what is that noise? It’s a belt. OMG, I CAN TELL BY ITS PITCH THAT IT’S A REALLY EXPENSIVE ONE.
I think maybe that’s what my body is doing now that we’re on high-deductible individual health insurance. I have been having neck pain, most likely related to an unfortunate desk set-up, bad posture, hauling Milo around, blogging from the couch, the usual spine-abusing activities. But over the course of last week, I started to be aware of numbness and tingling in my hands. Then more. Then my feet. Then some internet detective action. Friends, don’t Google “hand numbness.”
So, by the time I arrived in my doctor’s office Friday, I was hysterical. They didn’t help. They sent me for an MRI Saturday, which included “MS protocol” (comforting!) with contrast (why spare any expense?). While chatting up the tech during the scan, Maggie used her charms to ascertain that no, I don’t have MS. Thanks: that will be $895 and one very frightening weekend.
Indeed, the MRI showed no MS, just some cervical disc protrusions, probably not causing my symptoms. The current plan is take Aleve for a couple of weeks and see if I can manage whatever inflammation is causing the numbness — a course of action I could have taken for less than the grand I’ve now spent finding out nothing.
Oh, and I have a toothache. And a nagging cough.
I sometimes have awful pain that pulses down my neck and shoulder through my elbow to my thumbs. Yes, I too have tingling hands at times. In my case, it’s all about bad posture. No amount of massage helped me, but a nice hatha yoga class seems to set things right for a while.
May I suggest slow shoulder rolls (sit up straight and relax the shoulder blades down and back in a slow rotating motion) and prayer position (shoulders relaxed and down, sitting up straight, press palms together at heart level as if praying). Of course, sitting at a proper desk and not lugging heavy (albeit very cute) things will also benefit your muscles and nerves.
Love, Guru Jenn*
*not a licensed yoga instructor or medical professional
Sorry to hear about your tingling and your bill.
My mom invested $10 in this contraption recently and I found it intriguing.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16757730