whats this twitiching??

[Roger Costa]

hi i've had 2 discectomys L4/L5 then 4 months ago i had L4/S1 and over the last couple of days i've noticed my finger twitching more and more, is this conected in anyway to the op, i did think i had diabeties a few weeks back but results came back ok, i would be grateful if anyone has any info or experience of this thanks

 

[Miss LONDON Suspended.]

Hiya

The nerves that supply the fingers originate in the C 6,7 & 8 range, so any twitching you're experiencing is unlikely to be connected with your history of discectomy, especially as your last was over 4 months ago.

Hope that helps

 

[dnhakomn]

Hello

The twitching you describe can be caused by many thingsMedications side effectsNerve damage / compression Pathologies affecting the basal ganglia Pathologies affecting the cerebellumHormonal issuesLIver / kidney disease To name but afew, I would need a lot more information i.e.Is this both sides or one side?Is it all fingers or just a few?Is it a tremor (whole hand shaking) or a fine twitching motion over the skin?Is this at rest or when you move your hand, or both?Any pain in the hand / wrists / elbow / shoulder / upper back / neckAny numbness, pins and needles or weakness into the effected hand(s)Are you make / female and how old are you?Any change to your medications?Any other related symptoms (dizziness, difficulty walking, any change to your special senses etc...) Glen the Osteopath

 

[-[$aVaGe]-]

David - Malden is right!

(The nerves that supply the fingers originate in the C 6,7 & 8 range, so any twitching you're experiencing is unlikely to be connected with your history of discectomy, especially as your last was over 4 months ago.)

However I would offer this possibility, if protective spasms are affecting your back muscles at the lumbar levels, they could quite easily spread up your back to the 'C'
spine and the presure from this inflamation could depress the nerve feeding the arms and hands. An Osteopath or similar therapists could help to release that compression, it might take weeks to completey release, but it does work!

Over a 3 month period, I went from having full hand and arm control to loosing all motive power and sensory perseption in both arms and hands, and back again, but only recover after treatment by my Osteopath!!

I hope that helps.

SPINELF

 

[dindattaino]

Please check your information before posting…

The hand is not supplied by C6, C7, C8… the skin of the hand is supplied via C6-C8. If there is twitching then the cause would not be due to the cutaneous sensory supply but possibly intrinsic hand muscles C8-T1.

Spams and inflammation spreading from the lumbar spine to the cervicothoracic junction would be unlikely, unless there was quite severe compensations. The questions I asked would need to be answered before anyone could give a realistic or educated response.

Glen the Osteopath

 

[MiXxeD]

My Osteopath would be so cross with you Glen.

Whilst you are correct that T1 level can also cause pain, twitching and numbness, this
usually manifests it self in the wrist and forearm.

As I would hope fellow members would atest, I am not usually given to offering bad advice or unchecked information that I am unable to back up with medically confirmed facts. To this end, if any one wants to see which of us is correct please see;
http://www.assh.org/Public/HandConditions/Pages/Numbness.aspx

As Bmw1 did not mention skin issues, I will ignore that part of your comment.

With regard as to whether lumber spine stenosis and other ballancing issues in the lower lumber spin, hips and leg areas cause upper bodies reactive or preventative spasms, capable of creating secondary nerve compressions,
we will just have to agree to disagree!

I have been arguing this point with all manner of medics for 7 years, and
inspite of full symtomatic indicators showing the causational pathway of spasms leading up my spine as far as my sub-occipital muscles, they still insist on denying the symptomatic connections. When (occationally) some medics do accept the principle, they usualy 'down play' the significance, effects and frequency of these disabling symptoms, Just as you have done! This does not present your noble proffession in the highest esteem that I and many others hold it.

SPINELF

 

[Doctor Doom]

One advocate who knows because he has personally seen it during a procedure on several patients is .... Dr Martin Knight

 

[mikedemolay]

Absolutely right Cassie! He is the only Surgeon I have ever met who accepts and understands the principles surrounding these secondary impingement issues!!

Further to that Cassie, I think it would be very interesting and 'illuminating' to know, just how many more 'back pain sufferers' on the HP Forum, have experienced these hand, arm, neck and head symptoms only to be told (I believe wrongly) that it has 'little or nothing' to do with 'lumber spine' alignment issues and spasm related problems??

If anyone has been fobbed off by thier GP or Consultant regarding this issue, Please tell us all about it, by adding your experiences to this thread!

Thank you!

SPINELF

 

[Elsie May]

Right

As far as the hand/arm goes, T1 motor supply is mainly the intrinsic muscles of the hand, associated symptoms may be twitching, weakness, wasting etc… T1 sensory supply is medial forearm, symptoms maybe reduction or loss of sensation.

Now if carpal tunnel was involved symptoms can be into the hand and forearm. The forearm symptoms are due to compression at the wrist of the median nerve (carries motor, sensory and sympathetic supply). The sympathetic supply innervates many of the blood vessels within the arm and this is why pain can be felt in a non-dermatomal patten.

I do not see what your point is regarding muscles spams due to spinal claudication, balance issues etc... Who said that there is any protective spasm, claudication, stenosis? You are making assumptions on top of assumptions. Without more detailed information such assumptions if followed could be dangerous. The best thing the OP can do is a) give more details b) go see their GP.

As I’ve stated, no one can diagnose anything due to the fact there is not sufficient information.

 

[Xania]

(((hi i've had 2 discectomys L4/L5 then 4 months ago i had L4/S1 and over the last couple of days i've noticed my finger twitching more and more, is this conected in anyway to the op, i did think i had diabeties a few weeks back but results came back ok, i would be grateful if anyone has any info or experience of this thanks))) Quote from BMW


BMW, My experience tells me, that lumber spine imbalance and other lumber issues can cause the symptoms that you are experiencing, so please don’t worry. I last lost complete motive power and feeling in my right arm, hand and fingers 6 months ago, the 10th time, and once again, my Osteopath brought these senses back to me, by re-balancing my whole body and opening up my ‘C’ & ‘T’ spine regions and sternum, it took 2 months, but it worked again!

That's my experience and belief, and i'm sticking to it!!

Glen, As BMW simply asked, probably out of the fear and concern that all us chronic back pain suffers face, for anyone with ‘experience’ or ‘information’ about the twitching fingers, to offer an opinion, I would assert, that after nearly 7 years of the same symptoms and finding cures, I am well placed to make what 'you call' assumptions, without your permission or approval.

You have offered Bmw ‘many and varied’ possibilities, all I am sure valid. But what us ‘poor sufferers’ want, is 'not' to learn how many medical permeations there are, but to find ‘answers’ to worrying symptoms that Medics seldom seem to offer.

I think my http://www.assh.org/Public/HandCondi.../Numbness.aspx link served to clarify the facts.

GP’s and none spinal Medics that I (and I’m sure other Members) have experienced over the last 7 years or so, have proved to be largely ignorant about detailed spinal conditions and available safe and non and minimally invasive treatments, I would say, to the point of negligence! Over this period I have also seen these Medics clueless about these issues and other Spinal Medics who have told ‘bear faced lies’ about out dated treatments, like ‘fusion’ being 98% successful. Unbelievable! But true!!

So I don’t think Bmw needs to see a GP, he needs to see one of the many exellent therapists, like the ones to be found on this excellent HP forum.

Glen, What is an OP? Are you referring to a human being with chronic back pain symptoms?

BMW, I hope this has helped, if you need more personal info, don’t hesitate to PM me at anytime!

Best wishes

SPINELF

 

[reubenvincen]

Glad I'm not the only one annoyed by what seems like a "doctor knows best" attitude!

 

[RarRosaaua]

I can assure you David, you are in good and like minded company here!

Every time that I recieved medical treatment that failed to work or made my condition worse, the Doctors would always fall back to the default position, that it must have been my fault. e.g. failed back syndrome, physicological refuge, poor mental preparedness and over optimistic expectations etc.

What they never did, was to supply clinically tested evidence to support these statements. As you say, I am expected to 'unquestioningly accept' these peoples unsupported words.

Doctors do not always know best!!

But what other alternative options are we offered!!

Best wishes

SPINELF

 

[Smiling]

OP = Original Poster

Doctors don't know best lol,



Oh and don't forget the immediate assumption that because we maybe unfit now it was not the cause or the original situation, like being a couch potato or overweight.

I was very fit, riding three horses a day, slim, healthy and very active. Now it is a different story after two years of agony and limited movement but every time the docs assume I was like this day one grrrrrrr.

Never Assume.... it will only make an Ass of U and Me