I had tingling in the back of my neck, right side middle. it would happen 10-15 minutes every 2 days, well over the past 3 months it has advanced to being tingling and numb to touch all the time.

I also have been forgetting words, memory loss, only just words. I do not believe I am recovering the words, I am trying to keep track of which words I forget by what they are referring to, I have lost 10-20 words that I commonly use at work, my coworkers have learned to work around this, but it is getting worse. Does anyone have any idea of what it might be

Answered by: Maria/MD Health Forum.com Team

Numbness and tingling are among the symptoms of nerve disorders. Cervical spine conditions such as a herniated disc, may irritate or cause pressure on the spinal nerves and this may result in paresthesias or sensation of prickling, tingling or numbness. Since you have been experiencing those symptoms for months, I think you should see you primary doctor. Your medical history, physical examination result and findings of diagnostic procedures such as X-ray, MRI or CT scan will help your doctor in identifying the underlying disorder that has been causing your symptoms.

Numbness, tingling and memory symptoms may be some of the complaints of patients who have multiple sclerosis (MS), a nerve or spinal cord disease that damages parts of the nervous system. The cause of multiple sclerosis is not yet known. In MS, the body’s immune system attacks on the myelin sheath which is the protective covering of your nerves. This interrupts with the way your brain communicates with the rest of your body. Other symptoms of MS include: visual disturbance, mood swings, depression, inattention, unusual fatigue and dizziness. Symptoms vary from person to person, depending on which nerve fibers are affected. Later on, this disease may result in deterioration of the nerves.

I think that your symptoms need to be evaluated by your doctor. Memory loss alone, may occur in at least a hundred medical conditions ranging from some vitamin deficiency to psychological and age-related disorders. Although the internet can give provide you with information on possible causes of your symptoms, your own doctor’s evaluation and advice remain indispensable.

This blog entry is for your general information only. I recommend that you discuss your symptoms with your own doctor.

References:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/DS00188
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec06/ch092/ch092b.html

Tags: disc herniation, memory loss, Multiple Sclerosis, numbness, tingling