1. < Spine Health

facial numbness

Posted by windyshores @windyshores, Nov 18 8:09pm

I have cervical stenosis, myelopathy, radiculopathy and so on (neck pain/paresthesias going into shoulder from neck and down left arm).

Over the last few years I have had increasing facial numbness. It often seems to be an extension of what is going on in neck, shoulder, arm. All on the left side.

However, loud noise triggers intense pain and intense numbness. In that scenario it would seem the trigeminal/occipital and auditory nerves are somehow connected or communicating. Some of these nerves originate in the neck but how does noise relate to stenosis?

One concern my doctors have is a benign tumor called an acoustic neuroma. But my neuro thinks it is all coming from my neck.

Do any of you have intense facial numbness (and/or pain) from spinal stenosis or disc bulging or other degenerative changes in the cervical spine?

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dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | Nov 19 6:35am

I have had facial numbness, burning mouth syndrome, tinnitus and hearing loss all tied to my cervical spondylotic myelopathy/degenerative myelopathy. I had ACDF surgery in 2022 and may need another surgery due to new compression in cervical spine. After my surgery in 2022, my facial numbness and burning plus tinnitus improved. My daily headaches also diminished significantly.

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1 reply
windyshores | @windyshores | Nov 19 7:46am
In reply to @dlydailyhope "I have had facial numbness, burning mouth syndrome, tinnitus and hearing loss all tied to my..." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

I have had facial numbness, burning mouth syndrome, tinnitus and hearing loss all tied to my cervical spondylotic myelopathy/degenerative myelopathy. I had ACDF surgery in 2022 and may need another surgery due to new compression in cervical spine. After my surgery in 2022, my facial numbness and burning plus tinnitus improved. My daily headaches also diminished significantly.

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Thanks so much. My neuro thinks I need surgery. It is helpful to hear that your surgery helped.

The noise trigger is strange. I cannot put this picture together. I note the numbness remains when things are quiet so the noise may be causing trigeminal neuralgia. Face is very numb today and there is no leaf blower or AC noise etc.

Interesting that tinnitus improved!

I cannot take steroids unfortunately- trigger for afib.

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1 reply
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | Nov 19 7:56am
In reply to @windyshores "Thanks so much. My neuro thinks I need surgery. It is helpful to hear that your..." + (show)
@windyshores

Thanks so much. My neuro thinks I need surgery. It is helpful to hear that your surgery helped.

The noise trigger is strange. I cannot put this picture together. I note the numbness remains when things are quiet so the noise may be causing trigeminal neuralgia. Face is very numb today and there is no leaf blower or AC noise etc.

Interesting that tinnitus improved!

I cannot take steroids unfortunately- trigger for afib.

Jump to this post

@windyshores it does sound like you may need surgery to help with some of your symptoms. Keep in mind that when your ears pick up sounds, your inner/middle ear connects the sound with your brain for processing and the sound travels through nerves so it may trigger a neurological response in your facial nerves.

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1 reply
windyshores | @windyshores | Nov 19 1:12pm
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@windyshores it does sound like you may need surgery to help with some of your symptoms...." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

@windyshores it does sound like you may need surgery to help with some of your symptoms. Keep in mind that when your ears pick up sounds, your inner/middle ear connects the sound with your brain for processing and the sound travels through nerves so it may trigger a neurological response in your facial nerves.

Jump to this post

@dlydailyhope I expected some discussion of exactly that with the neurotologist but got a shrug.I guess it is possible that both the neck issues and sound could independently cause facial pain and numbness. I have read about the nerves, coming from the brain stem, the various connections but it is pretty complicated and wanted an MD's opinion.

I can handle the numbness but the pain is so distressing that I am selling my new condo. Big loss of money. I cannot stay here. I cannot get a doctor to understand the severity but if they don't have a surgery to suggest in otoneurology I guess the appointment is quick and a bit brusque.

I will have my MRI's (expensive!) and find a surgeon to at least discuss this with. I am also trying PT, massage, tai chi and a program to retrain the brain.

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