Just a few questions

[jimmy5]

Lately I have been having left shoulder pain, I still have full range of motion, no loss of strength, and in the past few days I have had left forearm pain, and a sensation of stiffness, it is very brief, such as when I go to stand up and use my left hand, my fingers and hand feel stiff for just a brief second, then go to normal, or sometimes they just feel like they are having a hard time getting to moving, such as when I retract my hand my fingers might act like they are slow to retract back to the palmar surface, and I have been having my tendons hurt just below the elbow and a mild burning. The sensation feels like it is in the outermost layer of my arm, close to the skin surface. I have not had twitches or a pins and needles feeling.
I should say that I have mild throacic scoliosis, and have full strength and range of motion in my left hand and arm. And I play guitar, and have no problems playing it correctly and all of my fine motor control is intact. I am wondering if this is one of the early warning signs of ALS. I have no other motor dysfunction than the brief stiff period and the sensation of mild burning in the outermost layer of the ventral side of my left forearm.
Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[jimmy5]

Oh and I have a negative babinski sign in my left and right feet

 

[BeckyUK]

It sounds like a repetitive strain injury. Could easily be caused by playing the guitar or using a keyboard and holding your forearm at slightly the wrong angle. It is pretty painful and causes all the symptoms you describe.

 

[sadiemae]

Read the stickies, especially this one

https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-...you-new-forum-worried-you-might-have-als.html

 

[jimmy5]

I did and did not find it useful as far as my specific symptoms

 

[Alyoop]

Jimmy it probably was not useful, because your symptoms are not those of ALS. If they were then........?..

 

[jimmy5]

Well that helps! thank you! I wonder if it's carpal tunnel or a pinched nerve then

 

[trfogey]

Well that helps! thank you! I wonder if it's carpal tunnel or a pinched nerve then

Why wonder? Use your head for something other than a hatrack and go see a doctor to get your answers.

 

[clichti]

hey jimmy - i'm kind of in your same position (ie. similar symptoms). From what I know, and granted what I know is nothing compared to what all of these people know, any of the sore/fatigued/stiff symptoms in absence of clinical weakness is not indicative of ALS. I'm going to chime in on the repetitive strain theory, as that seems likely. Or there are a million other possibilities, like a pull, a strain, nerve impingement or irritation. the list really is endless.

let me know how it all turns out

 

[johnnyliverpool1]

jimmy....no such thing as a negative babinski....cos u would have to have a babinski sign for it to be negative..........and if u had the sign, then thats it in itself....neither negative nor positive...like the moon is......not plus not minus, just is....i have the babinski sign or i did not have the babinski sign is what u should have said...no negative , i am positive about that....soft lad...

 

[Al]

Pain and numbness are not signs of ALS. 99 times out of a hundred.

AL.

 

[jimmy5]

Well thank all of you with the helpful replies. The arm has been getting a little worse today, however when I first wake up there isnt a problem at all. I am going to the chiropractor tomorrow to see what he things and then possibly a nuerologist from that point on.

 

[TedH5]

See a Dr. Who tested you for the babinski sign? You are either positive for it or you do not have the sign, perhaps in med terms is classified as neg but that is pure speculation on my part. Bottom line though is go see a Dr and nothing you have said sounds like ALS.

 

[KissJ]

My husband has ALS, and he has pain...lots of pain. And, he has numbness. Eveyone is different.

 

[Alyoop]

Kiss you can get pain and numbness with ALS, there are papers to prove it BUT, as Al said it's very very unusual.