Suzannah
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2014
- Messages
- 132
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 08/2014
- Country
- Uni
- State
- TEXAS
- City
- Deep in the Heart of
Hi all,
I usually post in the PLS section since I've been diagnosed with a pure upper motor neuron disorder, but I wanted to post this here. The disorder I've been diagnosed with, hereditary spastic paraplegia, typically affects mostly the legs and generally does not cause atrophy, a lower motor neuron symptom.
However, I have been having problems with my hands and coordination for quite a while. Last December I had a neuropsych exam done, and my motor skills/strength scores put me in the "profoundly impaired" range. My neuro has noted weakness as well.
A couple of weeks ago a friend (an occupational therapist hand specialist) pointed out that my left hand is starting to atrophy. Mostly on the top of my hand between my thumb and first finger, and around and at the base of my thumb. My last two fingers are starting to be curled a lot of the time, and my thumb keeps extending backwards (like hitchhiking sign) and staying that way for long periods of time.
I went to see a hand specialist last week to see if it was maybe something mechanical, since I figure there's no law that two things can't be wrong with me. I played dumb and did not mention the neuro issues (oddly, he didn't check any reflexes. That would have given me away immediately). He noted the atrophy and found that I had 0/5 strength in my little fingers.
He said most likely radiculopathy or damage to the ulnar nerve. He rx'd an EMG and nerve conduction test, both of which I was have on Thursday morning. Incidentally, he described the tests as "sending little tickles down your arm and inserting small acupuncture like needles." Um, no. I have done those tests three other times, and they hurt like a ****. Especially for someone with severely spastic muscles.
Not to sound too much like a DIHALS-er, but I'm pretty worried about this and have been obsessively reading about hand atrophy and it's implications. I know some people here initially presented to the hand specialists before realizing it was neurological. Were the docs able to tell right away, or was it the EMG or something else that clued them in?
I'm worried. Thanks for listening.
Sincerely,
--Suzannah
I usually post in the PLS section since I've been diagnosed with a pure upper motor neuron disorder, but I wanted to post this here. The disorder I've been diagnosed with, hereditary spastic paraplegia, typically affects mostly the legs and generally does not cause atrophy, a lower motor neuron symptom.
However, I have been having problems with my hands and coordination for quite a while. Last December I had a neuropsych exam done, and my motor skills/strength scores put me in the "profoundly impaired" range. My neuro has noted weakness as well.
A couple of weeks ago a friend (an occupational therapist hand specialist) pointed out that my left hand is starting to atrophy. Mostly on the top of my hand between my thumb and first finger, and around and at the base of my thumb. My last two fingers are starting to be curled a lot of the time, and my thumb keeps extending backwards (like hitchhiking sign) and staying that way for long periods of time.
I went to see a hand specialist last week to see if it was maybe something mechanical, since I figure there's no law that two things can't be wrong with me. I played dumb and did not mention the neuro issues (oddly, he didn't check any reflexes. That would have given me away immediately). He noted the atrophy and found that I had 0/5 strength in my little fingers.
He said most likely radiculopathy or damage to the ulnar nerve. He rx'd an EMG and nerve conduction test, both of which I was have on Thursday morning. Incidentally, he described the tests as "sending little tickles down your arm and inserting small acupuncture like needles." Um, no. I have done those tests three other times, and they hurt like a ****. Especially for someone with severely spastic muscles.
Not to sound too much like a DIHALS-er, but I'm pretty worried about this and have been obsessively reading about hand atrophy and it's implications. I know some people here initially presented to the hand specialists before realizing it was neurological. Were the docs able to tell right away, or was it the EMG or something else that clued them in?
I'm worried. Thanks for listening.
Sincerely,
--Suzannah