Hands or Feet Asleep? What to Do About Peripheral Neuropathy
We’ve all been there. You awaken in the morning and one of your hands is completely numb. It feels dead, heavy, and simply won’t work. Perhaps there’s some tingling as well. Or, you arise from a long dinner or movie and one of your legs feels that way. Then over a few minutes — maybe […]
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Not Responding to Initial Treatments May Require Surgery
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have carpal tunnel syndrome that used to bother me only at night. Wearing a splint helped, but, now, my symptoms are noticeable throughout the day, as well. Does this mean surgery is inevitable, or are there other things I can do to help lessen the tingling and numbness it’s causing? ANSWER: […]
Taming the pain of sciatica
For most people, time heals and less is more Despite being a less common cause of low back pain, sciatica is still something I regularly see as a general internist. Primary care doctors can and should manage sciatica, because for most individuals the body can fix the problem. My job is to help manage the […]
Five things you need to know about multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can happen to just about anyone. The central nervous system disorder affects your brain and spinal cord. But it spares the nerves and muscles that lead away from the spinal cord. About 400,000 people in the United States have MS. MS is a long-term illness. Infection-fighting white blood cells enter the nervous […]
Ask the Harvard Experts: Trapped nerves can happen in many sites
By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: What is a trapped nerve? How does it happen? A: The term “trapped nerve” refers to a condition in which a nerve is compressed or pinched. This causes pain, numbness, weakness or other symptoms. There are many sites and causes of nerve compression. Here are some of the common ones: […]
