Question: Two years ago, my daughter-in-law had a numbing sensation in her arms and legs.
The doctors suspected multiple sclerosis but an MRI scan did not confirm this.
The feeling has continued and she now has dizziness, too.
Another MRI proved negative.
She has two little boys and works full-time so is finding things very difficult although she has a lot of help from my son.
Can you suggest anything? Answer: I have come across this problem before - more in women than men - and most patients get diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, even though the MRI scans of the brain and spinal cord do not show signs of abnormality.
I can understand how worried and upset she must be feeling.
The three main types of symptoms associated with impaired sensation are numbness, burning and tingling.
Another is blotchy 'corned beef' skin, with areas of pink, where the little blood vessels (capillaries) are dilated, and patches of grey, where they're constricted.
Patients also suffer fatigue, lack of concentration, dizziness, headaches, neck tension, disturbed sleep, and, not surprisingly, depression.
I suspect the underlying cause of your daughter-in-law's symptoms could be the following.
There are two systems controlling our nerves as they conduct messages from the brain to the body and vice versa.
One is voluntary the other involuntary.
This latter autonomous nervous system (ANS) is responsible for regulating breathing heart rate, body temperature, hormone production, digestion, circulation, sweating and the constriction or dilation of smaller blood vessels.
If the blood flow to the ANS control centre in your brain, the hypothalamus, is impaired, parts of the subconscious brain won't function properly.
This can be caused by a trauma to the head or neck, which misaligns the vertebrae in the neck and so prevents the smooth flow of blood through the cerebral-vertebral arteries running either side of your spine.
All nerves get nutrition - oxygen and glucose - from small capillaries running their entire length.
If these capillaries don't supply optimum quantities of blood due to ANS malfunction, the nerves don't receive sufficient nutrients, so they malfunction, causing numbness, burning or tingling.
A simple test to see if the ANS is functioning properly is to push a blunt object vigorously along the skin of the inner arm.
You'll see a grey line, which within seconds becomes pink or red as the area fills with blood (it is harder to see on darker skin).
Normally, the red disappears again almost instantly and the marks vanish.
But as the ANS controls the dilation and constriction of blood vessels, if there's a problem with its functioning, the grey will take some seconds to turn red, and that redness may persist for several minutes.
My emphasis is on restoring the functioning of the ANS as soon as possible.
This is what I suggest Diet * Avoid foods that are known to make nerves sensitive, particularly citrus fruit excess salt, coffee and alcohol.
Supplements * To improve peripheral circulation, take Ginkgo Biloba 2000: one daily for two months.
* To counteract fatigue and depression, take BioEnergy: two daily for three months.
Neck and shoulder massage * With your thumbs and fingers, massage the sides of the neck the base of the skull and shoulders with Lifestyle Oil.
You'll find more details in The Ultimate Back Book.
Initially, some areas will be sore and tight, so focus on these; as blood flows in, the tenderness will ease.
Do this yourself for three minutes daily for three months, and/or ask a partner to do it once weekly for l5 minutes.
Yoga * Therapeutic Iyengar yoga can help; specific poses include cobra, turtle, semibridge, child pose, head roll and shoulder stand.
Find a qualified teacher locally.
Breathing * Practise inhaling for three seconds, holding for six, then exhaling for six seconds.
This retains carbon dioxide in the blood so the capillaries dilate, improving blood circulation to the nerves and often helping numbness, burning and tingling.
Do this four times daily.
Relaxation * At bedtime, listen to a relaxation tape (there are many available including my own relaxation CD.