I just got shingles from the center of my chest, under my left breast and across my left side. I sleep a lot to stop the pain but when I wake up not only is the pain back from the shingles but my left arm and hand is numb and the arm is painful at the elbow and wrist and the skin is sensitive to the touch. My neck mustles are stiff and I go from chills to being hot. I understand the heat and pain of Shingles, but why pain and numbness in other parts of my body during this time?
Q: I just got shingles,why does my left arm go numb?
Answers (2)
9/17/08 8:13pm
I'm not sure but remember that in shingles the virus actually attacks the nerves - which is why it's so painful. It could be that the shingles virus has actually made to the nerves for your left arm but has never made it to the surface of the skin there - so the rash has never shown up there. Hopefully the episode and your pain and numbness will be over soon. I hope you're getting some medication for the pain.
http://www.healthcentral.com/encyclopedia/408/138.html
Good luck.
12/10/10 6:20pm
My left arm has been going numb this past week (sporadically throughout the day) & I had shingles about a month ago! The shingles was on the left side of my face.
Related? I wasn't sure until I saw this post. Very interesting!
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