weak left shoulder/arm occasional face tingles

by Mark
(UK)

Hi
I would like to ask you if you think my symptoms are nerve related and if anything can be done to remedy the problem?

Firstly, I should mention that I am very fit 45 year male bodybuilder/fitness type.
In May 2011 my long term back pain turned into a badly damaged L5 disc that required me to rest for 3 months or so, as I spent so much time resting in bed due to not being able to stand or walk.

I also had several bouts of neck and shoulder pains, most passed quickly but I awoke one morning after sleeping awkwardly and in great discomfort and my left arm was very weak with a loss of proper movement in certain planes ( mostly arm close to body movements),

I hoped this would pass but so far it has not (3-4 months now)

I started my rehab back in the gym and gradually built my weights up to about 50% of my normal training weights (I am using higher reps) a week or so ago I performed a full body workout that included barbell shoulder press with a slightly higher weight than previously, later in the day I felt parts of my face tingling (mostly left side)also I felt the occasional pin prick sensation on various limbs left and right,
I had a doctor’s appointment to assess my shoulder 2 days after my face tingles started, I mentioned my face and he said he did not think it could be caused by the same nerve, he said it was most likely a virus, herpes, but offered no treatment!

The tingling was reducing slowly over the past week but I trained my shoulders again last night with the bar press and this morning the tingling has increased again, also my eyes feel more tired than normal.
Does my description describe a trapped nerve in your opinion and if so what course of action would you recommend, maybe you have a book that describes stretches or other treatment?
As a side note I still have lot of left leg sciatica to deal with since my disc problem, I never had any prior to 2011

Many thanks for any advice you may be able to offer.

Regards

Hello Mark,
Firstly, go to C-H and enter "Slump Test" in the Search this site facillity. What happens?

If you bend forwards, or sideways, is one leg much tighter/ number/ tingling?

Can you stand on that leg on your toes, on your heel?

The neck and shoulder are intimately linked. True, the face is supplied by a cranial nerve, not from the neck, but the sensory nucleus of the Trigeminal nerve is in the neck, so neck pain and facial pain or tingling is not that unusual. Any jaw joint pain or clicking?

I'd be inclined to start looking carefully at the first rib. It's involved in many of these neck-arm syndromes as the nerves from the neck (the brachial plexus) and artery pass through a small opening called the InterScalene Triangle, or Thoracic Outlet. There's plenty at Chiropractic-Help on the subject.

Also the AC joint.

Sounds to me like it's time to visit a local chiro.

Unpleasant thought: most of us have to stop our favourite sport at some stage. I had to quit squash or face a back operation. The trick is to quit at the right time, before the injuries are serious. Only you can decide.

There was life after squash for me. Gliding proved even more exciting. There's a life after body building for you too. But don't go to flab, it's a problem for weight lifters.

Dr B