Expert: J.R. Strecker, B.S., D.C. - 5/27/2008

Question
Hello my name is Lindsay and I have a problem that is not only driving me crazy but it is beginning to hurt me as well. For about 2-3 years I have had numbness in my back. It is right under where my bra strap will be. I mean right under that. It is so numb I can no longer feel anything that touches it. I will have my daughter touch it and I feel Nothing! Also my lower back hurts often and sometimes I can not even get up! About three weeks ago my tips of my fingers will be numb and it is driving me insane! I have went to the doctors and had x-rays and blood tests and they look at me like I am kind of crazy and told me I have a lower left disk out of place and they can't do anything. Can you give me some advise please. Help!!!!!

Answer
Disclaimer: please do not take any of my advice without at least consulting with your doctor(s) first.  If necessary, print this email in its entirety for your doctor(s) to read.  In addition, please do not attempt to use this website or my advice as a substitute for your healthcare needs, as a substitute for the advice of your doctor, or as a substitute for any legal advice.  There is no way a thorough health evaluation or assessment of any medical condition can be properly made via email.  Please only use the contents discussed as a guide or tool to address your health matters with your doctor(s).  If any of the information I provide conflicts in anyway with the information your doctor(s) provide, it is always best to default to the information provided by your consulting doctor(s) or to seek additional opinions from qualified, licensed healthcare providers as needed.

Hello L.,

I'm sorry to hear about your frustration.  You're doing the right thing by checking with your doctors.  There is no way the advice I give would be better than the advice of the doctor who sees you in person because an email is not a good substitute for a doctor's visit, but I'll try to highlight some things to consider.

If all of the lab work shows up normal, keep going back to your doctor or get additional opinions from different doctors.  If you have pain or numbness, then it should be investigated until a clear answer is found.  Sometimes things like shingles may not show up initially when you go to the doctor but can occasionally cause numbness across the rib cage.  But usually there is a burning sensation.  If anything, shingles causes a hypersensitivity, not a lack of sensitivity.  But this is just an example of things that can be somewhat difficult to diagnose.  More than anything else, I am curious if your bra strap is too tight.  If your bras fit too tightly, then it is very possible they have caused some localized nerve damage at the site of the pressure after several years.  If this is the exact location of pain, then I highly suspect this.  Unfortunately, this is a speculation I can make only through email.  You could try to buy some differently fitting bras.  If this is the cause of the numbness, the sensation should restore slowly over time with a better fitting bra.

There are other conditions that will affect nerves in "funny" patterns as well.  Again, I'm not saying you have these, but I'm just emphasizing your need to follow up care with a doctor in person.  For example, diabetes can attack nerves anywhere in the body and have strange patterns.  But this is so common in the population, that I'm sure your doctor probably checked your blood sugar when you went in for lab work.  Other things like Multiple Sclerosis can also affect varying nerves.  Again, please do not assume you have this condition.  But keep looking for a doctor that seems to confidently know the source of your problem.  If you haven't had any success with the MDs, you should consider seeing an acupuncturist, chiropractor, or naturopath.

Unfortunately I cannot diagnose you by an email.  But I can definitely urge you to stay under care until you have an answer.  

I hope this helps.  Best of luck!

Dr. J.R. Strecker, D.C.