I have numbness on my left side from shoulder to foot . It is most noticeable in the stomach area and at night but doesn t go away. I ve had this for about 4 months now. My upper back lower neck area is tight May not be related. I ve been told I have degenerative disc. But can that be making me numb?
Hello ! Thank you for your question. I understand your concern. Short answer : You should be seen by a neurologist, have a cervical spine CT scan. Detailed answer : I think your problems are related to the cervical spine and intervertebral disks. The tightness of your neck is caused by the muscle contraction, induced by the cervical disk. The numbness you feel on the left side of your body show that your spine has been compressed by the displaced disk in the lower cervical part of the column. A good physical examination for neurological signs is helpful. You should have a cerviko-thoracal CT scan or MRI, which will show the disk displacement better and the relations with your medulla.  You may need spinal surgery. Hope to have been helpful! Thank you for using Chat Doctor !