shoulder tingle

jim and i
jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
edited May 2013 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I know it is probably normal rad side effects but has anyone had tingling (like when hand falls asleep but worse) in their shoulder, arm and chest? Jim gets it in his upper back sometimes as well but mostly left shoulder and upper arm. Oncologist wasn't sure.

Debbie

Comments

  • Kyle1967
    Kyle1967 Member Posts: 1
    I finished my 35 rads and

    I finished my 35 rads and three rounds of chemo(cisplatinum) on January 10 for BOT SCC. I had the same tingling in my left arm and upper back. My rad doc says normal. Should go away in a month or so. Backrubs helped. Mine has all but disappeared. Still a little in my arm and fingers. 

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    Pain

    My husband started complaining of pain in his right shoulder and going around his chest in December of last year.  When he saw his doctors we were told it was probably from the chest muscle that had to be pulled up to reconstruct his throat due to radiation damage (now this was done in March of 2011).  Well I started reading about shoulder pain, and when he had a PET/CT scan in late January, they found that the cancer had spread to his right lung plus recurred at the cervical of his esophagus.   Now I don't know if the two have anything to do with each other but from what I read it can.  He still has that pain only it has gotten worse but that is because he elected no more treatment.  Only chemo was offered this time and we were told it wouldn't cure only prolong and might hasten.  My husband decided he wanted quality over quantity of time. 

    Not saying that this could be your husband's problems but maybe a chest x-ray or CT scan might be needed.  It could be muscle spasms and nothing more.  Radiation causes a lot of side effects and even the doctors don't know them all.  I was told that radiation even causes cancer.  So who knows.  Radiation and chemo are the gifts that keep giving.

    Sharon

  • HobbsDoggy
    HobbsDoggy Member Posts: 276
    Tingle

    I did not have it in my shoulder but did in neck area and then heading towards shoulder.  I found I could not sleep in my normal position so was sleeping on my arm which caused stange feelings there and in shoulder, not tingling, but close to that.

    I agree never hurts to check it out, but for me neck tingling was a side effect.

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    neuropathy?

    Although we think of neuropathy more in the hands, feet, arms, etc., I would suppose anywhere there are nerves neuropathy could be a possibility.  My Jim takes gabapentin (Neurontin) and Cymbalta to help with his.

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    Ladylacy said:

    Pain

    My husband started complaining of pain in his right shoulder and going around his chest in December of last year.  When he saw his doctors we were told it was probably from the chest muscle that had to be pulled up to reconstruct his throat due to radiation damage (now this was done in March of 2011).  Well I started reading about shoulder pain, and when he had a PET/CT scan in late January, they found that the cancer had spread to his right lung plus recurred at the cervical of his esophagus.   Now I don't know if the two have anything to do with each other but from what I read it can.  He still has that pain only it has gotten worse but that is because he elected no more treatment.  Only chemo was offered this time and we were told it wouldn't cure only prolong and might hasten.  My husband decided he wanted quality over quantity of time. 

    Not saying that this could be your husband's problems but maybe a chest x-ray or CT scan might be needed.  It could be muscle spasms and nothing more.  Radiation causes a lot of side effects and even the doctors don't know them all.  I was told that radiation even causes cancer.  So who knows.  Radiation and chemo are the gifts that keep giving.

    Sharon

    Yes Jim's cancer is in his

    Yes Jim's cancer is in his left lung now so that is probably it. He chose no more treatment because like your husband he wanted quality over quantity. Thanks for the response. And God bless you both

    Debbie

  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member

    neuropathy?

    Although we think of neuropathy more in the hands, feet, arms, etc., I would suppose anywhere there are nerves neuropathy could be a possibility.  My Jim takes gabapentin (Neurontin) and Cymbalta to help with his.

    I had tingling ...

    I only had Erbitux and rads..tingling in my chest area, mostly when I bent my head forward.  Had some tingling in my legs from time to time.  The most consistant tingling I get is in my back, upper area between my spine and shoulder blade, right side...sometimes it just tingles half a day ...no set pattern, no specific causeI can think of like cold, hot weather, exertion ....so I attribute it to my tx, most specifically my Erbitux.

    Sorry not much help...

    Tim

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    Tim6003 said:

    I had tingling ...

    I only had Erbitux and rads..tingling in my chest area, mostly when I bent my head forward.  Had some tingling in my legs from time to time.  The most consistant tingling I get is in my back, upper area between my spine and shoulder blade, right side...sometimes it just tingles half a day ...no set pattern, no specific causeI can think of like cold, hot weather, exertion ....so I attribute it to my tx, most specifically my Erbitux.

    Sorry not much help...

    Tim

    Not so much tingling

    Not so much tingling as an occasional feeling of water trickling down the back of my neck behind my ear. Always a short-lived sensation but weird nonetheless.