Left Hand Paralyzed. What Could This Be?

Posted on Mon, 30 Sep 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 Answered on

Mon, 28 Oct 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My left hand is paralyzed as of yesterday. I need to know enough information about it so I do not have to see a neurologist. I am isolated and cannot get out. it is not an injury. I have hip, knee, and back damage from several years ago. I realize MS is hard to diagnose, but please give me a ball park idea, one that is not so general as to prove your response useless. thank you, XXXXXXX *I am 67 years old.

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Stroke

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX

Thanks for the query. This is a stroke until proven otherwise, MS is by far less common and usually presents early in life; the two main possibilities of a stroke are either embolization of a clot from the heart, typically with atrial fibrillation even if silent (you are at risk due to female gender and age) or a clot in one of the arteries of the brain. Regardless, it is important for you to see a physician because the treatments are different; if it was a clot from the heart you would need blood thinners, if not you would need aspirin and a cholesterol lowering medication. You don't necessarily need to see a neurologist, an XXXXXXX Medicine of Family Medicine doc should be able to guide you further.

Yours truly,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar