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What Causes Lower Body Numbness Followed By Violent Vomiting?
Posted on
Fri, 17 Jun 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 17 Jun 2016
Answered on
Thu, 14 Jul 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : sudden loss of lower body usage and violent vomiting . Taken to
ER and told everything is ok after cat scan, blood work, ekg, bp check.
ER and told everything is ok after cat scan, blood work, ekg, bp check.
Brief Answer:
Differential Diagnosis of disease and need more information
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX, thanks for asking from HCM.
I can understand your concern. The sudden loss of lower body or paraparesis with violent vomiting means most probably brain pathology. The violent vomiting is caused by sudden rise in intracranial pressure. The most probable differential diagnosis could be due to
: Ischemic stroke - It means sudden loss of blood supply to part of brain. The ischemic or infarct area usually demarcates after 4-6 hours of incidence. So CT head report can be normal if done within 2-3 hours of incidence. If ischemia is suspected, CT head must be repeated after 6 hours of incidence.
: Brain tumor edema - Sometimes brain tumor can cause sudden edema and rise in pressure. It is not necessary that CT head will always pick it. Contrast scan can suggest more. It can be suspected more if fundus examination of eye shows "papilledema". You can ask ER doctor to check for fundus.
: Another non brain causes can be
Spasm in gastric muscle leading to vomiting and weakness in body manifesting as lower body weakness. It can be suspected only if weakness in limbs is temporary and improves after giving fluids and electrolytes. Permanent weakness or long duration suggests neurological cause.
These are few probable diagnosis. I need more information like
: Any pain in body
: What is her mental status?
: Is her weakness complete or partial? And Is there any improvement?
: Was she diabetic, hypertensive?
: Any history of brain bleed or stroke in past?
: What is her bladder and bowel status?
It will help me reaching unto some conclusion.
Hope you will understand my point. Thanks. Take care.
Differential Diagnosis of disease and need more information
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX, thanks for asking from HCM.
I can understand your concern. The sudden loss of lower body or paraparesis with violent vomiting means most probably brain pathology. The violent vomiting is caused by sudden rise in intracranial pressure. The most probable differential diagnosis could be due to
: Ischemic stroke - It means sudden loss of blood supply to part of brain. The ischemic or infarct area usually demarcates after 4-6 hours of incidence. So CT head report can be normal if done within 2-3 hours of incidence. If ischemia is suspected, CT head must be repeated after 6 hours of incidence.
: Brain tumor edema - Sometimes brain tumor can cause sudden edema and rise in pressure. It is not necessary that CT head will always pick it. Contrast scan can suggest more. It can be suspected more if fundus examination of eye shows "papilledema". You can ask ER doctor to check for fundus.
: Another non brain causes can be
Spasm in gastric muscle leading to vomiting and weakness in body manifesting as lower body weakness. It can be suspected only if weakness in limbs is temporary and improves after giving fluids and electrolytes. Permanent weakness or long duration suggests neurological cause.
These are few probable diagnosis. I need more information like
: Any pain in body
: What is her mental status?
: Is her weakness complete or partial? And Is there any improvement?
: Was she diabetic, hypertensive?
: Any history of brain bleed or stroke in past?
: What is her bladder and bowel status?
It will help me reaching unto some conclusion.
Hope you will understand my point. Thanks. Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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