Arachnoiditis. ((( Bennie. )))

[Guest guest]

Bennie, I recently had a caudal injection that was an experience I will

never repeat and since I have a hard time with incontinence if I sneeze

gently or strain just a tiny bit doing anything like being in the sitting

position and leaning to grab something on my bed with me. I've tried

starting and trying to stop but its like I have absolutely NO control as

well as residual pain in the area where she injected. I've been dealing

with this since 2002 when I got injured. I can't count the

epidurals, myelograms, even nuclear medicine used. I went to the ER 2

days after the caudal injection with blood in blood in my urine and

severe pain at the site and incontinence. the told me to come in if it got

worse and sent me home. can you inform me on the arachnoiditis and other

stuff I've been dealing with since caudal.

thank you

[Guest guest]

> rio wrote:

the told me to come in if it got worse and sent me home. can you inform me on

the arachnoiditis and other stuff I've been dealing with since caudal.

,

There are several of us members here that are diagnosed with it and if you go to

You Tube you will see videos on it.

There is a situation called caudal equine that occurs and they had to do a

procedure immediately or all you

tissue dies away.

Cauda equina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arachnoiditis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/arachnoiditis/arachnoiditis.htm

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnoiditis

I believe you need to see a urologist (I had to for large kidney cyst that was

pressing on my spine and was removed) and there are physical therapists who do

" pelvic floor' therapy that assists you with tightening and addressing muscles

to assist you with incontinence and starting and stopping urine flow.

Don't laugh but I have to chant " Pee on the rock " to start my flow and stop and

it actually allows me to concentrate on the area of my bladder and start my

urine flow so maybe you can develop a chant and image peeing on something. l am

laughing now sharing this.

I know there are Kegel exercises they give patients to tighten muses and you

might want to type in exercise for incontinence.

http://women.webmd.com/video/urinary-incontinence-exercises

http://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/pelvic-floor-kegel-exercises-for-u\

rinary-incontinence-in-women

http://kegel-exercises.com/kegels_for_women.html

Arachnoiditis is caused by injections, procedures, and invasive procedures. It

causes much scarring in the the acacnoid spaces.

This is an exert from this website but there are many others if you type in

arachnoiitis and in the Archives in this group (check the info at the bottom of

the page of sad e-mail you send or read, has many e-mails form members who have

this or articles they present.

This condition was " swept under the rough " because Doctors are the ones who

cause it when they order multiple (myself over 20) injections, procedures, that

cause scarring and arachnoiditis . If they admit it exists, they can be

responsible for causing it and the insurance companies might not pay as they do

now.

Injections protocol by the American Spine Society state that three should be the

max as if doesn't help by then, it will not help in the long run and these

articles can be found by researching the internet, example Spine Universe and

Spinal Health.

My myelograms (I have had a total of four over six years) initially showed a

white shadow area where I hurt that was diagnosed as displaced piece of disc

from my spinal surgery or scarring. I have had multiple myelograms and CT's with

same results.

Just the current year did the neuro-radiologist, an expert and the same one I

have every time and takes an hour to go over my films and exam with me and my

husband, did he place the term " Arachnoiditiis " . Now it is real, I know it was

there but a medical professional now has documented it and my other Doctors

cannot " poo poo " me.

I feel it very important for each pain patient to research their condition and

be involved in their care.

I have been in the medical field for over thrifty years in different capacities

(ward cllerk, x-ray tech, radiation therapist, Nurse, Hospital Administrator and

Medical Auditor for the military).

I still 'because of my pain, became victim to pain doctors who are

anthesiologists that require them. I have epidurals in order to have medication

dispensed to me.

I finally said, " No More Injections " and they also on my last injection visit

cancelled it because the following one they tried to do but could not penetrate

through the scar tissue

(but did not tell me this until following visit and shame on them for scheduling

another injection when they knew this had happened .

I waited six hours in a hospital gown waiting of the " injection doctor' to

speak to me. I had had reactions to these and the pain after them are sometimes

worse than my pain I have. I refuse them and have the right to do so and if the

Doctor doesn't ilk " TOUGH " >.

I have copies some information from the internet but pleas go to You Tube and

type in arachnoidittis and you will see videos explaining it with illustrations

that are better explaining and patients telling how it has happened to them

Consents required for injections are usually not read and questions asked about

side effects and the Doctors usually avoid that section and pat you on the arm

and say many people have these and they are safe. It is important to ask.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/arachnoiditis/arachnoiditis.

Arachnoiditis describes a pain disorder caused by the inflammation of the

arachnoid, one of the membranes that surround and protect the nerves of the

spinal cord. The arachnoid can become inflamed because of an irritation from

chemicals, infection from bacteria or viruses, as the result of direct injury to

the spine, chronic compression of spinal nerves, or complications from spinal

surgery or other invasive spinal procedures.

Inflammation can sometimes lead to the formation of scar tissue and adhesions,

which cause the spinal nerves to “stick” together. If arachnoiditis begins to

interfere with the function of one or more of these nerves, it can cause a

number of symptoms, including numbness, tingling, and a characteristic stinging

and burning pain in the lower back or legs. Some people with arachnoiditis will

have debilitating muscle cramps, twitches, or spasms. It may also affect

bladder, bowel, and sexual function. In severe cases, arachnoiditis may cause

paralysis of the lower limbs.

http://www.arachnoiditis.com/

far as medical history is known, it is likely that arachnoiditis (ARC) was

present in the spines of some Egyptian mummies (estimated to have been buried

over 5,000 years ago) in whom typical lesions of spinal tuberculosis were found.

This dreadful disease is characterized by longstanding inflammation of the two

innermost layers of the sac surrounding the spinal cord (SC) which contains the

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and not uncommonly expands into the nerve roots, and

the cauda equina, occasionally deforming the dural sac (DS) by scarring.

ARACHNOIDITIS: AN UPDATE IN THE YEAR 2000

ORIGIN

The usual causes of spinal arachnoiditis are:

1. Infections like tuberculosis, AIDS, fungus

(cysticercosis) and meningococcus, etc.

2. Dyes used for myelograms like pantopaque, metrizamide, omnipaque, etc.

3. Blood entering the spinal sac, i.e. from subarachnoid hemorrhage,

epidural blood patches, bleeding from anticoagulants, etc.

4. Spinal surgery, mostly from rents (recognized or unrecognized) of the

dura with blood entering the sac (this is the most common cause today), direct

SC or nerve root injury.

5. Irritant compounds injected into the sac such as hypertonic saline,

phenol, methotrexate, hyaluronidase, papain, etc.

6. Preservatives contained in some medications injected into the spine such

as polyethylene glycol, benzylic alcohol, para-aminobenzoic acid, etc.

7. Traumatic injury to the SC or the brain may result in bleeding into the

CSF, nerve tissue damage or avulsion. Even needle punctures causing paresthesia

on the nerve roots or the SC (from peridural, spinal anesthesia or other nerve

blocks) may cause ARC.

TOPOGRAPHY

Cerebral ARC may occur in the optic chiasm(usually from sinus infection) and in

the lateral and posterior fossae of the skull (from chronic ear infections or

parasites).

Spinal ARC may appear as localized when it is at one intervertebral level;

diffuse as from infiltrating tumors of the spine; distant when subarachnoid

hemorrhage in the brain may result in spinal ARC; segmental when it is present

in two or more separate levels; andcontiguous if it includes two or more

adjacent vertebral levels of the spine.

Cauda equinoid and cauda equina syndromes are mild and moderate lesions located

on the distal point of the SC are truly varieties of ARC, as well as syrinx

(loss of most of the normal pattern and mapping of the SC), syringomyelia

representing cavitary lesions, and pseudomeningocele consisting of secondary,

thin, false sacs adhered to or behind the dura (usually containing some nerve

roots)—all are different presentations of ARC.

I am sorry this is so long but I believe if you see the information you will

understand the condition and research for yourself. It is use recently Doctors

are acknowing this condition and I bet if you ask you Doctor they will avoid the

issue but it is a possibility with back patients.

I hope other members who have this and have research they can post (I know of

some) and it will also help you understand.

My current Doctor recommends anti-inflammatory diets, nutrition and emotional

support and it a change to have someone willing to consider alternatives rather

than a structured pain program that only offers injections and then I will give

you medication but you have to do what I have to say with no input allowed from

the patient. I now know what I have and insist on appropriate treatment .I hope

this helps and you can e-mail me personally anytime .

Bennie