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Questions posted in the
Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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Subject: Re: hyperreflexic bladder and underlying problems Hello. I've had ongoing problems for over a year now, and have seen many doctors, with many lab tests, with minimal findings. My only two objective findings have been extensive bladder testing showing "hyperreflexic bladder" along with a blood test showing very high antinuclear antibodies titres. My doctors have just completed the series of tests for MS, due to the bladder findings. These include negative MRIs, negative spinal tap, and negative evoked potentials. The urologist said the problem was definitely a nerve-related problem, but yet all of my MS tests come back negative. I inquired about something rheumatic (because of the antibodies) being the cause, and he said that wasn't possible. So isn't MS the only thing left? My other symptoms include extreme stinging pains in knees, feet, hands, jawline, and face, weird sensory feelings on bottoms of feet (no pain), overall lightheadedness and sort of weak feeling, feeling weak at the knees, achey muscles, stiffness when I wake up and maybe a few other odd and end things. Does any of this sound familiar and how can I get to the bottom of the bladder problem when virtually every test keeps coming back negative? Thank you for your help. Sincerely, Char I would agree with your urologist that this is probably a nerve related problem and Ms would be high on my list of possibilities, it however would certainly not be "the only thing left" and a number of other problems should be considered. I am curious as to the significance of the stinging pains and wierd sensory feelings in your feet and wonder about a peripheral neuropathy being a factor in all of this. MS affects nerves within the brain or spinal cord whereas peripheral neuropathies affect the nerve after it leaves the cord and would not be picked up by the tests that detect MS. Peripheral neuropathies do not frequently affect the bladder but you do have some features suggestive of this problem. In particular some peripheral neuropathies are associated with rheumatic diseasde and high anti-nuclear antibody titres and cause sensory disturbance which starts on the soles of the feet and works it way up. You probably need to have this worked up by means of an EMG which is the best test to detect problems in the peripheral nerves, and possibly referral to a neurologist who specializes in this area. If you trequire an appointment innthe EMg section at the Cleveland Clinic the number for appointments is (216) 444 5559. |
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