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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Neurological symptoms?
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Neurological symptoms?
by theoldjack, Jan 16, 2006 12:00AM
I have a syrinx at T8 which is not thought to be causing my symptoms. Since my mri 3 years ago my symptoms are worse.The MRI also showed a degree of basilar invagination and prominent csf fluid although the ventricles are of normal size.I wonder if that may be the cause of my symptoms.A cine phase mri was normal. My doctor says I should just look on these as unexplained symptoms and forget about them but it is difficult as I feel I should be having tests.Over the last 2 years I have recurrent stiffness and spasms in my hands and toes and stiffness in my right leg.The left side of my face has muscle movement although you can not see it and sensations in the left middle side of my tongue. I have had vertigo,visual disturbances and episodes of feeling very unwell with photosensitive rashes,fatigue and skin sensations.I have throbbing pains in the right lower occipital area and the right side of my neck. I have recently had a low loud transient buzzing in my left ear and transient drooping of left eyelid.My neck now looks curved from the side.I had blood tests for lupus which were normal. At the start of my symptoms 4 years ago I developed what I was told was a frozen shoulder but I always thought it was more as it started in both arms and then gradually the right one stopped moving.Does this sound as if it could be my neck or basilar invagination or even the syrinx which I was told is hydromyelia.Would Arnold Chiari have shown up on the cine phase mri.Thank you so much for your time.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW, Jan 21, 2006 12:00AM
Its dificult to interpret the MRI findings without seeing the actual images.
A syrinx at T8 could cause symptoms in the legs such as sensory loss for pain/temp (but not for vibration/balance) and spasticity. Hydromyelia is different from a synrinx - hydromyelia is a widening of the normal spinal canal. A syrinx is an abnormally present cavity in the spinal cord filled with CSF fluid.
Basilar invagination, depending on the severity could cause symptoms due to compression of the upper spinal cord like weakness or sensory loss in the arms or legs, or symptoms referred to the lower brainstem like vertigo, swallowing trouble, clumsiness. Similar symptoms can occur with an Arnold-Chiari, and some of your symptoms could fit this clinically. Arnol-Chiari should be apparant on the regular MRI. Perhaps you could get this rereviewed. Surgery can be done to dedcompress this area and lift it up, but there must be careful consideration that your symptoms are caused by this as it is quite a big surgery.
I'm not sure what is meant by prominent CSF fluid ?spaces. The normal CINE MRI and the normal ventricle size would suggest that there is no buildup of pressure in the CSF spaces/brain. ,
A syrinx at T8 could cause symptoms in the legs such as sensory loss for pain/temp (but not for vibration/balance) and spasticity. Hydromyelia is different from a synrinx - hydromyelia is a widening of the normal spinal canal. A syrinx is an abnormally present cavity in the spinal cord filled with CSF fluid.
Basilar invagination, depending on the severity could cause symptoms due to compression of the upper spinal cord like weakness or sensory loss in the arms or legs, or symptoms referred to the lower brainstem like vertigo, swallowing trouble, clumsiness. Similar symptoms can occur with an Arnold-Chiari, and some of your symptoms could fit this clinically. Arnol-Chiari should be apparant on the regular MRI. Perhaps you could get this rereviewed. Surgery can be done to dedcompress this area and lift it up, but there must be careful consideration that your symptoms are caused by this as it is quite a big surgery.
I'm not sure what is meant by prominent CSF fluid ?spaces. The normal CINE MRI and the normal ventricle size would suggest that there is no buildup of pressure in the CSF spaces/brain. ,
Also...any experiences on surgery..I would love to read! Thanks
i do not think you are crazy here lately my anxity is getting worse,i have been told i have anxity also have been told i have panic attacks and i believe thats what you may have i am no doctor i have been living with neck and back pain also numbness in my arms also sometimes my legs ache.I have been to many doctors they tell me that i have fibromyalgia, dibetes, panic attacks, anxity ect i have been to my regular doctor here recently and i told her that i was not going back to the neorologist that she sent me too because they ran no test and told me i was depressed and wanted to put me on zombie pills well they tried to convince me of this and i told them thank you for your time but i know longer need to see you,they said well we will just send a note to your dotor(whatever send one) this was the first visit at this place, well my doctor replied to me bridget there maybe NO fix for this you may be on pain meds and other meds the rest of your life and i said no you are wrong and i will not give up i was very upset and yes i begun to get depressed well i laid around for a few days and one of my friends said you sould go see this doctor and i was like is this a sign my mom also has seen this doctor and they found out what was wrong with her but this doctor is a nerosurgion so i called made the appointment with out asking my doctor then i called to let her no i needed a referral she said she would give me a referral but do not be surprised if they tell me what the other doctor said.So i go see this doctor i have had pain since 2001 and all these doctors tell me something different you know.Well i went to see him last month he was very nice and said things are not adding up he said i need you to go get these test done which were a nerve deduction test and another mri so i did and am really happy to say that it is not just in my head i have a pinch nerve in my neck and nerve damage in my arms.I go back to see my doctor on tues the 14 and i will find out if we will do surgury or what i need to do but i am very happy that i did not let my doctor let me get so depressed that i had to be on deprssant pills ect,i already take morphine,hydrocodon,kolopin,zanaflex,they put me on prozac (not taking that)nurotin i have been put on many different pills but those are what i am taking now but still i hurt i have my days .i would like to say do not give up and the reason i replied is because i also have the some of the signs that you have my chest hurts and i feel like i am dying its been happening more often lately and scares me .
i do not think you are crazy here lately my anxity is getting worse,i have been told i have anxity also have been told i have panic attacks and i believe thats what you may have i am no doctor i have been living with neck and back pain also numbness in my arms also sometimes my legs ache.I have been to many doctors they tell me that i have fibromyalgia, dibetes, panic attacks, anxity ect i have been to my regular doctor here recently and i told her that i was not going back to the neorologist that she sent me too because they ran no test and told me i was depressed and wanted to put me on zombie pills well they tried to convince me of this and i told them thank you for your time but i know longer need to see you,they said well we will just send a note to your dotor(whatever send one) this was the first visit at this place, well my doctor replied to me bridget there maybe NO fix for this you may be on pain meds and other meds the rest of your life and i said no you are wrong and i will not give up i was very upset and yes i begun to get depressed well i laid around for a few days and one of my friends said you sould go see this doctor and i was like is this a sign my mom also has seen this doctor and they found out what was wrong with her but this doctor is a nerosurgion so i called made the appointment with out asking my doctor then i called to let her no i needed a referral she said she would give me a referral but do not be surprised if they tell me what the other doctor said.So i go see this doctor i have had pain since 2001 and all these doctors tell me something different you know.Well i went to see him last month he was very nice and said things are not adding up he said i need you to go get these test done which were a nerve deduction test and another mri so i did and am really happy to say that it is not just in my head i have a pinch nerve in my neck and nerve damage in my arms.I go back to see my doctor on tues the 14 and i will find out if we will do surgury or what i need to do but i am very happy that i did not let my doctor let me get so depressed that i had to be on deprssant pills ect,i already take morphine,hydrocodon,kolopin,zanaflex,they put me on prozac (not taking that)nurotin i have been put on many different pills but those are what i am taking now but still i hurt i have my days .i would like to say do not give up and the reason i replied is because i also have the some of the signs that you have my chest hurts and i feel like i am dying its been happening more often lately and scares me .also if you would like to talk to someone email me at ***@****