Arachnoiditis

[kmmartz]

Brief History of my back - 2 discectomies on the same disc (L5-L6) 9 months apart in 1997 - dehydrated disc L4-L5 and grinding verterbrae in L5-L6 since no disc is left caused me to have a 3 disc fusion on June of 2006.

Over the last 3 or 4 weeks I have had numbness in my thighs that progressed into a burning sensation, all day every day – then came the feeling like needles shooting about ½ an inch under the skin down my legs and lower back – I have a constant ache in my lower back that is worse then it has been in years.  I had an MRI and the results said “abnormal nerve root enhancement and clumping consistent with a combination of inflammatory neuritis and arachnoiditis”.  I saw my neurosurgeon yesterday and he said it was not a bad arachnoiditis yet he couldn't tell me why I have all of the symptoms of adhesive arachnoiditis (except for the bladder problems). He said the symptoms don't come on that quickly.  He refered me to me to a nuerologist on Monday.
I am concerned because I hear about Drs. not wanting to use the A-word.  Any suggestions?  Can the symptoms come on that quickly?  Why do I have them if it is not adhesive acrachnoiditis?  Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you so much!