Paresthesia and CNS

[bduritsch]

Hi.  I wanted to tell my story to members of the medical community on here
to see what they think of what happened to me.  Ever since I was young I
always used computers, my father is a programmer and so am I.  Because
of this I have had poor posture throughout the years, and now that I am 23
I have a rounded upper back as a result.  However, back in 2002 I noticed
that I started having strange symptoms.  The skin all over my body started
losing some sensation.  There was prickling and pins and needles in areas
such as my arms and hands, even lower back and legs.  I lived with this
for quite some time not knowing what it was, until I went and visited a doctor
who didn't know and sent me to a neurologist, who also didn't know.  This
was around about 2004.  At this point I pretty much gave up and continued
living my life.  This was until early this year 2009, I woke up one morning with
lots of ringing in my ears and pain.  I later realized that I had developed TMJ
dysfunction and this was a symptom of that.  After seeing another neurologist
who had no idea what was causing my problems and not giving me any
answers, finally I had enough.  He had prescribed a medication for me
called Neurontin which I began taking.  My neck and back was in severe pain
and the numbness had increased in my arms.  For the first time in my life
I decided to go visit a chiropractor.  The doctor of chiropractic took xrays of me
and began manipulating me.  At first I didn't really notice any bit of difference.
On the first and second days with him I noticed that I was having increased
sensations across my back and neck.  It felt like little pricklings, but was not
painful.  During the third day with him (which was also my graduation from college)
he continued to manipulate my neck as well as my jaw this time which had
become misaligned and causing my pain and decreased range of motion.  Before I got
dressed for my ceremony I started feeling the numbness go away in my skin.  I could feel a
lot more that I never could before.  I was even sweating better in places I couldn't
sweat in before and eventually my hearing returned to normal (no more ringing) and
my sense of smell became more acute.  Everywhere including my face began to
feel normal again, normal sensation.  Unfortunately for me I didn't no any better any
continued with this chiropractor.  The previous symptoms began to appear again and
I lost all that I had gained after he continued with manipulation.  Now, I am back where
I started.  Since that point I have had brain and spinal MRI and no one has been able
to tell me WHAT has happened.  I KNOW that there is something going on affecting the
spinal chord in my neck.  This is a physical problem, and not a disease.  I will post
the findings of my cervical spine and brain MRI here. Originally, they were performed to
rule out MS and other brain or spinal diseases which I don't have.  I just find it amazing that no one
can help me with this except a chiropractor.  I can't even get so much as an explanation
of what he did to make my symptoms go away.  There must be a really good doctor
out there who can rise to the challenge and let me know what's going on.  If it helps I was
taking the Neurontin medication too at the time, but I really doubt that had anything to do with it.

Findings:
MRI OF THE BRAIN WITH AND WITHOUT CONTRAST: 04/04/09


INDICATION: Multiple sclerosis, upper and lower extremity weakness.
Facial numbness.


TECHNIQUE: Multiplanar precontrast and postcontrast T1 as well as
axial and sagittal FLAIR, axial T2, gradient echo, and diffusion images
were performed.


FINDINGS:
There is no evidence of hemorrhage or infarction. There is no T2 or
FLAIR signal alteration. There is no edema, mass effect, or midline
shift. Midline structures are intact. The ventricles and CSF spaces
are normal. There is no osseous or soft tissue abnormality. Following
gadolinium administration, no abnormal enhancement is demonstrated.


IMPRESSION:
NORMAL MRI OF THE BRAIN.*** Final *** Trans On: 04/04/2009 19:2by: CMA

Findings:
MR CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT AND WITH CONTRAST, 4/6/09 @ 6:31 PM:


CLINICAL HISTORY:
23-year-old male with numbness in muscles, sensitivity all over
body.


TECHNIQUE:
Axial T2, T1 and post contrast T1-weighted images were obtained, as
well as sagittal T1, T2, proton density, STIR and post contrast
T1-weighted images.


FINDINGS:
No prior exam is available for comparison.


There is motion artifact on multiple sequences which slightly limits
evaluation. The normal cervical lordosis is grossly maintained with no
acute fracture or subluxation appreciated. Prevertebral soft tissues
appear unremarkable with no abnormal paraspinous collections or masses
appreciated. No geographic marrow lesion is identified. There is mild
loss of disc signal and disc height at the C3-C4 levels, though no disc
bulge, neural foraminal stenosis or central canal stenosis is seen.
Atlanto-axial and atlanto-occipital articulations are grossly
maintained. The posterior fossa is normal in configuration.


At C5-6, there is a mild broad-based generalized disc bulge which is
slightly greatest centrally. This causes anterior effacement of the
thecal sac, though it does not contact the cord and does not cause
significant central canal stenosis. No significant neural foraminal
stenosis is seen at this level, either.


The C6-7 and C7-T1 levels appear unremarkable.


There is a punctate area of increased T2 signal within the central
cord at the C4 level. It is located at the very center of the cord and
is appreciated on axial image 10-33; this is most consistent with a
punctate syrinx or focal dilatation of the central canal of the spinal
cord. However, this measures only 1-2 mm in size and is of
questionable significance. No other areas of abnormal T2 cord signal
are present. No abnormal areas of enhancement are identified. On T1
images, there appears to be normal signal flow voids within the
bilateral vertebral arteries with the left vertebral artery slightly
dominant.


IMPRESSION:


MILD DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT CENTRAL CANAL
STENOSIS OR CORD EDEMA. PUNCTATE AREA OF DILATATION OF THE CENTRAL
CANAL IN THE SPINAL CORD IS OF QUESTIONABLE SIGNIFICANCE, LOCATED AT
THE C4 LEVEL. NO AREAS OF ABNORMAL ENHANCEMENT OR CORD SIGNAL TO
SUGGEST INVOLVEMENT OF IMS.*** Final *** Trans On: 04/06/2009 21:1by: SEE