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transverse myelitis anyone?
Transverse myelitis, anyone had it? And what were your symptoms and how long did they last? I was hospitalized on 1/9 for three days IV steroids then oral steroids the next 15 days. I still have the same partial numbness from the neck down with worse numbness & pins and needles in both hands. This is driving me crazy and I just wanted to know if it's like this for anyone else. PS started neurotin a week ago, not helping yet.
This is my MS diagnosing episode too. Apparently my body doesn't believe in being subtle, lol. I was lucky that I went straight to my neurologist with my symptoms and he figured it out quickly that I had TM and put me immediately in the hospital for steroids. My lesion is C2/3 so my arms & hands are my big problems. Hoping PT will help.
Hi, I had my TM episode in 2010 now known as my first MS lesion. I was diagnosed w PPMS about 6 mths ago and I'm clueless. I can walk though I was originally paralyzed T4 down. It's difficult to find many MSrs with the TM pain. It's really messed with my legs & there's not they can do??? I'm scared to death.
Lola
Lola
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and a belated welcome from me :D
You're not going to find very many who have been diagnosed (dx) with both MS and Transverse Myelitis (TM), sorry. TM is specifically to do with only the spinal cord, there are similarities to MS but MS is generally more the brain or both brain and spinal cord. MS spinal cord lesions are smaller than TM cord lesions and more commonly cause unilateral symptoms (sx's) because they don't cut across the cord causing bilateral sx's like TM lesions do.
Spinal cord lesions are not as common in MS as the brain lesions and the related symptoms eg Visual symptoms - Optic Neuritis (ON), Nystagmus, diplopia etc actually visual symptoms are one of the most common presenting symptoms of MS, somewhere around 80-85% of MSers have visual sx's. Not every MSers develops spinal cord lesions but there is a thought to be rarer type of MS which is only in the the spinal cord, though i know hardly more than that, because there isn't a lot of research evidence as yet, sorry.
You might find this TM information and link a little helpful.......
"Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment, of the spinal cord. The term myelitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord; transverse simply describes the position of the inflammation, that is, across the width of the spinal cord.
Attacks of inflammation can damage or destroy myelin, the fatty insulating substance that covers nerve cell fibers. This damage causes nervous system scars that interrupt communications between the nerves in the spinal cord and the rest of the body.
Symptoms of transverse myelitis include a loss of spinal cord function over several hours to several weeks. What usually begins as a sudden onset of lower back pain, muscle weakness, or abnormal sensations in the toes and feet can rapidly progress to more severe symptoms, including paralysis, urinary retention, and loss of bowel control.
Although some patients recover from transverse myelitis with minor or no residual problems, others suffer permanent impairments that affect their ability to perform ordinary tasks of daily living. Most patients will have only one episode of transverse myelitis; a small percentage may have a recurrence.
The segment of the spinal cord at which the damage occurs determines which parts of the body are affected. Nerves in the cervical (neck) region control signals to the neck, arms, hands, and muscles of breathing (the diaphragm).
Nerves in the thoracic (upper back) region relay signals to the torso and some parts of the arms. Nerves at the lumbar (mid-back) level control signals to the hips and legs.
Finally, sacral nerves, located within the lowest segment of the spinal cord, relay signals to the groin, toes, and some parts of the legs. Damage at one segment will affect function at that segment and segments below it.
In patients with transverse myelitis, demyelination usually occurs at the thoracic level, causing problems with leg movement and bowel and bladder control, which require signals from the lower segments of the spinal cord."
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/transversemyelitis/detail_transversemyelitis.htm
Cheers............JJ
You're not going to find very many who have been diagnosed (dx) with both MS and Transverse Myelitis (TM), sorry. TM is specifically to do with only the spinal cord, there are similarities to MS but MS is generally more the brain or both brain and spinal cord. MS spinal cord lesions are smaller than TM cord lesions and more commonly cause unilateral symptoms (sx's) because they don't cut across the cord causing bilateral sx's like TM lesions do.
Spinal cord lesions are not as common in MS as the brain lesions and the related symptoms eg Visual symptoms - Optic Neuritis (ON), Nystagmus, diplopia etc actually visual symptoms are one of the most common presenting symptoms of MS, somewhere around 80-85% of MSers have visual sx's. Not every MSers develops spinal cord lesions but there is a thought to be rarer type of MS which is only in the the spinal cord, though i know hardly more than that, because there isn't a lot of research evidence as yet, sorry.
You might find this TM information and link a little helpful.......
"Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment, of the spinal cord. The term myelitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord; transverse simply describes the position of the inflammation, that is, across the width of the spinal cord.
Attacks of inflammation can damage or destroy myelin, the fatty insulating substance that covers nerve cell fibers. This damage causes nervous system scars that interrupt communications between the nerves in the spinal cord and the rest of the body.
Symptoms of transverse myelitis include a loss of spinal cord function over several hours to several weeks. What usually begins as a sudden onset of lower back pain, muscle weakness, or abnormal sensations in the toes and feet can rapidly progress to more severe symptoms, including paralysis, urinary retention, and loss of bowel control.
Although some patients recover from transverse myelitis with minor or no residual problems, others suffer permanent impairments that affect their ability to perform ordinary tasks of daily living. Most patients will have only one episode of transverse myelitis; a small percentage may have a recurrence.
The segment of the spinal cord at which the damage occurs determines which parts of the body are affected. Nerves in the cervical (neck) region control signals to the neck, arms, hands, and muscles of breathing (the diaphragm).
Nerves in the thoracic (upper back) region relay signals to the torso and some parts of the arms. Nerves at the lumbar (mid-back) level control signals to the hips and legs.
Finally, sacral nerves, located within the lowest segment of the spinal cord, relay signals to the groin, toes, and some parts of the legs. Damage at one segment will affect function at that segment and segments below it.
In patients with transverse myelitis, demyelination usually occurs at the thoracic level, causing problems with leg movement and bowel and bladder control, which require signals from the lower segments of the spinal cord."
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/transversemyelitis/detail_transversemyelitis.htm
Cheers............JJ
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