Many symptoms unexplained

Posted By  CCF Neurosurgery MD on February 08, 1998 at 11:36:47:

In Reply to: Many symptoms unexplained posted by Julie Davis on February 07, 1998 at 15:28:53:

: Hello:
  A little more than five years ago I fell from a horse that was running at top
  speed. I suffered a mild concussion and bruises after falling directly on the
  end of my spine. Nine days later, I began feeling tingling in my legs.
  Shortly after the tingling climbed up my body and into my arms and hands.
  I have also felt tingling on occasion when I bend my head, or move my head
  side to side. Other symptoms include a feeling of heavy legs, and vertigo.
  MS was apparently ruled out after two normal brain MRI's (one with
  gadolinium). The last brain MRI was done with gadolinium 5 months after
  the initial onset of my strange symptoms. I've had a normal spinal tap
  and normal evoked potentials (visual, sensory and auditory). Three c-spine
  MRI's (one with gadolinim) revealed some dessicated disks that were thought
  to be of no clinical significance. My neurological exams haven't been abnormal
  either, according to the 2 neurologists I've seen. I don't know if
  my symptoms are the result of my riding accident or an illness. I was
  in a car accident one year prior to my riding accident and got whiplash as
  a result. What do people do in my situation, with subjective symptoms but
  no objective ones? Should I repeat all that testing down the line? The last
  neurolgist said MS was not there. I know L'herimitte's sign occurs in MS
  as well as cervical myelopathy. Myelopathy wasn't seen on the c-spine MRI's.
  Is it possible to have L'herimitte's not seen? How can this be. ANY Guidance
  is much appreciated, and thank you, this is a wonderful forum.

[CCF Neurosurgery MD]

Dear Ms Davis;
I think that your problems are more likely related to spine issues rather than brain issues. You might be having two separate problems here. The first one is likely to be in your lower back and this would explain the low back pain and leg symptoms. The other may bery well be higher in the spine such as at the thoracic or cervical level. It is not uncommon to have severe injury to the spine from the type of accident you described and MRI may not be the adequate modality to verify all possible pathologies that may occur. As you may or may not know, bone is not adequately visualized with an MRI and can miss certain serious problems that might cause symptoms similar to yours.
I think that you should be seen by a neurosurgeon who has extensive experience with spine trauma problems as he/she may be able to provide you with answers.
Good Luck !