Arachnoiditis: Diagnosis and Treatment Q&A
Diagnosing arachnoiditis can be challenging. It’s an uncommon condition but imaging tests can help confirm cases. Also there is no permanent cure for arachnoiditis, there are a number of options that can help control symptoms and stop the illness from getting worse. If you have a spinal injury, bacterial and viral infection, or chronic compression, it can cause arachnoiditis. So come to InovoSpine, to get comprehensive treatment from Dr. Pawan Grover, MDPA. For more information, contact us or book an online appointment. We serve patients from Houston, TX and surrounding areas.
Table of Contents:
How do you diagnose arachnoiditis?
What causes arachnoiditis to flare up?
What medication is used for arachnoiditis?
What is the best treatment for arachnoiditis?
Arachnoiditis is a rare disorder caused by swelling of the arachnoid. The arachnoid is a membrane that protects the nerves of the spinal cord. Arachnoiditis causes stinging and burning pain, and neurological problems. It usually affects the lower and middle back, but rarely the entire spine. Arachnoiditis can be highly variable as it can be static, staying the same, or progressive, getting worse over time.
Arachnoiditis is difficult to diagnose because of its rarity in the medical world. Not many healthcare providers are familiar with it. There are no reliable imaging test findings or laboratory tests that definitively diagnose this condition. Diagnosis depends on understanding the symptoms and finding supporting evidence from MRI or CT myelography.
– Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI produces clear images of components in the body. In reaction to arachnoiditis, the practitioner will look for nerve root thickening and clumping in your spine.
– Computed tomography or CT myelogram is an imaging procedure that looks at the relationship between your vertebrae and discs. It will look through your spinal cord, nerves, and nerve roots. The practitioner will look for indications of arachnoiditis.
– Lumbar puncture draws spinal fluid for testing. Arachnoiditis can be caused by an infection and this can help to determine if that is the cause.
– An electromyogram or EMG can show signs of the severity of damage to nerves and nerve roots by using electric impulses to show nerve function.
Since arachnoiditis is fairly rare and has multiple causes, healthcare providers have a difficult time determining the causes of a flare-up. The arachnoid can flare up because of any of the following irritations:
– Multiple lumbar punctures or complications from spinal surgery are the most common causes of inflammation.
– Spinal injury or direct trauma to the spin can cause arachnoiditis.
– Chemicals used for imaging and testing have been linked to arachnoiditis. The preservatives in epidural steroid injections are thought to cause flare-ups.
– Bacterial or viral infections like tuberculosis, meningitis, or HIV can have an effect on the spine and cause flare-ups.
– Chronic compression of the nerves in the spine caused by degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis has been found to be causal.
Patients with arachnoiditis have some pain management options, with medications being helpful. Without a cure, pain management is necessary and some of the following medications can be effective:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications of NSAIDs.
– Anti-spasm drugs
– Corticosteroids
– Narcotic pain relievers
– Anti-convulsant drugs
Some of these medications will be given through a spinal pump. A spinal pump is a device that is placed under the skin that will deposit medication into the inflamed area.
There is no cure for arachnoiditis so treatment for the symptoms is the only real option. Treatment focuses on reducing or getting rid of the pain to improve the quality of life. Treatment for arachnoiditis is similar to the methods for treating other chronic pain conditions. The recommended program for treating arachnoiditis includes the following:
– Pain management
– Stretching and range-of-motion exercises
– Physical therapy, such as massage and hydrotherapy
– Psychotherapy
– The use of equipment or technology to improve movement and comfort
Specific treatments include:
– Spinal cord stimulation sends an electrical signal to the nerves in the spinal cord that interfere with the pain signals being sent to the brain.
– Medications are often used for pain management.
If you are suffering from debilitating back pain or have arachnoiditis, InovoSpine has experienced medical staff who can diagnose and treat your back problems. Contact us and make an appointment so that we can help you feel better and get back to work and play. We serve patients from Houston TX, Hedwig Village TX, Meadows Place TX, Missouri City TX, Hunters Creek Village TX, Spring Valley Village TX, and surrounding areas.
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