Authors: Shokei Yamada1; Javed Siddiqi2; Daniel J. Won2; Daniel K. Kido3; Anthony Hadden1; John Spitalieri2; Bruce A. Everett4; Chinyere G. Obasi4; Todd M. Goldenberg4; Lynton G.F. Giles5; Shoko M. Yamada6
Source: Neurological Research, Volume 26, Number 7, October 2004 , pp. 741-744(4)
Abstract:
Diagnosis of tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is complicated because anatomical information is not adequate for this task. For example, recent studies have shown that the combination of an elongated cord and a thick filum terminale, demonstrated by MRI or at operation, is no longer an essential feature for the diagnosis of TCS. For TCS diagnosis, emphasis should rather be on its characteristic symptomatology and accentuated by postural changes, since TCS is a functional disorder of the lumbosacral spinal cord. In this report, the authors present the list of signs and symptoms pertinent to TCS in adult and late teenage patients to serve as a diagnostic means.
Here is a link to my copy of the paper: PDF.
5 comments:
Hi there,
I just wanted to say hello. Nice blog, very straight to the point which I like.
I have syringomyelia as well. I was only diagnosed just over a year ago but have had it since birth. I am fairly stoic myself. Actually, it was only after a few years of really having trouble walking any distance that I finally asked for a full spinal MRI. My MD is very accomodating as long as I work with her to figure things out which I like. My neurosurgeon is Dr. Tator in Toronto, Canada who is familiar with syringomyelia so he is easy to talk to. I too don't seem to have Chiari.
Pain is a funny thing to grow up with. Because I've always had it, I thought that it was normal, although it has recently increased. Certain things like stairs were always so painful, I thought I was just not as tough as everyone else. haha! It wasn't until recently I asked someone to describe how climbing stairs felt for them that I realized it wasn't supposed to hurt like @#$##&**!! :)
I alway remember reading the "Chrysalids" by John Wyndham in highschool and now as I come accross blogs like yours,I am reminded again. Have you read it?
I like the article you posted about pain and brain function. I study mindfull meditation as a way of controlling pain. I find it very helpfull.
I have a website. It is to display my art at http://lauriemaher.com/
Take care,
Laurie
Hello. I have EDS; being tested for chiari etc. I am curious if you have itching along the spine or between the shoulder blades as a symptom?
I have some neuropathy between the shoulder blades, but it feels more like tingling and numbness than itching.
Is your neuropathy between the shoulder blades from the spinal fluid or from herniated discs/bone spurs? Did being de-tethered make it stop?
For the record the spinal cord release surgery (detethering) I had did not improve things for me (despite certain experts claiming it would). In my case, I could have skipped the surgery, and just taken steroids and pain medication and gone on vacation, and would have felt the same initial relief.
I did learn that dexamethasone made a huge difference. Unfortunately the corticosteroids are not something you can keep taking.
I also feel that I learned that neurosurgeons probably over-report the success of their therapies. There is usually no third party doing the "did they get better" judgement and often lack of long-term follow up. Finally, there is no control for the effects of the drugs you take for surgery, as I mentioned above.
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