Cervical Myelopathy

[Red_Ruby]

My Neurologist has order a MRI of my brain and spinal cord with contrast  dye which I have had done but I have to wait until July 19th for the results.  It has been a year since my last MRI but that was done without any contrast dye.  Previously I have been told a dx of Myelomalacia from C2 to C7.

He had sent a 2 page letter to my GP saying some things I do not understand.  He now states I cleary have physical findings consistant with Cervical Myelopathy.

1:Deep tendon reflexes were pathologically brisk
2:In the lower limbs, there was increased tone, bilaterally with a catch at the   knee but not at the ankle.
3: Romberg's test was slightly positive.

What does this mean please?

My symptons, serve pain in both arms, sometimes seperately or both together in pain.  Hand and finger pain and circle of pain around chest and shoulder pain.  Bowel and Bladder issues.  The neck pain is only slight but neck rotation is stiff. I staggered and bump into doorways like I am drunk.

Any help would be appreciated.

Red Ruby

[Red_Ruby]

Thanks for all of comments, I have gained some more knowledge and will post back what my MRI results are after I see the Neurologist.

[teenyturner]

JJ,  it's not just neuros that can be iffy.

One MRI report said "normal", next MRI three months later (done on same machine at same xray place) report said "compared to previous MRI cervical lesions appear to have improved slightly, while thoracic lesions have extended to conus"

I went back to the xray clinic and put a complaint in about the first radiologist and his incompetence.  I was especially cranky because even though I was on a pension at the time they still charged a $625 gap fee.

While I'm on a whinging theme.  I had an OT assessment yesterday.  She assessed my upper body strength....overall strength of 3/5 but wrist extensors were only 1/5 with no expected improvement to be gained with physio (other words, neuro not muscle problem).   My neuro has NEVER done those tests.  So why did I pay 100s of dollars for a manual wheelchair (on neuros advice) when I will never have the upper body capacity to use it.   I've been trying to do strengthening exercises for the last three months in vain.  

Finally, I've been told I NEED an electric wheelchair.

The only advice my neuro has ever given me about day to day living assistance and he was wrong.

Aghh,  I'm sick of them all at the moment.

I'm also with you JJ that I think it's about time we should have copies of all of our tests given to us without having to ask.  My Mum had a blood test done at a public hospital in January.  She has not received an appointment yet to go back for results.  Last time I was at the hospital, my doctor looked it up and told me that my mothers test was very abnormal and she needs to be seen.  Still no appointment though.  I suppose they hope you die so the waiting list gets shorter.

Sorry everyone, feel lousy today and this damned continual overcast drizzly weather isn't helping.  Where has the sun gone?

[supermum_ms]

Hey there,

Just to clarify for none Ozzies: Its not uncommon in Australia for patients to not get 'told' their results until they return to their neuro, which outside of an emergency, can take anywhere up to 3months for their follow up appt. We dont 'usually' get copies of anything, unless its specifically requested by the dr. Mind you, last month my daughter had her spinal MRI handed to her, but it was only so she could take it to the surgeon on the other side of the hospital, lol she still didn't get to keep the disc. I only got a copy of mine because the neuro gave me a signed letter of request to pick up a copy for 'him', he could print off the conclusion but being outside the hospital he couldn't access the actual MRI's, i just kept a copy for me.

We say it a lot here, and its probably even more relivant to Ozzies because MS just isn't common enough in our country, and even less common in the warmer states. Its always a good idea to make sure the neuro you are seeing IS an MS specialist, it seriously makes a difference, for us that means doing a bit of googling to find the MS centre's in our state, they each have at least one and if they are involved in MS research its much better overall. Know the field your neuro is into, their speciality is what they dx the most, MS is difficult to dx at the best of times but its the MS specialist who would be upto date with best world practise, find one!  

Am I right that the none contract MRIs taken a year ago, in both the brain and spinal, did in fact find a few lesions in each? The lesion in your dorsal thats being blamed for the resulting Myopathy, so not the more common cause eg degenerative disc, right? The brain lesions though are what exactly, dismissed completely because there isn't enough or thought to be ischemic small vessels which are silent so also dismissed?

http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/SClinic/Myelo/Myelopathy.htm

Btw that above site is really informative, so its worth having a read through.

I'm a little jaded from my neuro experience, first general neuro said i had zero lesions which was untrue, my one and only none contrast MRI concludes that i have a chronic number of white matter and deep white matter lesions that are inconsistent with my age and the MRI disc supports that. The second neuro specialised in dementia but he was a professor so i had more confidence but he said so many incorrect things about MS eg double vision has nothing to do with MS [errr what the?!] it was all a waste of time and just jaded me even more lol

So at the end of all this, all i can recommend is 1) knowing your neuro's speciality (google his/her name) and if its not MS then find one who is. 2) Find out if your brain MRI has changed at all, any new lesions, and because its with contrast, if any light up.

Cheers......JJ

[doublevision1]

Geez, auto spell correction on my iPad is brutal!

[doublevision1]

I have cervical myelopathy cause by MS lesions on my cervical spine.  The you describe in your upper limbs sound very similar to mine.  I have constant pain and discomfort, worse in my left-hand and arm up to my elbow, milder but increasing on the right side.also have that banding sensation lower,marlins my ribcage,  I am dx'ed RRMS.  That said, as Kyle points out, MS is not the only cause of cervical myelopathy.

[kwarendorf]

Hi RR - From what I read Myelomalacia is a potential cause of Cervical Myelopathy. Cervical Myelopathy just means that something is interfering with the transmission of information along the nerves in the cervical spine. One of these causes could be Myelomalacia.

It seems odd that you have to wait a month before learning the results of your MRI. I'm not sure how things work in Australia. If what you have is MS they will likely find what are called demyelinating lesions on nerves in you central nervous system. These lesions are distinctive and all together different from nerve compression. Nerve compression is more likely to be the cause of cervical myelopathy.

Kyle