why is arachnoiditis considered "controversial"?

[arachnaphob]

Hello,

I am being treated for restless legs, I also get tingling, burning tight feelings in both lower legs up to about mid calf.  I also have burning and numbness and nerve pains in both anterior lateral thighs.

A neurosurgeon ordered an MRI and said that it showed simple wear and tear.  However, the MRI report said "severe degeneration of the L3-L4 facet joints" and " the arrangement of the nerves within the thecal sac indicates arachnoiditis".

I was offered surgery for Meralgia Parasthetica which I refused.

I asked my GP about the MRI report and he said that a finding of arachnoiditis was "controversial" and that it probably is just an incidental finding.  That I couldn't have it because I was still walking around and not complaining of severe pain.

My questions are : does arachnoiditis exist ?
                          : could I have arachnoiditis causing my leg symptoms ?
                          : can this be more widespread and be the cause of my 15 years of trigeminal neuralgia and more recent onset of classic migraine with aura ?

Thank you

Arachnaphob

[arachnaphob]

Thank you so much.  I did'nt expect any responses after almost 3 months.

I've Googled arachnoiditis and while I have a lot of the lower limb problems, I don't have huge pain issues. In fact my facial pain (trigeminal neuralgia) is worse than my leg/back pain.

I have more recently started getting widespread tingling/numbness/burning with vertigo, nausea, tinnitus, memory loss and mild confusion at times. I was blaming the arachnoiditis for all my problems and cursing  the doctors who didn't want to deal with it. But, then today, I went to the GP and found out that along with the iron deficiency anaemia I also have B12 deficiency.  This can cause all kinds of neurological symptoms.  So, until my B12 deficiency is corrected, I won't be able to tell what the neuro symptoms are caused by.

I have never had a myelogram but I have had 2 back surgeries over 30 years ago.  Up until the last couple of years, I considered these surgeries very successful.

Thanks again for the replies,

Arach

[soldy]

Hi

# 1   YES
#2     YES
#3      YES and   many  More NEUROTOXINS

[cat2u92021]

Arachnoidits does exist!!  I have been diagnosed with it also for the last 4 years.  It causes numerous symptoms.  Dr. Antonio Aldrete has a website and a book to help you understand this disease.  Dr. Burton has also released "The Burton Report".  The reason why it is controversial is because it is mainly thought to be physician-induced, i.e. epidural steroid injections, multiple surgeries, myleograms, etc.  

Hope this helped!

Cat2u92021