Hi all, I know this isn’t an ms thing (but seeing as I’m undiagnosed with transverse myelitis) I thought I would ask about slipped discs. I suffer from really bad buttock, hip, leg ankle pain mainly in my right leg, the neuro doesn’t think it’s related to ms he thinks it’s bad sciatica. When I stand up or turn or move something clicks in the bottom of my back. Could a click be slipped discs? Could a slip disc actually click inside like mine does?
A “slipped disc” is a bit of a misnomer - it doesn’t usually mean the disc is literally slipping in a way that you could feel or hear. It’s normally more accurately a bulging disc, where some of the jelly stuff inside is protruding out, and might impact on the spinal cord, since it has to pass through a very narrow channel, so obviously any obstruction or constriction could cause a problem.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with TM, I assume you must already have had a spinal MRI? It’s very unlikely any “slipped disc” wouldn’t have been picked up then, as it’s a common cause of symptoms similar to TM or MS, so it’s one of the features they would have looked for.
Although I can’t absolutely swear to it, I doubt you would have a slipped disc that was either making noises, or didn’t show up on a scan.
Tina
This is the thing. Although I was diagnosed with tm & that I believe affects both sides of the spinal cord, I honestly don’t no if my spine was scanned. I know that sounds ridiculous but I haven’t been made aware it was. I had s MRI, pulled out to have the injection, lumber puncture, ct & veps. Other than actually asking, how would I know if it was of my spine? I mean could I get a diagnosis which I have of tm without one?
Personally, I would not have thought TM could be conclusively diagnosed without a scan, no. There might be a tentative diagnosis, based on symptoms, but I don’t see how they could confirm the theory without seeing pictures. Even though you can’t see exactly what an MRI is doing, you must have had a sense of whether it was just your head being scanned, or your head and whole spine, surely? From memory, when I was having only brain being done, that was the only bit of me that had to go in the scanner, so I didn’t even need to undress. When I had “everywhere” done, I could sort of tell whereabouts the scanner was focusing, by the sensation of heat, and the intensity of the vibrations. I could tell when it was doing my spine - or at least, a lot further down than my head! It’s not a pain, or even a discomfort, but you’re sort of aware what it’s up to. Could you not sense this?
Tina
ape66 ive had the same problem for more than ten years. i had an mri done of my spine two years ago and it showed bulging of discs. my back clicks if i move a certain way.
must say its very debilitating most of the time in my case.