Unfortunately, there are a huge number ofvarious human diseases. And their number only increases every year. And one of these diseases is arachnoiditis. This disease is little known to the general public, but it occurs very, very often. Arachnoiditis is an inflammatory process that affects the arachnoid membrane of the brain or spinal cord. However, as medical practice shows, arachnoiditis of the brain is much more common. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the brain and spinal cord, the development of an isolated lesion of the arachnoid membrane is impossible in principle. This is explained by the fact that the autonomous vascular network of the arachnoid membrane simply does not exist. And therefore, the inflammatory process in almost all cases spreads to nearby tissues. That is why doctors most often talk not about arachnoiditis, but about leptomeningitis. Although, in essence, the original cause of the disease is arachnoiditis.
Causes of the disease
There are several main reasons for the developmentof this disease, and most often the culprits are a variety of infections, including neuroinfections. In addition, the cause of the disease is often intoxication of the body of various origins, as well as serious craniocerebral injuries. It is quite difficult to insure against them, almost impossible. However, it is still worth knowing about them - this will help reduce the threat of learning from personal experience what arachnoiditis is. Below we will tell you more about these causes. Of course, such a disease cannot pass without a trace - both in the arachnoid membrane and in the adjacent tissues, thickened and cloudy areas are noted. In addition, arachnoiditis often leads to the development of active adhesive processes. As a result of these processes, adhesions consisting of connective tissue grow in the meninges. In these adhesions, both vascular growths and their opacities are very clearly visible. In especially advanced cases, cysts are often formed, which can be of varying sizes. All these lesions can be localized in various parts of the brain. Depending on this localization, doctors divide arachnoiditis into several varieties: optic-chiasmatic, convexital, spinal. All the symptoms of the varieties of this disease are approximately the same, but the course and manifestation may differ in some ways. In rare cases, an atypical course of the disease is possible.
Symptoms of the disease
Of course, arachnoiditis is a very serious condition.disease. And therefore it simply cannot proceed asymptomatically. There are a number of different signs that can make a doctor suspect that a patient has arachnoiditis:
- Headache
This symptom is characteristic to varying degrees forall types of arachnoiditis without exception. However, those people who have fallen ill with the cerebral form of the disease suffer most from headaches. As a rule, they experience quite severe pain sensations - of a diffuse nature. However, although less often, there are still localized pain sensations. The main distinguishing feature of a headache caused by arachnoiditis is its intensification with any, even the slightest, head movement. There is even a special test - the doctor asks the sick person to stand on his toes, and then abruptly transfer his weight to his heel. If the pain intensifies at the moment when the person touches the floor with his heels, one can suspect that he has arachnoiditis.
- Convulsive Syndrome
In the event that arachnoiditis affects the anteriordepartments of the brain, it is called convexital. This type of disease is characterized by disorders of both the motor apparatus and various nerve receptors. A person's movements become awkward, sometimes it is difficult for him to even lift a cup. The gait of a sick person is also specific - he can "sway" from side to side, he can bump into various objects. All this happens due to the fact that the cerebellum is affected to some extent. And the severity of the movement coordination disorder directly depends on the degree of damage to the cerebellum. Of course, all these changes are very frightening for both the sick person and his loved ones. But there is no reason to panic - in almost one hundred percent of cases, all these phenomena pass almost without a trace. The main thing is to seek medical help in time and receive adequate treatment. In addition, a person often loses sensitivity - including pain. However, fortunately, sensitivity is lost only partially - complete loss is extremely rare, only in very severe cases. This form of the disease has another extremely unpleasant feature - it can often lead to the development of a convulsive syndrome - both focal and general. Thus, arachnoiditis manifests itself in half of all patients.
- Decreased vision
In the event that a person has arachnoiditisoccurs as a consequence of any injuries, or as a result of the spread of the inflammatory process from the maxillary sinuses, the sick person may experience problems with the visual apparatus. A person may notice the appearance of blurry or bright spots before the eyes, then a gradual decrease in visual acuity in both eyes begins. When examining the fundus, an ophthalmologist, as a rule, notes pronounced neuritis of the optic nerve. However, if this happened to you or your loved ones, do not panic - after arachnoiditis is cured, vision will gradually begin to recover. As a rule, over time it is fully restored, with rare exceptions.
- Increased intracranial pressure
In almost all cases of the diseasearachnoiditis may be accompanied by such a phenomenon as increased intracranial pressure. If such a phenomenon occurs, the doctor will most likely rule out the possibility of a disease such as arachnoiditis.
- Pain in the lumbosacral region
In the event that arachnoiditis is localized inspinal cord, a sick person may experience pain in the lumbar region, sacrum or thoracic region - depending on the location. Moreover, these pains can be quite intense. It is very important in such a situation to exclude osteochondrosis, radiculitis and acute pyelonephritis, which can disguise arachnoiditis.
Diagnosis of the disease
As mentioned above, for successful treatmentIt is very important to diagnose arachnoiditis correctly and in a timely manner. In order to make a correct diagnosis, the doctor needs data from a comprehensive examination of the patient, an assessment of the clinical manifestations of the disease and a general anamnesis. That is why diagnosis always takes a certain amount of time. Moreover, the first thing doctors should do is to completely exclude the possibility of the patient having such a serious disease as a brain tumor. The symptoms of these diseases are very similar - it is very important to find out the cause of the patient's malaise in a timely manner and correctly. After all, the treatment tactics for these diseases are completely different, and delaying treatment is unacceptable in either case - otherwise there is a serious risk to human health. Cerebral arachnoiditis, like its other varieties, is a very insidious disease! A variety of methods are used to diagnose the disease - the appropriateness of each is determined by the doctor. As a rule, the symptoms of the disease are the basis. For example, if a person is bothered by back pain, the doctor may decide on the need for a puncture. If arachnoiditis actually occurs and has affected the spinal cord, the cerebrospinal fluid will leak under some pressure, and laboratory testing will show the presence of an inflammatory process. If a person complains of pain in the head, the doctor will most often prescribe a tomography of the brain. This test can reveal possible enlargements of individual areas of the brain, focal changes, and sometimes even cysts. The accuracy of tomography is approximately 99%. Also, for a correct diagnosis, it is important to know how exactly arachnoiditis begins. As a rule, if a person has arachnoiditis, the malaise does not begin suddenly. Most often, immediately before this, the person had one or another infectious disease, for example, purulent otitis or sinusitis. Then the person develops a feeling of nausea, often accompanied by vomiting. At first, the attacks are wave-like, but as the disease progresses, they become almost constant. Moreover, if the treatment of arachnoiditis itself has not been started, the use of any pharmacological drugs designed to relieve nausea attacks is absolutely ineffective. Approximately on the second day after the onset of nausea, headache joins it. Its intensity also increases as the disease progresses.
Treatment of the disease
Once the disease has been confirmeddiagnosed, it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible. The first thing to do is to establish the cause that provoked the development of such a disease as arachnoiditis. In the event that this cause was not an injury, but one or another infection, it is necessary to start its treatment as soon as possible. Depending on what kind of infection the patient has, the doctor will select an antibacterial drug in the dose that is necessary for each specific patient. The antibacterial drug will not only eliminate the root cause of the disease - the infection, but also relieve the inflammatory process of the brain membrane. In addition to antibacterial drugs, the patient is prescribed various antihistamines in almost all cases. They are necessary to relieve the swelling that inevitably occurs as a result of damage to the meninges. In especially severe cases, the patient will be prescribed intravenous infusions of various drugs that affect the body a little faster. In the event that arachnoiditis is accompanied by a convulsive syndrome, doctors will prescribe suitable antiepileptic drugs. In addition, to alleviate the patient's condition, doctors can prescribe symptomatic therapy. Such treatment has a very noticeable result. In some particularly severe cases, the above measures may be ineffective - the symptoms continue to increase, intracranial pressure increases, the convulsive symptom intensifies, vision is greatly reduced. In such cases, delay is by no means acceptable - not only the health, but also the life of the patient is at risk. In such cases, doctors decide on the need for surgical intervention. After the acute stage of the disease is stopped, doctors begin pathogenetic therapy. This course of treatment is very long - it can last about three months. The purpose of this treatment is to normalize intracranial pressure, stimulate cerebral circulation and generally improve the condition of the body.
Further prognosis for a sick person
Since arachnoiditis is a very dangerousdisease, it is unlikely to pass without a trace. However, the prognosis for life is very favorable - if the disease is diagnosed in a timely manner, and the treatment is started correctly, there is practically no threat to human life. The only exception is arachnoiditis, which is complicated by hydrocephalus of the brain. In this case, unfortunately, it is not always possible to save a person. Most often, a sick person who has suffered from arachnoiditis - of course, after a course of complete rehabilitation, restores working capacity almost in full. However, sometimes, in the event that health is not fully restored, a special medical commission may decide to recognize the sick person as a disabled person of group III. In extremely rare cases, a person who has suffered from a complicated form of arachnoiditis may have periodic epileptic seizures. In this case, the sick person will be forced to take special anticonvulsants for the rest of his life. Of course, in this case, the person will also receive a disability group, most often II. This happens in about 10% of all cases when a person has suffered from cerebral arachnoiditis, especially complicated. In about 2% of all cases of the disease, arachnoiditis gives such a complication as a strong decrease in vision. Sometimes a person can lose it completely. Of course, in this case, a person is no longer able to work fully, so he will definitely receive a disability group I. The reason for this will be arachnoiditis.
Precautions after the disease
In addition, the first year after a personhad arachnoiditis, he should observe certain precautions even if his health does not suffer at all. For example, if a person had problems with coordination of movement during the illness, or epileptic seizures, during the first year he should refuse to work in dangerous conditions. Such conditions include work near an open fire, at height, in transport and near dangerous mechanisms - a certificate that a person had arachnoiditis will give the right to light work. All patients without exception who have had arachnoiditis should try and refuse to work in excessively noisy rooms, in conditions significantly different from the usual atmospheric pressure - for example, an airplane or a mine. All these factors can become provoking - lead to the recurrence of arachnoiditis. In addition, it is necessary to be wary of various infections, at least the first year after the disease. Otherwise, the risk of developing a recurrent arachnoiditis is very high. Of course, it is not that easy to do, but this measure will help to avoid many problems. By the way, repeated diseases are much more severe, and the risk of complications in this case is much higher. The best way to avoid certain infections today is to generally strengthen the immune system. This can be done independently, but it is much wiser to consult a doctor - an immunologist who will carefully assess the person's condition. If necessary, a number of studies will be carried out - including a blood test. Based on the data obtained, the doctor will select a special course of therapy that will help to significantly improve the state of the immune system, increase the body's resistance to various infections. This measure is very useful for any person, and even more so for someone who has suffered such a serious disease as arachnoiditis. In conclusion, I would like to remind you once again - of course, arachnoiditis is an unpleasant disease that knocks the sick person off track for a long time, as well as his relatives. However, this is not a reason to be upset - timely seeking medical help, carefully following all the doctor's orders and recommendations will help cure a disease such as arachnoiditis of the brain.
