So since this is my first blog, I thought I should explain what this blog will be about. I'm working towards a degree in health science and while studying, I tend to come across some interesting and intriguing information and would love to pass it to everyone else. I'll post everything and anything that "meets the eye".

From general environmental politics, to religious health and diagnosis, until the investigation of underground diseases. These will be the issues that I shall be researching and sharing with you all.

Dug, Deep, Underground-Arachnoiditis

Many people don't know realize that there are so many diseases that we don't know about and have not found a cure for. One of these horrible sicknesses are called Arachnoiditis. This disease is buried so underground that doctors choose to avoid it, instead they would say its "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome".

What is this disease?

Arachnoiditis is caused by external substances entering and damaging the spinal canal. It beings with a massive inflammation at the nervous system roots and the "arachnoid". The arachnoid is one of the three membranes that surround the central nervous system. This inflammation is chronic and produces burning and pain in the spine. Once the inflammation begins, the tissues grow and pinch the roots, as if they are chocking them. It can then fill up the entire spinal canal and therefore if it continues to grow, any other organ may be affected. If the nerve roots are effected, then the organs cannot function properly.

Symptoms:

Fevers, nausea, vomiting and rashes. Often those who suffer from the disease feel as if their "joints" are being pulled apart, as well as the loss of ability to walk and use hands. Anyone with arachnoiditis will tell you, though, that the single most significant issue is pain—ongoing, neverending, unbearable pain.

Cause of the disease:

The cause of the disease can seem to be far fetched. There are three main ways that someone can become affected with the disease. One of them being epidural's. Many people tend to receive epidural's during pregnancy and other times but very rarely become infected with the disease. Although there is one epidural that was researched to cause this disease most which is called Depo-Medrol.

Other ways of infection are through spine surgeries and myelograms. Myelograms are dyes that are injected into the spine and are highly toxic. This was the most common form of being affected from Arachnoiditis.
So now the question is, what are the possibilities of being infected with the disease. The reason why this is a"dark secret" is because Arachnoiditis has no record of the number of people infected or cured. Usually when someone is diagnosed, doctors refuse to help them or treat them for another disease that might be highly irrelevant.

So here you have it, one disease that is slowly being unraveled and shown to the world. My purpose is to cause awareness. I shall post the references below if any of you guys would like to read up on this topic.

Reference:
1) Stevenson.H(2007). Arachnoiditis-The Deep Dark Secret of the Medical System. Retrieved on February 3, 2010.