#Myelitis

[sophsweet]

How the Gates Foundation Hijacks Global Health for Power and Profit

After much though and a continuing stream of new evidence coming to light, I am going to do this. This is a timeline of events leading up to and surrounding the coronavirus outbreak in late 2019. I still cannot prove that the long-lasting, breath-shortening cold many people caught in December 2019 was in anyway related to COVID-19. I also cannot find information – most likely because in 2013,…

[tonyandzivauk]

Health update.

I know I keep vanishing and then coming back randomly but trust me it's not because I don't want to be here, it's because of everything I have going on right now. Finding the time or energy is really fucking hard right now. I do lurk in the back ground and I am still working on finishing the pic spams...but again...I have so much going on now that it's unreal.

I work two jobs. Me and my partner bought our first home a year ago. We are a couple months closer to move in but its just been such a long and stressful journey to get this far. I'm working two jobs so we can afford to do the things we want now in terms of fixing it up so we don't have to ever do it again. I am a high school teacher during the week and a worker in an Autisic Centre of the weekends and school holidays.

As some of you may know, 8 years ago I suddenly was unable to walk properly due to pain in my hips. After xrays, they found I have Dysplasia in both my hips which caused arthritis in both. So I was thrown into the world of being disabled as I couldn't walk properly and I was in so much pain. 2 years later, after many attempts to save both hips, I had total hip replacement of the right hip. 6 months later I had a total hip replacement of the left hip. Recovery was awful. Months later I started suffering with pain in multiple joints. My knees would give way. My ankles would swell. My left sholder was very painful when moving it and would lock quite a bit. Going to the doctors to speak about this would result in me being told that it's just pain from the hips travelling down to my joints and up my back.

So I carried on. I had to. I didn't have another choice. Couple of months later, couple of ER/A&E trips, I got sent to a rheumatology consultant. He did a blood draw and said that I had no sign of an autoimmune problem so it must be Fybromyalgia. Now. I do believe I have Fybromyalgia. I have the emotional trauma from growing up with an abusive, alcoholic & gambling addict dad. Developed eating disorder from the age of 18...and I've had the physical trauma of the back to back surgery's. So it's fits. All the symptoms fit.

However, with my family's history of arthritis at very young ages (my mum needed them at 20, my auntie needed them at 23, my nan needed them in her 20s and I needed them at 21). Most of those woman have arthritis in a lot of other joints to. So I needed to push for further investigation.

My left hip replacement hasn't felt good at all since it was done. It is that bad that I actively call it my "bad hip". And tell people we don't celebrate that hips birthday. The pain has gotten much much MUCH worse. If I stand for more than 30 seconds on that hip, I get stuck. I can be taken out of action for days if I do too much activity because of the pain. I take 80mg of slow release morphine every day and other pain killers. That doesn't help much at all.

So, I asked my rheumatologist to please xray the hip replacements and please xray my sholder as it was getting worse. Its hard when you get a diagnosis of fibromyalgia because doctors like to see that and not look any further then you are complaining of joint pain. It's very hard.

I got the xrays.

Sholder: he rang me with the results. His statement was that I have Dysplasia in my sholder. The joints don't fit properly which is what is causing the pain. He also stated that this hasn't changed since the last xray I had done when it was originally flagged....excuse me? I was so confused. Eventually I remembered that during my second hip replacement, the hospital suspected a post op blood clot in my lungs, so they did a chest xray. When this xray was done, there was a red flag on it that said I had Dysplasia of the sholder. That was 5 years ago. No one said a word to me. It wasn't in my notes. When I say I was so angry, I was soooooo angry. But at least I had an answer other than "oh you have fibro, that's what's causing the pain." Since then, no one has been in touch about a treatment plan etc. That will be my next issue to fight for I guess.

The Hip: the replacements looked fine. They were not loose. Which is brilliant! However, I had extreme pain from it. So I was referred to a hip specialist. This guy was the guy who did all of mu family hip replacements so it was nice to be under him if there was a problem with my replacement. I went to see him 2 weeks ago. He sent me for a CT on my pelvis. He agreed that there was no issue with the hip other than nerve pain which isn't really worth opening back up again due to the risk of infection and the fact that I will need new hips in 10 years anyway. So, Great. Nothing wrong with the hips. I'll just have to get on with the nerve pain. He told me he had bad news though. He pulled up my CT scan and showed me that I had arthritis in sacratic joint on the left side. That is what is causing me the intense pain. That is what is causing me to get stuck in certain positions. All he can offer me for that first is injections into the joint and physical therapy. He told me that it's going to be a long journey with a lot of work.

When I say I sobbed. I sobbed. Another fucking thing that is wrong with my body. I feel like I am just broken. I find it hard to put into words how all this makes me feel but tbh nothing was as bad as it was when I got a letter through the door from the same doctor.

He mentioned everything he said in the appointment about the joint issue on the left side. But he also had taken another look at my scans and he said there is degenerative changes in my lumbar spine. Arthritis in the bottom half of my spine. What do I do with that? I was in work when I read that and honestly I did my best to keep it together but I couldn't do it. I just cried my eyes out. I think reading his words, "Elisha knows that this is something she will have to deal with for many years and it is not going to go away." I am honestly broken. I don't know why this is happening. I don't get how I've gone from where I was before I turned 21, perfectly healthy other than the eating disorder, to being 30 with arthritis in the bottom half of my spine, arthritis in my joint that connects the pelvis to the spine, 2 hip replacements & a Dysplastic sholder. I honestly feel like I should ask for a whole body scan just to get it out of the way. Just find out everything.

What also has freaked me out is that he said I have myelitis in my spine. If you do your research you will understand why this has freaked me the fucked out.

I do my best to keep it together because I know there are people with a much worse medical history but I am just broken. I am always in pain. But I'm trying to keep going. I worked to hard to give up and become bed bound, but I know there will come a time when this won't be something I can stop.

I had to get this off my chest as I am sure my partner is sick of hearing it as he's living with it daily while being with me. And I know it upsets my mum, she feels guilty for some reason.

But yeah, that's the update. This is why I go missing but school holidays is when I can come back more often

[dianeandrews]

It's been nearly 26 years now. I made this last year for my other TT account, 'beingapara' . Just a few factoids for ya. 😎

[jackcast2021]

Transverse myelitis girl

[mcatmemoranda]

I hate when people use non-standard abbreviations! There's a pt with low back pain and weakness, urinary and fecal incontinence. MRI doesn't show spinal cord compression, so cauda equina ruled out. Neuro recommended w/u for autoimmune demyelinating polyneuropathies and transverse myelitis. The neurologist wrote "TM" in his note, and I didn't know what he meant, so I looked it up. Anyway, I've heard of transverse myelitis, but didn't know the workup. From UpToDate:

●Definitions – Acute transverse myelitis (TM) is a neuro-inflammatory spinal cord disorder that presents with the rapid onset of weakness, sensory alterations, and/or bowel and bladder dysfunction. Idiopathic TM is defined by its occurrence without a definitive etiology despite a thorough work-up. Secondary (disease-associated) TM is most often related to a systemic inflammatory autoimmune condition.

●Causes – Idiopathic TM usually occurs as a postinfectious complication and presumably results from an autoimmune process. Alternatively, TM can be associated with infectious, systemic inflammatory, or multifocal central nervous system disease. Acquired central nervous system demyelinating disorders that can cause TM include multiple sclerosis, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody disease, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

●Epidemiology – TM is rare, with an annual incidence of one to eight new cases per million.

●Clinical features – The onset of TM is characterized by acute or subacute development of neurologic signs and symptoms consisting of motor, sensory, and/or autonomic dysfunction. Motor symptoms include a rapidly progressing paraparesis that can involve the upper extremities, with initial flaccidity followed by spasticity. In most patients, a sensory level can be identified. Sensory symptoms include pain, dysesthesia, and paresthesia. Autonomic symptoms involve increased urinary urgency, bladder and bowel incontinence, difficulty or inability to void, incomplete evacuation and bowel constipation, and sexual dysfunction.

●Evaluation and diagnosis – The diagnosis of TM is suspected when there are acute or subacute signs and symptoms of motor, sensory and/or autonomic dysfunction that localize to one or more contiguous spinal cord segments in patients with no evidence of a compressive cord lesion. Thus, the diagnosis of TM requires exclusion of a compressive cord lesion, usually by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and confirmation of inflammation by either gadolinium-enhanced MRI or lumbar puncture. When inflammation is present in the absence of cord compression, then the criteria for TM have been met, and it is necessary to evaluate for the presence of infection, systemic inflammation, and the extent and sites central nervous system inflammation.

●Differential diagnosis – The main considerations in the differential diagnosis of idiopathic TM are conditions that cause other types of myelopathy (eg, compressive or noninflammatory or vascular), the various disorders that cause secondary TM, and nonmyelopathic disorders that may mimic TM (eg, Guillain-Barré syndrome).

●Treatment – For patients with acute idiopathic TM, we suggest high-dose intravenous glucocorticoid treatment (Grade 2C). Our preferred regimens are methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg up to 1000 mg daily) or dexamethasone (up to 200 mg daily for adults) for three to five days. For patients with acute TM complicated by motor impairment, we suggest additional treatment with plasma exchange (Grade 2C). Our preferred regimen is five treatments, each with exchanges of 1.1 to 1.5 plasma volumes, every other day for 10 days; alternatively, the first two plasma exchange treatments can be given on successive days, with the remaining three treatments given every other day.

●Prognosis

•Degree of recovery – Most patients with idiopathic TM have at least a partial recovery, which usually begins within one to three months and continues with exercise and rehabilitation therapy. Some degree of persistent disability is common, occurring in approximately 40 percent. A very rapid onset with complete paraplegia and spinal shock has been associated with poorer outcomes. Recovery can proceed over years.

•Risk of recurrence – The majority of patients with TM experience monophasic disease. Recurrence has been reported in approximately 25 to 33 percent of patients with idiopathic TM, although this usually signals a systemic condition. With disease-associated (secondary) TM, the recurrence rate may be as high as 70 percent.

•Risk of multiple sclerosis – Patients presenting with acute complete TM have a generally cited risk of multiple sclerosis of only 5 to 10 percent. However, for patients with partial myelitis as an initial presentation and cranial MRI abnormalities showing lesions typical for multiple sclerosis, the transition rate to multiple sclerosis over three to five years is 60 to 90 percent. In contrast, patients with acute partial myelitis who have a normal brain MRI develop multiple sclerosis at a rate of only 10 to 30 percent over a similar time period.

[longhaulerbear]

[Covid] presents with a wide range of symptoms, mainly respiratory symptoms, but with time various neurological manifestations of the disease have also been noted, like myelitis. This case report aims to shed light on COVID-19-associated myelitis so that potential neurological complications of COVID-19 can be identified and treated timely. We report a case of a 41-year-old male who presented with weakness of all limbs with urinary complaints. He also had a cough and sore throat for the past few days. The MRI scan of the spine showed long segment myelitis in the cervical cord extending from the cervicomedullary junction to the upper end of the C4 vertebral body. The MRI scan of the brain showed no abnormality. However, MRI with contrast of the whole spine showed a long segment hyperintense lesion in the cervical cord extending from the cervicomedullary junction to the upper end of the C4 vertebral body in the sagittal view in T2-weighted (T2W) images. The axial view of the cervical spinal cord showed T2 hyperintense lesions on the right side. These hyperintense lesions were not contrast-enhancing lesions. Thus, the patient was clinically suspected to be a case of para-infectious COVID-19 myelitis. He was given intravenous steroids (methylprednisolone 1 gram daily) for five days, followed by tapering dosages of oral steroids for four weeks. He started showing improvement, and after about five weeks of initiation of treatment, he could walk without support and void urine without any problem. Transverse myelitis (spinal cord inflammation) can cause symptoms such as weakness in limbs, sensory loss, urinary or bowel disturbances, and sexual dysfunction [5]. The cause of transverse myelitis can be unknown (idiopathic), associated with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematous, anti-MOG related disease, neuromyelitis optica, or after bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, paraneoplastic syndrome, or post-vaccination. MRI scan of the spine plays a crucial role in diagnosing myelitis and demarcating the involved segments. Based on the MRI findings, myelitis can be called short segment myelitis (when the length of T2 hyperintense lesions in sagittal MRI images is less than three vertebral segments) or longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM), when the lesions are equal to or more than three vertebral segments long Corticosteroids serve as the first line of treatment for COVID-19 myelitis [16]. However, if the patient does not improve, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) or plasmapheresis can be helpful. Myelitis is a rare but important neurological manifestation of COVID-19. The clinical picture, CSF analysis, serological analysis, and radiological investigations such as MRI of the spine help to rule out the differential diagnoses. Corticosteroids serve as the mainstay of treatment. It is essential to understand that COVID-19 myelitis if identified quickly and managed without delay can result in a better prognosis in patients.

[ainalane]

These several weeks has been busy... My works halted a bit because of that. So my current WIP still isn't finished yet.

[mauryaayurveda1]

At Maurya Hospital, Kerala ; We provide Transverse Myelitis treatment combining Ayurveda & Physiotherapy and other alternative medicine.

[budandtender]

The Role of Endocannabinoids in Regulating Transverse Myelitis

Transverse Myelitis Day 9th June

Transverse myelitis (TM) is a neurological disorder characterised by inflammation of the spinal cord, resulting in a wide range of symptoms such as muscle weakness, paralysis, and sensory disturbances. Despite significant advances in understanding the pathophysiology of TM, effective treatments remain limited. Recently, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has emerged as a potential target for modulating immune and inflammatory responses in various neurological disorders. This article aims to explore the role of endocannabinoids in regulating transverse myelitis without discussing medical use of cannabidiol (CBD).

The Endocannabinoid System

The ECS is a complex cell-signalling system that plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. It comprises endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), their receptors, and enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation. The two primary endocannabinoids are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), which interact with the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2.

CB1 receptors are predominantly found in the central nervous system (CNS) and are involved in regulating neuronal activity, while CB2 receptors are primarily expressed in immune cells and play a role in modulating immune and inflammatory responses. The ECS has been implicated in various physiological processes, including pain modulation, neuroprotection, and immune regulation.

Endocannabinoids and Transverse Myelitis

Inflammation is a key factor in the pathogenesis of transverse myelitis. The immune system's overactivation leads to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, causing damage to the myelin sheath surrounding the nerve fibers in the spinal cord. This damage results in the disruption of nerve impulses, leading to the symptoms associated with TM.

Emerging evidence suggests that the ECS can modulate immune responses and regulate inflammation. Activation of CB2 receptors on immune cells has been shown to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promote anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, endocannabinoids have been found to suppress the activation of microglia, the resident immune cells in the CNS, which play a significant role in neuroinflammation.

In addition to their immunomodulatory effects, endocannabinoids have demonstrated neuroprotective properties. They can reduce oxidative stress, promote neuronal survival, and inhibit excitotoxicity – a process in which excessive activation of glutamate receptors leads to neuronal damage. These neuroprotective effects may help preserve the integrity of nerve fibers and limit the extent of damage in TM.

Potential Therapeutic Implications

Given the involvement of the ECS in immune regulation and neuroprotection, targeting the endocannabinoid system may offer a novel approach for treating transverse myelitis. Modulating the levels of endocannabinoids or their receptors could potentially alleviate inflammation and promote neuronal survival, thus reducing the severity of symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients with TM.

However, it is essential to note that further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms through which endocannabinoids regulate transverse myelitis and determine the safety and efficacy of targeting the ECS for TM treatment.

Conclusion

The endocannabinoid system holds promise as a potential therapeutic target for transverse myelitis, given its role in modulating immune responses and protecting neurons from damage. Future studies exploring the relationship between endocannabinoids and TM will be crucial for developing innovative treatments and improving the management of this debilitating neurological disorder.

If you wish to help support and raise awareness about Transverse Myelitis, you can donate here to the Transverse Myelitis Society on JustGiving.

[vaccinelaw]

The nerve cells in our spinal cords are covered in an insulating substance, called myelin. If you have been diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis and believe it’s the result of a vaccine. We invite you to contact us for a free no obligation consultation. Contact a vaccine injury lawyer today.  

Know More:- https://vaccinelaw.com/lawyer/Transverse-Myelitis-Vaccine-Lawyer_cp11022.htm

[sylvanianfamiliez]

i wish i could show people how tired my body feels i feel like if somebody could just feel it for a sec they’d be like oh my god go to bed forever but they cannaught and i look normal and also i live like this

[oddlittlestories]

Thinking about how Wilson is shown to be just as perceptive and just as much of a “genius” as House (caught the tiniest speck of cancer on his patient’s lung and saved his life)

But in his own way (bc he knows the patient always talks about his grandkids. and then he didn’t. leading him to ID depression and find said cancer)

And because it’s not as flashy as House and bc he downplays it (describes it as suspecting cancer bc of depression), people don’t see him as a “genius” but instead as “renowned,” “accomplished,” etc. and how they treat him differently bc of it

Thinking about how Cuddy made him head of oncology at a SUPER young age bc he’s “caring.” Thinking about how that care, that attention, makes him a ridiculously good doctor.

Thinking about how Chase’s dad came to see Wilson & the narrative implied that Wilson is one of the best oncologists in the world.

Thinking about how all of this implies that nurturing can be just as badass as flashes of insight - that Wilson doesn’t need that to be just as good and brilliant.

Thinking about how Wilson is literally as smart as House. But because he’s nurturing and downplays himself (“I’m an oncologist. I see cancer. Show it to an immunologist and…”) it often goes unacknowledged and OFTEN gets exploited. (Which makes me want to think about the ways the world tries to exploit House and the ways House pushes back for both himself and Wilson)

Thinking about the way the show positions Wilson’s talents as equally formidable. Thinking about the way the show positions Wilson’s talents as eliciting completely different social reactions. Thinking about the way the show implies that Wilson sees it that way too (he thinks his transverse myelitis cure is genius but dismisses his no grandkids talk -> depression -> cancer leap).

Thinking about Wilson.

[cripplecharacters]

hello! so, i currently have an oc in the works. i dont have much for his character yet, and hes kind of a blank slate at the moment, however, whilst trying to develop him i had the idea to give him a disability; its something i dont do with my characters very often, and i feel like it could give some depth and realism to his character. however, i..... dont know where to really start with it? i have the vague idea that i think id like him to have crutches, so some sort of leg disability, but just going off that its been hard for me to find any condition that feels quite right. im unsure about making him an amputee either; seemingly the "go to" for anyone who wants to make a physically disabled character. i want to try and represent a disability thats less fetishized by the general public, and looking through this blog here its definitely apparent that a lot of people are tired of seeing basic half amputee characters with overly functional prosthetics; i wanna avoid that. sorry this has gotten a bit rambly, but basically what im asking is,, do you have advice for what i could use as just. a general starting point in this? im terribly uneducated and lost at the moment and id love some help. thank you :]

Hi!

It's great that you're interested in writing a disabled character (with care)! I'm always happy to see more writers/artists/creatives do that.

You mentioned wanting to give him crutches, which is cool! Mobility aid users in media make me happy. However, you mentioned crutches as meaning a leg disability, which isn't always the case — and while I don't have statistics on it, I believe that most crutch users do not use them for leg-only problems, and a lot of them have the not-so-fetishized conditions. Here are some suggestions of what you could give your character, which hopefully gives you some ideas. If you need, you can get back to us with a more specific question after you figure out what exactly your character has! :-) (smile)

Cerebral palsy — probably the most common reason for using crutches in non-elderly people, and the most common (physical) disability in younger people in general. If your character has diplegic (meaning lower limbs affected) CP, he could use crutches and if he has hemiplegic (one arm and one leg affected) CP, then he could use a single crutch or a cane. Cerebral palsy is generally extremely underrepresented when compared to how many people have it IRL! Just be aware that there is a lot of research involved just about the condition itself — multiple types (spastic/ataxic/dyskinetic), different kinds of body involvement, tons of different mobility aids and orthotics to learn about. There is also hereditary spastic paraplegia, which is not the same as CP but similar and progressive.

Spinal cord injury — the general assumption is that all people with spinal cord injuries are fully paralyzed below the neck or waist, and that's not the case. If your character has an incomplete SCI on any level or just a very low level injury, he could be using crutches or switch between a wheelchair and crutches. It's essential to research SCIs to have them be more than “legs don't work, but that's literally it”. SCI can come with severe nerve pain, spasticity, atrophy, and a lot of other things. Worth noting that spinal cord injury could be traumatic, but could also be congenital (spina bifida) or illness related (polio, transverse myelitis, spinal stroke, or cancer, for example). You could think that it's overrepresented in media, but SCI is generally just used as a “default condition” for why a character is in a wheelchair, and a lot of these representations are unfortunately very shallow.

Paralysis — in the monoplegic sense here. Much more rare than the rest of the things here, but your character could have a single paralyzed leg, largely due to nerve damage. Could be traumatic or illness-related (e.g., cancer, infection, or multiple sclerosis).

Stroke (and other traumatic/acquired brain injuries) — stroke can cause a million different symptoms and depending on what happens to your character exactly, he might need crutches! A big portion of stroke survivors deal with hemiplegia and could use a crutch on their non-affected side, for example. Some kinds of stroke might cause your character to have troubles with balance and require a mobility aid to not fall. Of course stroke will also cause other symptoms for your character (it wouldn't be too realistic to only have him have problems with his legs) for example speech issues, headaches, or seizures. Stroke can happen to anyone, and it wouldn't be weird to have a younger character with it. Very common in real life but very rarely represented in fiction.

Limb difference — you can definitely write a character with a limb difference or an amputation without fetishizing it! The main concern with the fetishization is the concept of the robotic limb that works just as well as or even better than a meat leg, and thus the character is “fixed”. But your character could just… not use a prosthetic. A lot of congenital amputees, people with limb differences, or with high level (above knee) amputations might do that. He could also have a leg length difference, which could cause him to need crutches (for example, Morteza Mehrzad has one of his legs significantly shorter after a pelvic injury, and he uses crutches among other mobility aids).

Chronic pain — very broad category for too many specific conditions to count. Neuropathy in the legs and/or lower back could be a reason for using crutches, for example. Unhealed, or poorly healed past injuries. Arthritis in knees or hips. Hypermobility that makes him unsteady or dislocate joints. Pain in bones or muscles where he can't fully weight-bear.

Gait disorders — another broad category (sorry). Your character could have problems with his gait and need aids for that. It could be caused by dyspraxia (I have it), ataxia, progressive muscular dystrophy (there is a lot of different types), Parkinson's disease, or a lot of other things! Could also be injury related.

And of course you could have multiple characters that are disabled to make sure that there is some variety :)

I hope that the above list gave you some ideas for your character :-) (smile) if you have more questions, feel free to send another ask

mod Sasza

[jackcast2021]

Myelitis lady

[wheelie-sick]

Nervous System Effects of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

AKA I spent hours suffering trying to find all this information and I want you to not have to do that!

Cerebrovascular

1. Stroke

"...studies have shown that stroke occurs more frequently in people with SLE than in the general population, with ischemic stroke developing in up to 20% of lupus patients..." link

2. Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

"CSVD is an umbrella term for a variety of conditions resulting from damage to small blood vessels in the brain. In most cases, CSVD is caused by the narrowing or obstruction of small blood vessels in the brain due to inflammation and/or a buildup of misfolded proteins called plaques. This chronic damage can starve brain cells of oxygen and cause internal bleeding, which in turn can damage other nearby brain cells." link

Diagnosed via a brain MRI to look for bleeding of the small blood vessels, damage to white matter, and small strokes - link

Occasionally is confused for Multiple Sclerosis - link

"Quantified MRI brain studies of individuals with lupus show significantly accelerated cerebral SVD, suggesting that this is the most frequently observed radiological–pathological brain abnormality in lupus...." link

CSVD is a large cause of dementia in the general population but the significance of these findings in SLE patients is unknown - link

Central Nervous System

1. Transverse Myelitis

"Transverse myelitis is a neurological condition that happens when both sides of the same section of the spinal cord become inflamed. This inflammation can damage myelin, the fatty substance that covers your nerves. Loss of myelin often leads to spinal cord scarring that blocks nerve impulses and results in physical problems." link

Symptoms can develop quickly or over the span of several weeks. Symptoms include back pain, neck pain, paresthesia, loss of bowel and/or bladder control, and heightened sensitivity to touch - link

Diagnosed via CT, MRI, or myelography - link

Differential diagnosis of comorbid Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder - link

Transverse myelitis occurs in approximately 1% of lupus patients - link

2. Autoimmune Aseptic Meningitis

"...an inflammatory condition affecting the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord..." - link

"Given that many individuals with lupus are immunosuppressed, a critical differential diagnosis is one of infectious meningitis caused by typical or opportunistic pathogens." - link

May cause nausea, fever, and neck stiffness among other symptoms - link

Diagnosed with a lumbar puncture and/or CT in part to rule out other causes of symptoms - link

3. Chorea

Chorea is a movement disorder causing involuntary, irregular, and unpredictable muscle movements. It affects arms, legs, and facial muscles - link

4. Parkinsonism

Causes slowed movements, tremor, and stiffness - link

Not the same as Parkinson's Disease!

A rare effect of lupus - link

Diagnosed based on brain MRI, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and response to treatment - link

5. Myoclonus

"Myoclonus is an uncontrollable muscle movement that’s sudden and brief. " link

6. Demyelinating Syndrome

"An association between lupus and MS-like brain changes have been suggested, and sometimes termed “lupoid sclerosis”" link

3.7% of patients have a demyelinating syndrome (though not all have primary SLE demyelination) - link

Demyelinating syndrome may cause vision loss, muscle weakness, muscle stiffness and spasms, loss of coordination, change in sensation, walking problems, and changes in bladder and bowel function - link

7. Lupus headache

"Headache is a highly prevalent disorder in people with SLE, but there is no convincing evidence that this incidence is higher than that seen in the general population. Thus the entity of “lupus headache” is controversial." link

One of the main characteristics of lupus headaches is that they are not remedied by pain medication. lupus headaches require treatment with steroids or immunosuppressants to resolve -- "severe, persistent headache; may be migrainous, but must be nonresponsive to narcotic analgesia" link

8. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)

"Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurologic disorder in which a person presents with visual disturbance, seizure, headaches, and altered mentation" - source

"Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) has been increasingly identified in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)" - source

8. Seizures

"prevalence of explicit episodes of seizures among SLE patients, varies from 2 to 8%." - link

"SLE patients with recurrent seizures usually have abnormal findings on EEG, consistent with focal aware events, epilepsy with impaired awareness and focal to bilateral tonic-clonic epilepsy, as demonstrated by Appenzeller and colleagues who found that 9.7 % of patients with single epileptic seizure had abnormal EEG findings, compared to 100 % abnormal EEG findings, commonly on temporal lobe, in patients with recurrent seizures" - link

Peripheral Nervous System

1. Cranial Nerve Disorder

"Cranial nerve disorder refers to an impairment of one of the twelve cranial nerves that emerge from the underside of the brain, pass through openings in the skull, and lead to parts of the head, neck, and trunk. These disorders can cause pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face including the eyes." - source

"Cranial nerve involvement is also relatively uncommon and usually transient, occurring in 10% of patients with SLE." - source

2. Peripheral Neuropathy

"Peripheral neuropathy happens when the nerves that are located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) are damaged. This condition often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It also can affect other areas and body functions including digestion and urination." - source

"Peripheral neuropathy occurs in as many as 18% of patients with SLE" - source

Ocular

1. Optic Neuritis

"The optic nerve itself can sometimes be inflamed in lupus, or it can be affected when the blood vessels supplying the nerve are themselves inflamed (that is, ischemic optic neuropathy). This can lead to a change in vision, or even vision loss." - source

"Optic neuritis is an uncommon neurologic manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and can be seen in about 1% of lupus patients" - source

"Optic neuritis usually affects one eye. Symptoms might include: Pain, vision loss in one eye, visual field loss, loss of color vision, and flashing lights." - source

Autonomic Nervous System

1. Autonomic Neuropathy

"Autonomic neuropathy occurs when there is damage to the nerves that control automatic body functions. It can affect blood pressure, temperature control, digestion, bladder function and even sexual function." - source

"Autonomic nervous system dysfunction is highly prevalent in SLE patients (up to 54%)" - source

Psychiatric

1. Lupus psychosis

" Psychosis is a serious mental disorder featuring defective thought processes, frequently with delusions or hallucinations." - link

Psychosis is one of the diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus

"Differentiation of steroid-induced psychosis from lupus-associated psychosis is particularly challenging" - link