By Dr. Forest Tennant, PNN Columnist

In rare cases, symptoms suggesting adhesive arachnoiditis (AA) may occur after a spinal tap or epidural injection (therapeutic or obstetrical). These early symptoms may include localized lumbar pain, headaches, burning sensations, dizziness, leg weakness and bladder dysfunction. Spinal fluid leaks or blood in the spinal canal are often suspected in these cases.  

If symptoms indicate the possibility that AA may be developing, we recommend emergency treatment to hopefully prevent the spinal nerve inflammation from spreading and becoming chronic. 

A problem that we have routinely discovered is that medical practitioners commonly have the false belief that they can see signs of AA on an MRI when symptoms begin or within a few hours or days after a spinal tap or epidural injection. But AA typically does not show on an MRI for at least four to six weeks. Consequently, early emergency treatment must be based on patient history and symptoms, rather than on MRI findings. 

At the First International Congress on Arachnoiditis and Tarlov Cysts in 2010, physicians Donna Holder and Antonio Aldrete recommended that methylprednisolone 500 mg be given intravenously every day for five days as an emergency treatment for AA.  

Since that time, a variety of intravenous methylprednisolone attempts with different dosages and frequency have been used by physicians as emergency treatment to prevent AA. Dr. Aldrete opined that intravenous methylprednisolone is only effective in preventing AA if given within 60 days after the spinal tap or epidural. 

We have used the following alternative treatments to intravenous methylprednisolone: 

1. Medrol (methylprednisolone) six-day oral dose pack

2. Ketorolac 30 to 60 mg injection for three consecutive days

3. Medroxyprogesterone 10 mg given twice a day for six days

In some, but not all cases, AA symptoms will abate during the week that either intravenous methylprednisolone or the alternative treatments are administered. In most cases, however, symptoms reduce but don’t totally abate. The reason for this is unclear, but a reasonable assumption is that spinal canal inflammation may not be totally reversed once symptoms begin. 

If pain and other symptoms don’t totally abate, we recommend that the patient begin a three-component medical protocol for AA described in this bulletin, which includes nutritional, physiologic and pharmacologic elements. Patients should remain on these medical treatments until and if their pain and other symptoms resolve. 

It is unclear why only a small percentage of persons who have spinal taps or epidural injections develop AA. It is also unknown why symptoms that begin after these procedures usually don’t abate. 

A New Handbook for Practitioners

Our new book, "Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Adhesive Arachnoiditis” is now available on Amazon. 

This handbook for medical practitioners has been written for one simple reason.  AA is no longer a rare disease.  We conservatively estimate that there are at least 1.75 to 2.75 million adults in the U.S. who have AA.  

In the past, the cause of their back pain was often listed as unknown or inappropriately labeled as failed back syndrome, degenerative spine or simply low back pain. 

It is our fervent hope that this book will help medical practitioners and their patients diagnose and treat this most debilitating disease.

Forest Tennant, MD, DrPH, is retired from clinical practice but continues his research on the treatment of intractable pain and arachnoiditis. This column is adapted from a bulletin recently issued by the Arachnoiditis Research and Education Project. Readers interested in subscribing to the bulletins should click here.

The Tennant Foundation gives financial support to Pain News Network and sponsors PNN’s Patient Resources section.