DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

Essentially, this involves excluding other causes of FBSS, such as recurrent disc herniation, disc fragments, stenosis, spondylosis or epidural fibrosis.

However, other causes of polyneuropathy should also be considered, especially those of an autoimmune origin. (See above).

It is interesting to note that a number of patients have a dual diagnosis of arachnoiditis and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This is presumably due to some similarities between the two conditions.

Fibromyalgic symptoms are likely to be part of the arachnoiditis syndrome, as opposed to being due to a separate disease entity.

Limb symptoms may be diagnosed as RSD.

Table of Contents

Introduction
THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
ARACHNOIDITIS OR EPIDURAL FIBROSIS?
NOMENCLATURE
THE INFLAMMATORY NATURE OF ADHESIVE ARACHNOIDITIS
PATHOLOGY
CLASSIFICATION
CAUSES
THE IATROGENIC ASPECT OF ADHESIVE ARACHNOIDITIS
PRESERVATIVES IN SPINAL INJECTIONS
PROGNOSIS
THE SYNDROMIC NATURE OF SYMPTOMS IN ADHESIVE ARACHNOIDITIS (Warning: LONG)
COMPLICATIONS OF ADHESIVE ARACHNOIDITIS
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
NEXT: CLINICAL ASSESSMENT
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
TREATMENT OPTIONS (Warning: LONG)
MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
APPENDIX I: AUTOIMMUNE ASPECTS
APPENDIX II: SYRINGOMYELIA
ADDENDUM - May 2000
REFERENCES