Re: Tightness, Spasm, and Joint Cracking/pain(foot), tether?

[Guest guest]

At 03:53 PM 7/6/2004 +0000, davidbrian232000 wrote:

>Ever since I have had new symptoms of pain, possibly indicating a

>retethering of my spinal cord, I have also experienced tightness of

>the tendons in my left foot with some intermittent spasms as well as

>joint pains in the heal and the ankle. Even when I experience very

>little pain I notice that my foot cracks in several areas from

>normal movements.

>

>Such as walking or flexing out the foot, has anyone else hand

>similar issues with tightness and cracking of their joints(feet and

>legs specifically) that they believe are linked to their tethered

>cord? If so please describe, I am seeing a doctor who once again

>believes that such symptoms are not connected to a diagnoses and are

>largely in my head. I find it frustrating that most doctors aren't

>in touch with many of the symptoms since they see patients on a 6

>month to 1 year follow up, have little documentation on file and

>won't see you again for years in between.

I have tightness, occasional spasms, and occasional joint pain, but no

cracking. Only my Chiro can do that and it sure feels good. The tightness

(spasticity) is controlled by my Baclofen pump and the spasms (jerking) are

controlled by Klonopin.

Please sign your first name at the end, we can only assume you are .

Many members use others email address, such as someones mate may use the

others email.

Thanks,

Rick

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

I have pains in my feet and ankles which I have discovered I can sort out by

moving the foot or toes back into place with my hands. I can sometimes feel the

toes start to really hurt and I look at them and can see them all skewed off to

the left - it is mainly my left foot where this happens. Now that I have

feelings in my feet (since my de-tethering op 13 years ago) I know that the

footdrop I still get it so painful that the toes must be pulled back up

immediately. I used to think it was just an inconvenience that meant my foot did

not go on the floor easily. My ankle has also been a problem, again, the left

one, and after days of pain I pulled that back into shape. The physiotherapist I

once saw advised me to start walking with my right foot, as this was the

stronger one.

I hope this is helpful to you, even if just to know you are not alone. I do not

think the Doctors really understand tethered spinal cords yet; I had to explain

to my Rehab clinic doctor that I have always had problems with my hands, when

she told me that she could not understand how I had any problems above where my

tether had been, i.e. just my legs. My G.P. has learnt a lot about tethered

spinal cords since I met him, and he has related several of the things I have

seen him about, with the tsc. I had so many doctors during my childhood and

before my diagnosis tell me that it was all in my mind, even that these things

do not happen so they could not possibly be happening to me. Luckily for me,

MRIs came into use by the N.H.S., (National Health Service in the UK) just in

time. There was also a chain of other events which led to me getting to see a

neurosurgeon then, too; it did not happen through my G.P. of the time, who also

learnt something new.

Best wishes,

,

Lincoln, UK

[Guest guest]

As far as the cracking.. you mean like when you pop your knuckles..

yes I have that all the time and believe it is related to TC as it has

increased with time along with other TC symptoms. My ankles and lower

back. As other TC symptoms have increased so has the cracking. For

years I thought this happened to everyone, then I thought it was

related to my spinal fusion surgery the bones shifting around, but now

I am sure it is related to the TC and nerve damage expressed as joint

cracking and poping. Luckily it doesnt hurt but as the symptoms

increase it is worrisome.

I did some research once on what causes it. There are two causes. One

is the tendons snap back in place when they get loose and the snaping

noise is just that, like a rubber band snapping back in place. The

other is when gas builds up in joints and literally explodes. Cracking

knuckles is usually caused by that, it's like if you pull your finger

away from the joints this creates a gap in the joint which fills with

a gas that is then released with a " pop " explosion. I think in the

case of TC the joints and bones and tendons fall out of allignment and

things need to be forceably snaped back in place by the muscles on

occasion.

[Guest guest]

It might be Spasticity. Yes, Spasticity can be caused by Tethered Cord, or

by the damage that Tethered Cord can do.

Me

Nebraska, USA

mymocha@...

>I have also experienced tightness of

> the tendons in my left foot with some intermittent spasms as well as

> joint pains in the heal and the ankle. Even when I experience very

> little pain I notice that my foot cracks in several areas from

> normal movements.

>

> Such as walking or flexing out the foot, has anyone else hand

> similar issues with tightness and cracking of their joints(feet and

> legs specifically) that they believe are linked to their tethered

> cord?