What does arachnoiditis look like?

Well on the outside I look just like most people save the slight limp from the numbness in my left leg and foot. I cannot walk as fast as I used to nor can I run without immense pain, but if you put me beside someone else, there is virtually no difference.

So what is the big deal then? Well below is a picture of what happens when you develop arachnoiditis. You will see that as the scar tissue develops it surrounds the nerves in the spinal column and slowly pulls them back and against the walls of the spinal canal. The scar tissue literally chokes the nerves to death which leaves the affected limbs with a burning sensation that steadily grows worse until the nerve dies and there is no feeling at all.

Each segment of the spine has nerves running from it to an area of the body so depending on which levels of the spine your arachnoiditis is at will determine which parts of the body will be affected. Mine is in the lumbo-sacral region which is nerves that run from your waist down, hence the burning in my lower back and numbness in my legs.

The burning sensation is more like a very hot spot, not like a burn from say scalding water but probably more like a first/second degree sunburn the night after it happens. That really warm feeling that would make you run for the aloe plant except aloe or any other topical ointment does not work. Hell, pain meds do not always work.