My primary is sending me to Boston, she said this is seen from anything like Menegitis to MS. These same spots were seen years ago and now have multiplied....what's going on with me?
2007-03-27 09:25:37 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
A little medical background...I'm currently having "popping sensations" in my head combined with blurred vision and unsteady legs. Shooting pain in my body and misplacing time? This all started after my 4th miscarriage.
2007-03-27 09:27:05 · update #1
For obvious reasons, the following explanations do not necessarily apply to you. White spots on the brain can be many different things. What a white spot typically represents is an area of scaring. Many things can cause white spots, such as hypertension, diabetes, migraine, inflammatory disorders, and trauma to name just a few. Not having your report to hand, it is not possible to give any diagnosis. However, if I may make reference to microscopic blood vessel disease, small strokes and silent strokes, sometimes in talking with patients about this, we use the terms “little strokes”, or “silent strokes”, or “white spots”. These are sometimes areas of brain tissue damage, showing up white in colour, in the MRI scan, contrasting with the various shades of gray of healthy brain tissue. These vary from less than 1 up to 3 or 4 mm in diameter (a mm is about 1/32 of an inch and is about the smallest that can be distinguished in the MRI (the “Open MRI” is a little less sensitive than the closed one that frightens claustrophobic patients.) In the brain itself, examined under a microscope after autopsy, there is usually a small area of damaged tissue. I believe this is sometimes due to blockage of some capillaries or very small arteries. When this is so, the term “little stroke” is appropriate, even though the blocked artery and capillaries can never be seen on the MRI, and often not at autopsy. A big problem is that this same MRI scan appearance can occur in multiple sclerosis, when there is no vascular (blood vessel) blockage, but instead selective damage to the fatty substance called “myelin” which serves as insulation of nerve fibres of the brain. When the patient is older than about 55 or 60, and has stroke risk factors (predisposing causes) such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, strong family history of heart attack, stroke, poor circulation in leg arteries, then the terms “little or silent strokes” are probably accurate most of the time. You would be advised to re-consult your doctor or radiologist about his use of the words and request a definitive explanation. Try not to become distressed, and try to be positive.
Hope this helps
Matador 89
2007-03-27 10:08:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If your doctor doesn't know, we sure aren't going to guess!
After an MRI she found something she assumed was serious enough for you to see someone in Boston, who have some of the best hospitals in the world!
Be concerned, but don't think the results are going to be the worse you can imagine!
Dural defects may be predisposing of meningitis, however you don't seem to have many of the other signs associated with it! It is also a usually very progessive in it's features!
Think positive and we will hope the best for you!
2007-03-27 09:54:05 · answer #2 · answered by cantcu 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Please don't be looking for clues on the internet, just try and be patient and wait for your appointment, you will just end up imagining all sorts
good luck
2007-03-27 09:29:56 · answer #3 · answered by Little C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bad things happen to bad people.
2007-03-27 09:58:20 · answer #4 · answered by Just Me 6 · 0⤊ 6⤋