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Science Forum Index » Physics - Electromagnetic Forum » Curious MRI experience
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| zack |
 Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:33 am |
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I recently had a head/neck MRI for chronic pain on the left side of my
head, neck and back, ringing ears and dizziness. The scan went down
to C1-C2
The MRI was taken in supine position. Towards the end of the scanning
process I began to feel twitching in the front of my throat in
synchrony with the banging of the scanner. This continued until the
muscles on my left upper back joined in, twitching in time with the
banging of the scanner. I assumed they were scanning the lower brain
down to C1-C2 at this time
..
I asked the technician and his colleague about this and was told that
this synchronous twitching sometime happens (multiple observations).
His colleague said that she noticed the vibration on the monitor
during this time. He seemed to be reluctant to speak (I assumed a
long explanation would be required) so I didn't pursue it.
I heard nothing more about it. I assumed it may be of diagnostic
value only because the area of twitching (contracting) muscles are
where I have chronic pain. The ENT that ordered the scan did not know
why and suggested I contact the radiologist. Unfortunately their
policy is not to talk directly to patients. The ENT is reluctant to
waste his time given that the scan was unremarkable with respect to
dizziness.
I thought that the MRI would not interfere with the nerves causing
firing potentials to be reached. Not meaning to beg the question but
I do understand that hydrogen atoms are magnetically polarized then
released and then release energy in the form of an RF wave captured by
the face mask.
What I observed was that the muscles (Rhomboids in particular) fired
(twitched, spasmed, went into tetany) in rhythm with the banging of
the scanner (coincident events). The vibration of my muscles was
observed by the technician (real macroscopic muscular event). It
surprises me that RF waves would account for causing nerves to reach
their firing threshold (needs further explanation). And it surprises
me that it only affected an area of persistent pain (left side under
scapula) and not both sides (another coincidence). Both sides of my
brain were scanned. I am looking to understand.
If I am having persistent pain, the nerves stimulating those muscles
are already hypersensitive and their firing threshold could be lower
than usual. This specific area of twitching should then be
diagnostically significant in demonstrating hypersensitivity and hence
establish pain, inflammation and wasting muscles. The doctor having a
further correlation with my previously stated symptoms, his
observations and the objectively observed MRI experience why then are
the results unremarkable.
The subjective experience of pain is not scientifically measurable and
pain thresholds are subjectively reported and vary over time and
across the population. Given the difficulty patients have in
demonstrating the existence of pain from trauma why doesn't the
radiologist use all of the available information. Given that I have no
diagnosis except "you may have Meniere's Syndrome" which is not
associated with pain (neurological component), I would be interested
in any comments.
Zack |
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| Benj |
| Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:51 am |
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On Apr 26, 3:33 pm, zack <zachary_macdon...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Quote: I recently had a head/neck MRI for chronic pain on the left side of my
head, neck and back, ringing ears and dizziness. The scan went down
to C1-C2
If I am having persistent pain, the nerves stimulating those muscles
are already hypersensitive and their firing threshold could be lower
than usual. This specific area of twitching should then be
diagnostically significant in demonstrating hypersensitivity and hence
establish pain, inflammation and wasting muscles. The doctor having a
further correlation with my previously stated symptoms, his
observations and the objectively observed MRI experience why then are
the results unremarkable.
I find your report VERY interesting. AS I reported here some time ago,
I was rather interested in the idea of using a pulsed magnetic field
as a defibrillator given that heart rhythms can be changed with just
millivolts applied directly to the heart. But much to my dismay in
getting an MRI in which there are very large pulsed fields I found NO
nervous stimulation whatsoever! All the noise was real coil vibration
noise and nothing was stimulated in my head. <sigh>
Your report is to me the FIRST I've heard of a direct stimulation of
some kind taking place. I'm not sure if it's a nervous or muscular
stimulation and it clearly is related to the disease conditions you
are experiencing. Still VERY interesting stuff! To me it's like the
first direct indication that magnetic stimulation of nerves IS somehow
possible! These ARE remarkable results. Of course, I"m sure that
nobody including the doctors have any idea what to make of them. Still
to me this is a VERY interesting bunch of data!
Quote: The subjective experience of pain is not scientifically measurable and
pain thresholds are subjectively reported and vary over time and
across the population. Given the difficulty patients have in
demonstrating the existence of pain from trauma why doesn't the
radiologist use all of the available information. Given that I have no
diagnosis except "you may have Meniere's Syndrome" which is not
associated with pain (neurological component), I would be interested
in any comments.
Expecting physicians to think like a researcher is asking WAY too
much! Basically you have to do the thinking for them and become a
"difficult patient" about it. "Research" to a physician means trying
some minor thing on 100 patients and tabulating the results. "Real"
research of the level you are talking about is usually only done by
the companies making the gear and then taught to the physicians by
salesmen! And all this is made MUCH worse by a diagnosis of
"subjective pain". This kind of thing drives modern medicine nuts
because the preferred mode of operation is that you see symptom X and
that means you treat with Y. When things start to get more obscure and
a more individual approach is required, things start to fall apart.
Modern medicine pretends to be scientifically advanced, but in truth
it isn't all that far removed from leeches. So keep doing your own
observations and gently guiding your physicians in ways you think
promising. Hopefully together you all can make some progress.
Like I said above. This is a very interesting report of what is to me
new data! |
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