In this Article

• What are the symptoms of arachnoiditis?
• What are the causes of arachnoiditis?
• How is arachnoiditis diagnosed?
• How is arachnoiditis treated?
• Arachnoiditis Glossary
• Arachnoiditis Index

Making the Diagnosis

Diagnosing arachnoiditis can be difficult, but tests such as the CAT scan (computerized axial tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) have helped with diagnosis. A test called an electromyogram (EMG) can assess the severity of the ongoing damage to affected nerve roots by using electrical impulses to check nerve function.

Note: Myelograms with the radiographic contrast currently in use, combined with CAT scanning, are not considered to be responsible for causing arachnoiditis or causing it to worsen.

Treating Arachnoiditis

There is no cure for arachnoiditis. Treatment options for arachnoiditis are similar to those for other chronic pain conditions. Most treatments focus on relieving pain and improving symptoms that impair daily activities. Often, health care professionals recommend a program of pain management, physiotherapy, exercise, and psychotherapy. Surgery for arachnoiditis is controversial because outcomes can be poor and provide only short-term relief. Clinical trials of steroid injections and electrical stimulation are needed to determine whether those treatments are effective.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Neuroscience Center.
Edited by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, WebMD, September 2004.

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