Tethered spinal cord syndrome

doi:10.1136/bmj.39216.436713.BE

BMJ 2007;335:42-43 (7 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.39216.436713.BE

Practice

A patient's journey

Tethered spinal cord syndrome

John Payne, patient

Frome, Somerset

jhpayne777@pop3.poptel.org.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Tethered spinal cord syndrome is an unusual condition, thankgoodness. I was almost certainly born with it, but for 58 yearswas unaware of the fact. By and large I fitted into the broadspectrum of "normal kids," despite a well concealed secret sensethat I was not quite right. I accepted reluctantly that I couldn'trun as fast as other boys in Bath, or play football as well.I got on with the things I was good at, as most people do.

In my 50s I began to suffer more and more with my lower backand legs, for which pain relief and physiotherapy were offered.Bladder control became more tricky and daily life a bit of astruggle. I kept working, reluctant to admit all this to myself.In the mid- to late 1990s, while living and bringing up a familyin south London, I saw a urologist . . . [Full text of this article]