hmm...could my incon be due to nerve damage?

[sociologygeek]

My MRI came back normal, no signs of MS.. the only thing found was that my arthritis that i had in my back spread to my neck, and there is a bone rubbing against my nerve in my neck, and there MAY POSSIBLY be nerve damage in my neck. But Doc doesnt think its enough to cause all my problems. But, it could explain the incontinece. Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't nerve damage irreversible? Thus, any incontinence caused by nerve damage would be irreversible as well..ill wait and see what the doc says. Let them do the diagnosing.

[JoeK]

I'm no doctor; it sure would be nice if we had a doctor amongst us....but as for what little I know about nerve damage:

It depends on the "damage". If a nerve (or nerves) are severed completely....which usually happens as a result of trama, there is little chance to get the feeling or control back.

This comes up a lot with surgical removal of an enlarged (cancerous) prostrate. The surgeon has to be very careful not to sever nerves that control the sphincter but some damage is pretty much inevitable, which results in temporary incon for the person until the regeneration takes place and the bladder control is restored....somewhat or completely.

So, nerves are very resiliant and damage that does not totally sever a connection can be overcome to varying degrees with regeneration. So I guess it comes down to where there is no connection there is no hope but where there is some connection, there is hope it will improve.

JoeK

[johnstone]

I have nerve damage to L4, L5, & S1, along with degenerative spinal disease,..... so speaking with a little knowledge on the topic, I would agree with the comments made by JoeK.

[diaperdan]

Yes it could. Nerves control everything in the body. I have a herniation at t8 and a collapse at t11-12. L2345 are bulging. I have had several nerve studies done and The doctor agrees that this is cause my incontinence. If a nerve is damaged it will regenerate, but it takes a long time. If a nerve is constantly being rubbed by something you better go see about it.

[DDS]

My incontinence was diagnosed to be a direct result of nerve damage suffered in an accident. My doctors deemed it a neurogenic bladder as I have no feeling or urge. I was in a car-semi accident in 1998. I suffered a ruptured disk as well as a buldging disk in my lower back. I lost feeling in parts of my upper legs and buttocks. While the 2 MRI's I had didn't point out any severed nerves the damage to the spine was very evident. Over the years my urologist has determined that my bladder has shrunk to the point where it has little capacity as I don't retain urine. I a couple weeks I have an appontment with a new-to-me doctor. I recently had a change in health insurance and my former clinic is not aligned with my new insurance so I was forced to switch.