Arachnorditis Awareness Month

Arachnoiditis is a rare condition that happens when there’s inflammation of the arachnoid. The arachnoid is one of the membranes that surround and protect the spinal cord and its nerves. 

Inflammation is a normal response of the body’s immune system and can include swelling, redness, or pain in a part of the body as a response to injury or infection. Inflammation of the arachnoid may be the immune system’s response to: 

• Infection from bacteria or viruses

• Direct injury to the spine

• Complications from spinal surgery or other invasive spinal procedures (procedures that involve breaking the skin)

Inflammation can sometimes lead to scar tissue or adhesions (bands of scar tissue that form on surfaces inside the body), which cause the spinal nerves to “stick” together