This sounds stupid, but does an MRI scan affect your ... - NRAS

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This sounds stupid, but does an MRI scan affect your body like that?

Eisbaerin2 profile image
21 Replies

Hello,

I'm feeling confused at the moment and although I know I probably sound really dumb, here goes anyway...

I'm not yet entirely sure what I have as doctors keep testing and not diagnosing but it's most probably some form of inflammatory arthritis ( sero -negative). I have been on holiday for two weeks and could really relax and rest lots so felt really well this weekend wondering if the MRI scheduled for yesterday would show up anything as I didn't hurt at all.

During the procedure they imaged both my feet and my pelvis and lower back, nothing else although I have had more symptoms in my hands and elbows and lately my knees. But I guess it's probably expensive and the doctor had to make a decision about it ages ago when he referred me.

It was hard to keep lying still for the approximately 1.5 hours I was there as my body seemed to want to twitch and spasm but I made it. It felt fine and the worst was the stiffness getting up after lying flat for that time. By that time my knees and elbow were hurting and I was quietly annoyed that I couldn't have them done instead... I felt ok after some time moving around though.

This morning however my whole body aches as if put through a mill. I can only describe it as a feeling similar to muscle soreness after a workout but it's in my bones more than muscles?! My neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, knees, feet, almost everything just feels sore and achy and I walk around gingerly thinking this can't be from the MRI, it's only a magnetic field... But I felt fine before and for almost two weeks had hardly any symptoms. Has anybody got any idea what this could be, please? Xxx

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Eisbaerin2 profile image
Eisbaerin2
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21 Replies
allanah profile image
allanah

I guess it's not the magnetism of the scan but more having to keep arthritic joints still for a period of time. If I lay still I too would be in agony as I stiffen up. And the muscle thing could be as you are tense having investigations and working hard at staying still whilst on pain, you may feel it today.

Let's hope it's worth it and they sort out what the problem is quickly x

Blackwitch profile image
Blackwitch

It might be just the fact that you had to stay for so long in the same position in the scanner. Just try staying still for that long at any other time. It must take some self control. An hour and a half must have been hell! I don't think I could do it, especially not with my restless legs! I hope you feel better soon. ToD xx

earthwitch profile image
earthwitch

If they were scanning your pelvis (sacroiliac joints) and lumbar spine (lower back) and feet, then my guess is they were checking you out for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or one of he other forms of spondyloarthritis, which are sero negative arthritis. They do those areas because you need to show inflammation in the sacroiliac area to get a diagnosis of AS, and the lower back, Achilles, and plantar areas of your foot are also very typical places to see spondyloarthritis damage. The achiness after having to be so still and probably lie in an uncomfortable position anyway, is also very typical of spondy which usually is worse for rest and staying still, and feels better better or less stiff after doing some gentle movement. So yes, that kind of stiffness was to be expected, though it would have been just the immobility rather than anything specific about the MRI that caused it. You would likely have got just as stiff if you had to lie anywhere on a hard surface for that length of time.

Eisbaerin2 profile image
Eisbaerin2

Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I think I remember the doctor who referred me mention spondylitis. It feels wrong to hope I have it but if it means I finally get a diagnosis after a year of back and forth...

seasider18 profile image
seasider18

You were actually being scanned continuously for all of that time?

earthwitch profile image
earthwitch in reply to seasider18

I was thinking the same thing - they must have been doing a far more detailed scan than we get in our area. I had SI, lumbar and thoracic spine done and was only on the table for 20 minutes, but then when I requested the MRI images discovered they had only done less than half the number of images that they did last time (over the same area of my body. Cost cutting methinks, but no wonder nothing much showed up.

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply to earthwitch

I'm waiting for a spine MRI and I would not like to be in the tube for over an hour. When I had a kidney one it took about twenty minutes and a head one about fifteen.

Eisbaerin2 profile image
Eisbaerin2 in reply to seasider18

No it was a case of in and out for about 6 times in all, but I had to lie down for most of it. I only sat up once briefly inbetween the scans as I couldn't bear it much longer and they had to rearrange the set up for the scan anyway

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply to Eisbaerin2

Were you in and out in order for them to move the cage that goes over for the different areas they scanned?

Eisbaerin2 profile image
Eisbaerin2 in reply to seasider18

Yes, that's right. I was in for the lumbar/pelvis scan for quite a while, then out for right foot, out for left foot, out for injection of a contrast drug and back in for left foot, out to change for right foot.

seasider18 profile image
seasider18 in reply to Eisbaerin2

Sounds like a Fun Day:-)

SALI profile image
SALI

I think that it may be the length of time you were still and basically immobile. I had a pelvic mri scan yesterday and woke this morning with back pain, struggling to walk. My husband sais I was in there for about an hour all told. Had scan and contrast injection and more scanning. Unable to move and with plate thing on my tummy. Also stressful. Taken pain relief And trying to move around. I sure it will wear off. Good luck to you.

deandy0110 profile image
deandy0110

Hi

I just wanted to share about an mri head scan i just had on saturday ..i remember the nxt day i felt kinda floaty ..weird feeling ..and now this is 4th day n i still feel weird like really tense ..its took me til tday to realise this is something to do woth scan ...how long did it take for you felt back to normal

Eisbaerin2 profile image
Eisbaerin2 in reply to deandy0110

It is a long time ago now so I cannot quite remember how long until I felt normal again, but I don't think it was more than a couple of days, maybe 3? Hope you feel better soon!

mymaggiemay profile image
mymaggiemay in reply to Eisbaerin2

I just had mine 3 days ago on my head & within 5 hrs Iwas dizzy and my muscles started to ache. By the middle of the night, my whole body felt like it had been run over by a truck and if i cough, the bacl og head feals like its going to explode.

I feel about 80% better today,but still have the dizziness.

IanHarry profile image
IanHarry in reply to deandy0110

Hi, I was wondering if you have any improvement yet? I had same just over a week ago for as yet ( 3 years , I'm from UK) undiagnosed condition. Felt extra strange ever since. Pressure in base of skull worse and heavy legs and back pressure ( like a 20 stone person is sat on me constantly, unless I'm lying down, plus many other strange symptoms, saw one consultant who was no help at all, my g.p. agreed) all worse since MRI, had no dye injection, and 3 years ago had two MRIs done within 6 months, and convinced I felt worse after each, but so far can't find any evidence that mri could be the cause/ culprit. Don't want to be paranoid, but I have a full spinal mri in just over a week and I'm scared to be honest. My symptoms have made life pretty much unbearable already.

Myles19 profile image
Myles19

My body hurts too after my MRI ... made every pain I have hurt more day two still sore.

Eisbaerin profile image
Eisbaerin in reply to Myles19

I'm sorry you are hurting so bad! I hope you feel better very soon!

Since my MRI I have not had another but I have moved country a year ago and am now under a different rheumatologist obviously. He has changed my unconfirmed diagnosis of inflammable arthritis to (in his opinion quite firm diagnosis) of chondrocalcinosis or pseudo gout with some osteoarthritis. So I am probably not in the right forum now.

Hap999 profile image
Hap999

OMG.. I feel the same thing since I took the brain image this afternoon. I felt so weird about this sudden symptom so I googled it and found this writting. I feel like bodyache similar to the one that I experience during the flu. I felt this pain right after the MRI. The symptom is getting obvious. I am going to call the lab tomorrow morning.

lratliff29 profile image
lratliff29

I had a scan yesterday on my neck and shoulder area. I did fine lying in the machine, pretty comfortable. But, during the scan, my neck and shoulder areas became more and more tense as the test went on. It was like someone pulling me up by my chest, drawing in my neck and shoulder. About midway through I kept having to purposely relax my muscles because I was so tense. I wasn't uncomfortable, but the feeling was like someone sucking the soul out of my chest and my body resisting. Lol. After the exam I couldn't get up on my own. And, I felt this daze about me, like "what just happened?". My upper back hurt more than it ever has and I'm still sore like I could go for a deep beat down massage. :) I'm staying positive but my upper body feels like it just came from a battle for it's life.

Chase87 profile image
Chase87

I have had 2 different MRI s done one year's ago on my ankle and one yesterday due to a possible herniated disc on my right side and both times the MRI made my pain worse and I know it was the MRI becuse both times I could feel a very small isolated pain that seemed to be the spot they would be doing the image of at that time and as the MRI went faster the pain got worse and then my pain radiates through my leg and side. My pain hasn't been this bad off to where I couldn't get up after it was done and can't hardly get in my car with out excruciatingly painful and I have had my pain secns August 2018 I just hate the VA so I never went until my leg would not stop going num while laying down or what you may call walking

So just trying find out why I have pain from it when the MRI techs have never heard of it doing that to any one

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