Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

MRI's re-aleign the iron molecules by magnetic pulses, I wonder if some of those who got worse after surgical procedures had mri's?

I've had MRIs several times - never changed anything for me.

I just looked up a little bit about it, because I didn't think iron-containing molecules were involved, and they're not. It's hydrogen atoms that are involved, specifically their nuclei. But that doesn't alter the substance of your question.

Hydrogen is a component of lots of different molecules in the body (carbohydrates, proteins, water, etc). The nuclei of these atoms normally spin around randomly oriented axes, creating mini magnetic fields that cancel each other out. The MRI machine creates a magnetic field around part of the body, which causes the spin axes of hydrogen nuclei in that part of the body to line up, and when they're all spinning the same way, they create their own magnetic field.

Then the MRI machine emits a radio wave, which deflects the magnetic field being created by our spinning hydrogen nuclei. The radio source is then shut off, and the magnetic field reverts to its undeflected state, giving off radio waves in the process. The MRI detects these radio waves and makes the pictures from them.

The strength of the magnetic field can be altered to look at different slices of the body. The radio source (not the magnetic field) is sometimes sent in pulses to help make a better picture. The MRI is particularly sensitive at telling the difference between body tissues and water, and since many diseases manifest as water where it shouldn't be, the MRI is useful for detecting disease.

So MRIs cause our natural magnetic mini-fields to align, re-align, and emit radio waves. So far no one seems to have been harmed by the process, although there have been problems with the dyes that are injected to provide contrast. It has nothing to do with iron.

That's what I discern from limited reading, so it may be misleading.

Interesting, Goes to show--be careful about believing what you hear. The information i got was from a medical documentary. They must have been misinformed or there is more than 1 type of machine etc. They basically said the large magnets in the machine re-align the iron in our bodies that make the pictures possible. I was previously aware of your information and thought this must (being at a children's hospital) be a new type of machine or something. However it sounded "Star Treki" to me. I could't figure out how they did that and how (as they explained) the iron returned to it's normal spot after they are turned off.

MRI didn't make any difference to me, one way or the other.

The people who make documentaries are just common folk like you and me. Like newspaper reporters. They make lots of mistakes. And some of them care more than others about being accurate.

badnights wrote:The people who make documentaries are just common folk like you and me. Like newspaper reporters. They make lots of mistakes. And some of them care more than others about being accurate.

Something I've had to learn the hard way is that just because it's in print doesn't mean it's accurate. Just because a specialist/doctor/other other respected person said or wrote it, doesn't mean it's true.

Take this seemingly unimportant example. Most people who grow plants in pots think that putting rocks at the bottom of a pot creates a drainage layer. It doesn't. Pots work on a completely different principle than ground soil. But, you can find this printed in hundreds of books on gardening. Some notable gardeners have written it. Every last one of them is wrong.

Or, this example, a bit closer to home. Just yesterday I saw a response by some doctor to someone who wrote to a newspaper column to ask about her husband's RLS. The doctor gave a completely inaccurate response. Everyone who reads it will think it's true.

Thus creating a problem deciding who is telling the truth--or how to know the difference.

Ann, I always thought that a drainage layer was needed at the bottom of plant pots .... Thanks for that.

Also,

ViewsAskew wrote:Or, this example, a bit closer to home. Just yesterday I saw a response by some doctor to someone who wrote to a newspaper column to ask about her husband's RLS. The doctor gave a completely inaccurate response. Everyone who reads it will think it's true.

About a year ago I saw the same thing in a local newspaper, where the columnist doctor gave totally the wrong information regarding rls/wed. I was so cross that I wrote the the paper, there was no response and so I wrote again a couple of months later and still no response. My letters must have been filed under B for 'bin'.

Polar Bear wrote:Ann, I always thought that a drainage layer was needed at the bottom of plant pots .... Thanks for that.

Also,

ViewsAskew wrote:Or, this example, a bit closer to home. Just yesterday I saw a response by some doctor to someone who wrote to a newspaper column to ask about her husband's RLS. The doctor gave a completely inaccurate response. Everyone who reads it will think it's true.

About a year ago I saw the same thing in a local newspaper, where the columnist doctor gave totally the wrong information regarding rls/wed. I was so cross that I wrote the the paper, there was no response and so I wrote again a couple of months later and still no response. My letters must have been filed under B for 'bin'.

I thought it was true, too! If you have a night when you can't sleep, look up "perched water table" as it applies to pots. Fascinating how physics applies to the soils in a pot. I use completely different potting mixes than I used to now that I know about this. My plants are MUCH happier.

Per the newspaper, I remember you being so cross, lol. I also wrote a letter to the editor the other day....I expect never to see it. Mine went in S for Spam since I sent it electronically

I like to think those letters educated at least a person or two at least a little bit.