"I am not delusional!" Sensory dysaesthesia secondary to degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of adult spinal cord dysfunction, most classically presenting with a broad-based gait and clumsy hands. Limb sensory loss and paraesthesia are considered common symptoms of DCM. However, we report an unusual case of a patient presenting with prominent and atypical sensory symptoms. The patient repeatedly presented to accident and emergency complaining of her body resembling a wet gel-like substance that she attributed to the use of olive oil moisturising cream. The patient was found to have myelopathic signs on examination and MRI consistent with severe cervical myelopathy. She subsequently underwent successful decompressive anterior cervical discectomy, as recommended by international guidelines. This case serves to remind health professionals of uncommon presentations of common disease and the importance of maintaining a wide initial differential diagnosis.
Competing Interests: Competing interests: MRN reports grants from National Institute of Health Research, travel cost grant from AOSpine and is founder and trustee of Myelopathy.org, the first charity dedicated to degenerative cervical myelopathy.
(© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)