6Which Other Conditions Also Cause Lhermitte’s Sign?
In addition to multiple sclerosis, Lhermitte’s sign may also occur in other demyelinating conditions that damages the spinal cord and optic nerve, such as neuromyelitis optica. Many other treatments and medical conditions that occur in the neck’s spinal cord may also cause this phenomenon. These would include radiculopathy, spinal cord injury, spinal cord tumor, spinal cord degeneration, transverse myelitis, cervical spondylitis, Arnold-Chiari malformation, inflamed spinal cord, shingles, nitric oxide toxicity, systemic lupus erythematous, Behcet’s disease, cervical disk disorders, receiving anesthesia, stopping certain antidepressants, and some chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer. Scientists also found that there is a possible link between Lhermitte’s sign and vitamin B12 deficiency. This is because vitamin B12 plays an important role for the maintenance and generation of myelin, which protects nerve fibers. [6]
