Case of tabes dorsalis, pain in joints

Tabes dorsalis, is a slow degeneration (specifically, demyelination) of the neural tracts primarily in the dorsal columns (posterior columns) of the spinal cord (the poion closest to the back of the body) and dorsal roots. These nerves normally help maintain a person's sense of position (proprioception), vibration, and discriminative touch Tabes dorsalis is caused by demyelination by advanced syphilis infection (teiary syphilis), when the primary infection by the causative spirochete bacterium, Treponema pallidum, is left untreated for an extended period of time (past the point of blood infection by the organism).. The spirochete invades large myelinated fibers, leading to the involvement of the dorsal column medial leminiscus pathway rather than the spinothalamic tract Ref Harrison20th edition pg 2456