The Day Everything Changed
At just 14 years old, Mark Beattie's life took a devastating turn while sitting at his computer. The Northern Ireland native experienced a sudden and complete loss of sensation in his genitals that would permanently alter the course of his life.
"I can remember it was almost like my pelvic floor had a freak out, and I felt like everything shifted," explains Mark, now 32. "From that day on, I had a complete lack of sensation." What made this moment particularly terrifying was that the feeling never returned, leaving him in a state of numbness that has persisted for 18 years.
A Life in Limbo
The physical symptoms extend far beyond genital numbness. Mark also experiences severely reduced bladder sensation, meaning he doesn't feel the need to urinate until his bladder is practically at bursting point. Additionally, he has developed gradually increasing levels of pain in his pelvis and legs that now limit him to walking only short distances.
"Initially, the pain was like a cold, burning sensation in my pelvis," Mark recalls. "As the years went by, it became more of a sharp, debilitating pain. Most of the time, it's like a chronic, dull, throbbing pain but there's days where it's amplified and I can barely get out of bed."
The condition has taken an enormous toll on his mental health and personal relationships. Mark describes his mental state as "pretty much in the toilet" and admits he's "given up on the notion of having hobbies or pursuing any passions." Establishing romantic relationships has proven particularly challenging because he feels his condition would be an unfair burden on a partner.
The Search for Answers
Mark has undergone numerous medical investigations over nearly two decades, including multiple MRI scans on his brain and spine, along with various blood and hormone tests - all of which returned normal results. In 2022, he even travelled to India, spending approximately £800 for additional comprehensive testing, but again, no abnormalities were detected.
Through his own extensive research over the past decade, Mark now believes he suffers from pudendal nerve entrapment, also known as pudendal neuralgia. This condition occurs when the main nerve in the pelvis becomes trapped and irritated, causing symptoms including numbness, burning pain, and sexual dysfunction.
"It's largely a diagnosis of exclusion and I've come to this myself," Mark explains. "The pudendal nerve is entrapped in multiple locations along its path - once it disseminates from your spinal cord, it goes through a tiny notch before going down your leg."
A Glimmer of Hope
Mark has identified two European surgeons - one in Belgium and another in Vienna - willing to perform surgery to release the trapped nerve. However, the procedures, along with travel and insurance costs, will require approximately £45,000, which he's attempting to raise through a GoFundMe campaign.
Despite the potential solution, there are no guarantees. "A lot of time has transpired between when the injury happened to now, so the prognosis might not be good," Mark acknowledges. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful that successful surgery could transform his life, potentially enabling him to pursue medical studies and finally escape what he describes as "sleepwalking through life."
