Inflammation of the spinal cord: causes, symptoms and treatment

Any spinal inflammation, basically, inflammation of the spinal cord, called myelitis. Patients may be affected both grey and white brain matter. Such illness cannot be attributed to common: it is diagnosed only 5 people per 1 million population. Despite this myelitis spinal cord are difficult to treat, fairly high risk of developing serious complications.

Who is subject to the myelitis?

It is difficult to determine the characteristics of those groups of people who can be ill with myelitis. It is impossible to determine sex or age range of potential patients. However, a number of researchers, examining statistics claim that most of the pathology observed in quite young (from 10 to 20 years) and the elderly.

Causes and classification

Depending on the order of occurrence of inflammation, causes of myelitis fall into one of 2 categories:

• Primary – as the result of a direct negative impact on the spinal cord (contact with infection, spinal injury);
• Secondary – when myelitis is a consequence of complications of any disease and / or appear on its background (re-introducing the infection).

The infection enters the body either through the bloodstream or through an open wound. In this case, viruses neurotropic groups (varicella, zoster, polio, herpes, mumps, influenza, measles, rabies, tetanus, etc.) are likely pathogens.

Secondary infection occurs because:

• Different groups of fungi;
• Parasites (e.g., trematodes or worms);
• Some bacteria (the causative agents of syphilis or tuberculosis).

The classification of this neurological disease, based on the way of appearance, is as follows:

• The intoxication of origin;
• Infectious;
• Post traumatic;
• Of unknown etiology (idiopathic).

There are also times when myelitis is caused by metabolic disorders: anemia penzenskogo type, diabetes, chronic liver disease.

Suggest to read: neurinoma of the spine.

The development of the disease

Any of the factors (injury, infection), which are the cause of myelitis, not only causes inflammation, but swelling of the spinal cord. This is the mechanism that triggers the development of the pathological process. Due to swelling in the surrounding tissues disturbed blood supply with the formation of clots in blood vessels. This condition further increases the swelling. From this we can conclude that inflammation of the spinal cord, like many other neurological diseases, is cyclical.

The deterioration of blood circulation, as well as its absence in some areas leads to the softening and death of nerve cells and tissues of the spinal cord. Morphological structure of the affected area looks flabby and swollen, typical spinal form "butterfly" spreads. In consideration of necrosis under the microscope visible features, as the disintegration of myelin, severe swelling, infiltration process, areas of hemorrhage.

After recovery is dead sections of nerve fibers in the scar is formed, is formed of connective tissue. Of course, because of the peculiarities of the cell structure of the rumen cannot function as clusters of nerve cells, so the violations that appeared in the period of the disease remain even after recovery of the patient.

Symptoms

Clinical manifestations of myelitis are different, their severity depends on the level and extent of spinal cord lesions. The main ones are:

• The unpleasant sensation of pain;
• Loss of sensitivity
• Paralysis;
• Violation of pelvic functions, etc.

• Read up: transverse myelitis

The first signs are similar to symptoms of any infectious process: fever, General weakness and fever up to 39 degrees. On the presence of neurological diseases indicate back pain, which may spread from the affected area into surrounding tissue.

Developed myelitis causes loss of both motor and sensory function of the spinal cord.

Diagnosis

Measuresto identify myelitis mean consult a neurologist. After interviewing the patient and visual inspection specialist prescribes examination of the cerebrospinal fluid, which is taken by lumbar puncture. It's traumatic, but high-precision method for the determination of pathology. Usually this is enough for an objective diagnosis.

For reassurance can be carried out a further study of cerebrospinal fluid. So, to differentiate myelitis from similar pathologies clinic (violation of circulation spinal cord, hematomyelia, tumors of various etiologies, Guillain-Barre syndrome and epidurit) is carried out after the analysis of the CSF puncture. Often, in order to diagnose acute myelitis, appoint myelography and imaging (MRI or CT) of the spine.

Treatment of myelitis

The treatment complex depends on the etiology of myelitis, the symptoms of the disease in a particular case, the characteristics of the development of the pathology and General condition of the sick. Among the measures for the treatment of myelitis effective are:

• The purpose of the medication (rather large doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics, uroseptics, analgesics, antipyretic drugs, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs – mainly glucocorticoid);
• A set of exercises physical therapy;
• Percussion massage;
• Physiotherapy treatments (mostly UFO).

When violations of urination functions performed catheterization and irrigation of the bladder, prescribe medications anticholinesterase group. To restore the functioning of the nerve cells after the treatment using vitamin therapy and taking vitamin B is recommended as a solution for injection.

To prevent bedsores: under bony prominences can put a special round or a cotton swab periodically to help the patient to change the position of the body, the skin is rubbed with a soap solution with alcohol or camphor alcohol. In addition, the use of a UFO on the ankle, sacrum and buttocks.

Running stage leads either to death (inflammation in the cervical spine), or to disability (myelitis of the thoracic and lumbar) of the patient. Therefore, it is important to be screened and immediately start therapy.

If an abnormal condition occurs favorably, and the treatment is carried out correctly, the recovery of the sick there is a maximum three months later, and after a year or two the patient is completely restored. Time appointed and adequate sanitary-resort treatment, can greatly accelerate these processes.

• See also: how dangerous is a spinal cord injury?

Prevention

Because of the peculiarities of the origin and development of disease prevention myelitis does not exist. The people that make up the risk group to a certain extent, reduce the risk of disease through vaccination and by timely and complete treatment of infectious diseases (caries, sinusitis, etc.).