Spinal cord disease names, symptoms and treatment

Spinal cord disease always require urgent treatment. Moreover, apply only to physicians, no self-treatment is unacceptable! After all, any disease of the spinal cord is fraught with such complications as paralysis or paresis, and in some cases even fatal. Therefore, any suspected deep a back injury or inflammation should be the signal to call an ambulance. Doctors will prescribe treatment that will help to preserve the quality of life of the victim in the future.

The structure of spinal cord

Spinal cord part Central nervous system. It supplies the data pulses and the brain. The main job of the spinal cord is adequately conveying the orders of the brain to the internal organs and muscles. It consists of a variety of nerve tissue that signals from the brain to the body and back.

Spinal cord consists of white and gray tissue, nerves and cells. In the middle of the spinal cord, numerous nerves, is a pure nervous tissue.

If pathology or traumatic exposure involved the spinal region, it may result in great danger for normal functioning, the quality of human life. In addition, there is a risk of death. Even a small compression, caused for example, spinal herniascan reduce sensitivity and dexterity, affect the internal organs. The symptoms of such disorders a huge number, one thing remains unchanged – damage and disease in the area of the spinal canal is noticeable immediately.

Symptoms

To the weak manifestation of pathological processes include dizziness, pain, high blood pressure. Pain and other symptoms may not always appear the same. Can find attacks, and can smoothly become the stronger, the weaker. Can carry and chronic. It depends on the clinical picture and its details. In addition to pain syndrome pathological changes of the spine are often caused by:

• Reduced sensitivity and mobility;
• Incontinence of urine and feces;
• Paralysis and paresis, complete and partial type;
• Atrophic changes in the muscles.

A pinched spinal cord

If something puts pressure on the spinal cord, the result may be a large number of neurological problems. If the contents of the spinal canal changes its position, or it's just the pressure won't be negative changes in the body. Sometimes irreversible, and among other things may be affected and the brain.

• Read also: the Symptoms and effects of spinal cord injuries.

If there are purulent and inflammatory processes, lesions often begin to put pressure on the spinal cord. It happens in many cases because of any other infectious diseases. The spine is well supplied with blood and quite vulnerable to various infectious pathogens. There may be inflammation or suppuration, which will pinch the nerve roots or begin to put pressure on the spinal cord, causing the inevitable pain.

When dorsally hernias of the intervertebral disc bulges backwards. In the end, the damaged cartilage may start to put pressure on the spinal cord, causing severe pain and neurological problems.

Stenosis of the spinal canal

Because of the rubbing together of the vertebrae can increase the osteophytes and sharp edges in its edges. If such growths become too large, there is danger to life and health of the patient. Also the space in which is located the spinal cord can be narrowed due to the change of the position of the vertebrae, protrusion and gruzevich formations. To give freedom to the spinal cord, physicians often come to the conclusion that the only valid way to solve the problem – surgery.

• Suggest to read: a tumor of the spinal cord.

Tumors

In the nearbythe spinal cord region can develop tumors. Such as a cyst or a malignant tumor. Also, if cancer has affected the internal organs (e.g., urinary system), the vertebrae and the spinal canal can infiltrate metastases.

Myelopathy

When mielopatia the spinal cord tissue begin to rapidly swell. Doctors don't always immediately find the cause of the pathological process. Sometimes even the information obtained after magnetic resonance imaging, may not describe the full picture.

This happens usually due to the fact that in the lungs or chest develops a malignant tumor. Such edema is difficult to cure, and among their symptoms appears quickly, poor mobility, incontinence of urine and feces. In cases where doctors are not immediately drew attention to the myelopathy and has not appointed adequate treatment, it may be fatal.

To lead to rapid development of swelling can diseases such as sinusitis. Such myelopathy occurs in the acute regime, and has the infectious nature.

Infarction of the spinal cord

Diseases of the spinal cord often result in the access of blood to the spinal cord is broken, and he begins to feel hungry. Cells begin to die, begins necrosis. The reason usually lies in the traumatic effects on the spine. If it was already present intervertebral hernia, it may rupture, and its particles are distributed inside the spinal canal. This may be one of the reasons for vertebral starvation.

The clinical picture is the following:

• Abruptly appeared a weakness, "knocks down";
• Sick;
• The body temperature is lowered;
• A bad headache;
• The patient falls into a light-headedness or even loses consciousness.

Doctors diagnose spinal cord infarction can only with the help of magnetic resonance imaging. If medical help arrived in time, professionals will be able to prevent a lethal outcome. But probably movement disorders in one way or another will last a lifetime.

Be broken spinal blood circulation may be for different reasons. Sometimes it is genetically given characteristics of the vascular system. Symptoms of spinal infarction comprises a large number of symptoms that depend on which region of the spinal cord affected. If there was a pinched spinal anterior artery will begin to die fabric in front of the spinal canal. The patient almost immediately begins to suffer from disorders of the pelvic organs, will worsen the sensitivity of your feet. If this artery is in the neck, decreases the sensitivity of the upper extremities, and increase in temperature. And again, the person may lose control over defecation and urination.

Symptoms of spinal infarction

When the disease, no matter what, affects the spinal cord, the manifestations do not allow yourself to wait. Immediately deteriorates the sensitivity below the affected area. After all, these organs and muscles are now worse perceive the signals in the brain. This phenomenon may be accompanied by a feeling of "running ants" and the weakness of the corresponding region. It is called a paresthesia.

Paresthesia most strongly affects the feet, and then somewhat weaker. Although the deteriorating human control over the pelvic organs. Could happen so that instead of incontinence will disappear as the urge and need to urinate. This condition is dangerous because if it accumulates the toxic substances.

• Suggest to read: neurinoma of the spine.

If was broken the nerve fibers of the spinal cord, the muscles of the victim for a short time can forge a strong spasm, increased tendon reflexes. The main manifestation is pain. It differs from the pain of, say, a hernia that is clearly localized in the middle of the back, exactly in line with the spine. Life-threatening symptom will be a complete failure in the rectum and bladder. In this pain syndrome will be given in the thigh and groin.

Treatment of spinal infarction

Any attempt self-treatment is unacceptable. Even medicines has the right to appoint only a qualified doctor after a diagnosis.

Usually, time is short, and as soon as the doctors began to work with patients, they are simultaneously transferred to the health care and medical history.

To improve the blood circulation of the spinal cord and to prevent necrotic death of tissue, using tools such as nicotinic acid or in reverse.As the bladder may refuse to work, are appointed by diuretics. Thin the blood with aspirin or other similar medicines, especially if there are clots.

After the acute phase ended, and for the life of the patient the doctor's not worried, begins a period of rehabilitation. To regain mobility and tissue sensitivity, the use of physiotherapy, exercise therapy, massage. You will also need to improve the patency of impulses through the nerves. Sometimes used medicines from the group of muscle relaxants to minimize unnecessary muscle spasms.

Surgery is necessary when hernias, compression fractures, sometimes changing the position of the vertebrae. By themselves, these conditions do not apply to vascular pathologies of the back, but they often develop malnutrition of the spinal canal. When the abscesses inflammation begins to affect the area of the spinal cord, urgently it is incised and the contents evacuated to purulent accumulations did not affect nerve tissue.

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

Symptoms in children

The clinical picture in the case of the child is dependent on how greatly affected the violation of circulation spinal cord. All over whether the line of the spinal canal, and if not – where there is a lack of power

If it's neck, it will weaken the upper limb will decrease their sensitivity. In the lumbar region of spinal or chest a heart attack will show itself through the paresthesia in the lower extremities. Often these symptoms are accompanied by impaired urination and defecation. Even if the child has stopped using diapers, incontinence starts.

In the case of children's back problems are characterized by smooth development of symptoms. In adults is rare. For example, weakness may be felt only while walking, and increase as the kid gets tired.