Currently, more and more people who seek medical help are diagnosed with diseases of the spinal cord and spine. At the same time, as a rule, the pathologies of these departments pose a danger not only to he alth, but also to the life of the patient. In this regard, the success of treatment directly depends on the timeliness of contacting a doctor. Below are the names of diseases of the spinal cord, which are detected most often. In addition, their causes and symptoms are indicated, as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment.
Spinal Stenosis
The pathology development mechanism is based on degenerative changes and natural aging processes. The term "stenosis" refers to the narrowing of the spinal canal. Various kinds of microtraumas gradually lead to the fact that the spinal discs begin to protrude, while the ligamentous apparatus becomes coarser. A natural consequence is the development of an inflammatory process and a decrease in the size of the spinal canal. ATAs a result, the nerves and vessels of the spinal cord are compressed. Pathology can be both congenital and acquired.
Causes of this disease of the spinal cord:
- Mucopolysaccharidoses.
- Joint dysplasia.
- Knist disease.
- Rickets.
- Down syndrome.
- Various spinal injuries.
- Arthrosis.
- Forestier's disease.
- Osteochondrosis.
- Spondylosis.
- Ossification of the elements of the ligamentous apparatus.
- Metabolic disorders.
- The presence of scars and adhesions after surgical treatment.
- Ankylosing spondylitis.
- Hematomas.
Stenosis is a disease of the spinal cord, which is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Lame.
- Pain in the lower extremities during physical activity.
- Weakness in the legs.
- Partial loss of sensation.
- The feeling of "goosebumps".
- Involuntary urination.
- Muscle cramps.
- Pareses.
- Frequent migraine episodes.
Diagnosis of spinal cord disease consists of X-ray, MRI, contrast myelography and CT. Based on the results of the research, the doctor draws up a treatment regimen, which may include both conservative and surgical methods.
Spinal infarction
Considered one of the most dangerous conditions. This spinal cord disease can occur at any age. The basis of the pathogenesis of the disease is a violationtissue blood supply. As a result, the spinal cord does not receive enough nutrients and oxygen. The consequence of this is necrosis.
Spinal cord infarction is a vascular disease, the main causes of which are the following pathologies:
- Aortic aneurysm.
- Violation of the blood clotting process.
- Vascular malformation.
- Violation of the integrity of veins and arteries.
- Osteochondrosis.
- Presence of neoplasms.
- Herniated discs.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Thrombosis.
- Varicose veins of the spine.
Clinical manifestations and their intensity directly depend on the affected area. The following symptoms are common for this vascular disease of the spinal cord:
- Pain in the back.
- Plegii.
- Paralysis.
- Pareses.
- Partial or almost complete loss of sensation.
- Uncontrolled excretion of urine and feces.
Symptoms usually come on suddenly. When they occur, you must immediately call an ambulance. Making a diagnosis is not complicated, a competent doctor can accurately determine the pathology already at the stage of collecting anamnesis and examining the patient.
Treatment measures are usually carried out in the intensive care unit of a hospital. The choice of patient management tactics directly depends on the cause of spinal cord infarction. The goal of treatment is to restore the blood supply to the focus of pathology and stopoxygen starvation of tissues. If the cause of the pathology is a decrease in the lumen of the vessel by a hernia or tumor, surgery is indicated.
Cauda equine syndrome
This is a nervous disease of the spinal cord, characterized by damage to the fiber bundle in the terminal part of the CNS organ. It is this bundle that has the name "ponytail". The bundle consists of a terminal thread and nerve fibers of the lumbar, coccygeal and sacral regions.
A homogeneous symptom complex is characteristic of lesions of the cauda equina of the spinal cord. The disease can develop due to the following provoking factors:
- Herniated disc.
- Traumatic injuries.
- Growth of neoplasms.
- Spinal deformities.
The main symptoms of the disease:
- Pain in the sacrum and lower back. Often they radiate to the groin and lower limbs.
- Increased degree of sensitivity (over time it changes to numbness).
- Paresthesias.
- Muscle weakness.
- Fast onset of fatigue when walking.
- Anorgasmia.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Loss of sensation of fullness in rectum and bladder.
Diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome is complicated by the fact that the disease has symptoms similar to those of other diseases of the spinal cord. To detect pathology, the following studies are prescribed: CT, MRI, lumbar puncture, histological analysis.
Treatmentinvolves the use of both conservative and operative methods. With urinary retention, bladder catheterization is performed. If the cause of the syndrome is a hernia, tumor, or anomalies in the development of the spine, surgical intervention is indicated.
Oncology
Currently, spinal cord tumors are diagnosed infrequently. But the danger of the disease lies in the fact that in the early stages of its development, clinical manifestations, as a rule, are absent. As a result, patients go to the doctor already when nearby tissues are affected.
Tumors can be either benign or malignant. In addition, they can be primary and secondary (metastases).
The causes of the development of pathology in medicine are unknown, but it has been proven that the following factors are provocative:
- Long stay in the radiation zone.
- Intoxication of the body due to contact with harmful chemical compounds.
- Tobacco smoking.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Age.
Symptoms of spinal cord disease are not specific. Main clinical manifestations:
- Painful sensations. They appear abruptly and are strongly pronounced. In this case, the pain does not disappear after taking medication. The intensity of sensations increases as the tumor grows.
- Tingling and numbness in the back.
- Change in the sensitivity of the skin.
- Excessive sweating.
- Paralysis andparesis.
Diagnosis of the disease is difficult due to the absence of any symptoms in the early stages of tumor growth. In order to identify the disease, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive examination, including:
- MRI.
- CT.
- Radionuclide diagnostics.
- Cerebrospinal fluid analysis.
Tumours are usually large and grow strongly into tissues. In this regard, neoplasms are not completely excised. If there are a lot of tumors and they have metastasized, surgical intervention is not advisable. In this case, drug treatment is indicated, aimed at restoring blood circulation in the foci of pathology and relieving symptoms.
Thrombosis of the anterior spinal artery
As a rule, this disease is detected in the elderly. Doctors consider atherosclerosis the most likely cause of the disease. Risk factors include various types of trauma, neoplasms, and recent surgery.
Thrombosis of the anterior spinal artery is a pathology characterized by blockage of the vessel by a blood clot. In most cases, the focus of the pathology is localized in the lumbar, cervical and thoracic regions.
Thrombosis symptoms:
- Muscle weakness.
- Slight deterioration in sensitivity.
- Loss of the plantar or Achilles reflex.
- Paresthesias.
Diagnosis of the disease involves laboratory tests, duplex scanning, MRI andradionuclide research.
Treatment of thrombosis is carried out exclusively in a hospital setting. A mild degree of the disease requires drug therapy. In the presence of a severe form of the disease, the doctor decides on a surgical intervention. Surgical treatment methods: thrombectomy, bypass, stenting, artery suture.
Syringomyelia
This term refers to a nervous and degenerative disease of the spinal cord, which has a chronic course. Pathology is currently incurable. As a rule, it develops in young people and accompanies them throughout their lives.
Syringomyelia is a disease in which cavities form in the substance of the spinal cord. The mechanism of the development of the disease is based on a defect in glial tissue, which is congenital. After reproduction, pathological cells die, forming cavities. In this case, degenerative changes in the nerve fibers are observed. Over time, the cavities become larger, aggravating the human condition.
Symptoms of Nervous Disease of the Spinal Cord:
- Violation of sensitivity.
- Paresthesias.
- Painful sensations of a dull nature. As a rule, they are localized in the neck, arms, chest and between the shoulder blades.
- Cyanosis and thickening of the skin.
- Even small cuts take a long time to heal.
- Deformation of bone structures and joints.
- Osteoporosis.
- Muscle weakness.
- When the cervical region is affected, the eyeballs sink, the pupils dilate anddrooping eyelids.
Diagnosis of pathology consists in the following studies: radiography, myelography, MRI.
At the initial stage of the development of pathology, irradiation of lesions and treatment with radioactive phosphorus and iodine are indicated. If the patient has paresis of the limbs, surgical intervention is prescribed. In the process of its implementation, cavities are drained, adhesions are removed and tissues are decompressed.
Myelitis
This is an inflammatory disease of the spinal cord, characterized by damage to its gray and white matter. Pathology can be both primary and secondary.
Depending on the causes of myelitis can be:
- Viral. Caused by the causative agent of influenza, rabies and pathogens belonging to the Coxsackie group.
- Infectious. Most often it develops against the background of purulent meningitis. Also provoking factors for the occurrence of an infectious disease of the spinal cord are the following pathologies: syphilis, measles, typhoid fever, brucellosis.
- Traumatic.
- Toxic. It develops against the background of prolonged contact of the body with harmful chemical compounds.
- Post-vacation.
- Beam. It develops during the treatment of malignant neoplasms.
- Acute idiopathic. In this case, it is customary to talk about the autoimmune nature of the disease.
Clinical manifestations of myelitis:
- General weakness.
- Muscle pain.
- Increased body temperature.
- Sensation disorder of the lower extremities, turning into paralysis.
- Retention of feces and urine or, on the contrary, their spontaneous excretion.
- Pain in the back.
- Quick formation of bedsores.
To detect the disease, a puncture of the cerebrospinal fluid is prescribed. The cerebrospinal fluid is being examined for the detection of viruses and bacteria.
Treatment of pathology directly depends on the cause that caused it. In any case, conservative therapy is indicated.
Arachnoiditis
This term refers to inflammation of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord. As a result, the process of formation of adhesions and cysts starts.
Main causes of arachnoiditis:
- Spinal injuries.
- Complications after surgery.
- Severe forms of stenosis.
- Contact of the body with a contrast agent. Doctors believe that myelography may be a trigger for the development of the disease.
- Infectious pathologies.
For quite a long time, the main symptom of the disease is a violation of sensitivity. Over time, the following clinical manifestations occur:
- Weakness in the legs.
- Numbness of limbs.
- Unusual sensations. For example, it seems to a person that an insect is crawling on him or water is flowing down his leg.
- Convulsions.
- Shooting pain most commonly associated with electric shocks.
Currently there is no effective treatmentailment. All ongoing activities are aimed solely at relieving pain and improving the patient's quality of life.
Diffuse disseminated sclerosis
This term refers to a demyelinating disease of the spinal cord, which poses a serious threat to life. It is characterized by the destruction of nerve fibers.
The main causes of the development of the disease:
- Viruses (influenza, Epstein-Barr, herpes, Coxsackie, etc.).
- Infectious pathologies (measles, rubella, mumps, chickenpox, pneumonia, etc.).
Clinical manifestations of the disease:
- Paralysis of the body on one side.
- Dramatic weight loss.
- Slowness of all movements.
- Inability to judge the behavior of others.
- Hearing and vision impairment.
Diagnosis of the disease involves CT, MRI, blood and urine tests.
Treatment of the disease consists in the introduction of medicines, the active components of which stop discomfort and help maintain the functionality of the body.
In closing
There are many diseases of the spinal cord. At the same time, most of them pose a threat not only to he alth, but also to the life of patients. In this regard, when the first warning signs appear, it is necessary to contact a neurologist.
