Currently, more and more people who seek medical help are diagnosed with diseases of the spinal cord and spine. Moreover, as a rule, the pathologies of these departments are dangerous not only for health, but also for 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 the 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
At the heart of the pathology development mechanism are degenerative changes and natural aging processes. The term "stenosis" refers to a 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 rougher. A logical consequence is the development of the inflammatory process and a decrease in the size of the spinal canal. As a result, the nerves and vessels of the spinal cord are compressed. Pathology can be both congenital and acquired in nature.
The causes of this spinal cord disease:
- Mucopolysaccharidoses.
- Joint dysplasia.
- Knist's disease.
- Rickets.
- Down Syndrome.
- Various kinds of spinal injuries.
- Arthrosis
- Forestier disease.
- Osteochondrosis.
- Spondylosis
- Ossification of the elements of the ligamentous apparatus.
- Metabolic disease.
- The presence of scars and adhesions after surgical treatment.
- Ankylosing spondylitis.
- Hematomas.
Stenosis is a spinal cord disease characterized by the following symptoms:
- Lameness.
- Pain in the lower extremities during motor activity.
- Weakness in the legs.
- Partial loss of sensitivity.
- Feeling of "goosebumps."
- Involuntary urination.
- Muscular krampi.
- Paresis.
- Frequent episodes of migraine.
Diagnosis of a spinal cord disease involves radiography, MRI, contrast myelography, and CT. Based on the results of the research, the doctor draws up a treatment regimen that can include both conservative and surgical methods.
Spinal cord infarction
It is considered one of the most dangerous conditions. This disease of the spinal cord can occur at any age. At the heart of the pathogenesis of the disease is a violation of the blood supply to the tissues. 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 whose main causes of development are the following pathologies:
- Aortic aneurysm.
- Violation of the blood coagulation process.
- Vascular malformation.
- Violation of the integrity of the veins and arteries.
- Osteochondrosis.
- The 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 to this vascular disease of the spinal cord:
- Pain in the back.
- Plegia.
- Paralysis.
- Paresis.
- Partial or almost complete loss of sensitivity.
- Uncontrolled excretion of urine and feces.
As a rule, symptoms appear suddenly. If they occur, you must immediately call an ambulance team. The diagnosis is not fraught with difficulties, a competent doctor can accurately determine the pathology already at the stage of collecting an anamnesis and examining the patient.
Therapeutic measures are carried out, as a rule, in the intensive care unit of the hospital. The choice of patient management tactics directly depends on the cause of spinal cord infarction. The purpose of treatment is to restore blood supply to the focus of the pathology and stop oxygen 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.
Ponytail syndrome
This is a nervous disease of the spinal cord, characterized by damage to the fiber bundle in the terminal section of the central nervous system. It is this bunch that has the name "ponytail." The bundle consists of a terminal thread and nerve fibers of the lumbar, coccygeal and sacral parts.
A homogeneous symptom complex is characteristic for damage to the cauda equina of the spinal cord. The disease can develop due to the influence of the following provoking factors:
- Intervertebral hernia.
- 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 extremities.
- An increased degree of sensitivity (over time, it is replaced by numbness).
- Paresthesia.
- Muscle weakness.
- The rapid onset of fatigue when walking.
- Anorgasmia.
- Erectile disfunction.
- Loss of fullness in the rectum and bladder.
Diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome is complicated by the fact that the disease has symptoms similar to manifestations of other diseases of the spinal cord. To identify the pathology, the following studies are prescribed: CT, MRI, lumbar puncture, histological analysis.
Treatment involves the use of both conservative and surgical methods. When urine is delayed, bladder catheterization is performed. If the cause of the syndrome is a hernia, tumor, or abnormality of the spine, surgical intervention is indicated.
Oncology
Currently, spinal cord tumors are not often diagnosed. But the danger of the disease lies in the fact that in the early stages of its development, clinical manifestations are usually absent. As a result, patients go to the doctor even when nearby tissues are affected.
Tumors can be either benign or malignant. In addition, they can be primary and secondary (metastases).
The reasons for the development of pathology are unknown to medicine, but it is proved that the following factors are provoking:
- Long stay in the radiation zone.
- Intoxication of the body due to contact with harmful chemical compounds.
- Smoking
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Age.
Symptoms of spinal cord disease are not specific. The main clinical manifestations:
- Painful sensations. They arise sharply and strongly expressed. In this case, the pain does not disappear after taking medication. The intensity of sensations increases with the growth of the neoplasm.
- Tingling and numbness in the back.
- Change in the sensitivity of the skin.
- Excessive sweating.
- Paralysis and paresis.
Diagnosis of the disease is difficult due to the absence of any symptoms in the early stages of tumor growth. In order to identify an ailment, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive examination, including:
- MRI
- CT
- Radionuclide diagnostics.
- Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.
Tumors, as a rule, are large and grow strongly in the tissue. In this regard, neoplasms are not completely excised. If there are a lot of tumors and they gave metastases, surgery is not practical. In this case, medication is indicated aimed at restoring blood circulation in the foci of pathology and relieving symptoms.
Anterior spinal artery thrombosis
As a rule, this disease is detected in the elderly. The most likely cause of the disease, doctors consider atherosclerosis. Risk factors include various injuries, neoplasms, and recent surgery.
Thrombosis of the anterior spinal artery is a pathology characterized by a blockage of a blood clot in a vessel. In most cases, the focus of the pathology is localized in the lumbar, cervical and thoracic regions.
Symptoms of thrombosis:
- Muscle weakness.
- Slight deterioration in sensitivity.
- Loss of plantar or Achilles reflex.
- Paresthesia.
Diagnosis of the disease involves laboratory tests, duplex scanning, MRI and radionuclide studies.
Thrombosis treatment is carried out exclusively in a hospital. A mild illness requires medical treatment. In the presence of a severe form of the disease, the doctor decides to conduct surgery. Surgical treatment techniques: thrombectomy, bypass surgery, stenting, artery flashing.
Syringomyelia
This term refers to a nervous and degenerative disease of the spinal cord, which has a chronic form of the course. Pathology is currently incurable. As a rule, it develops in young people and accompanies them throughout life.
Syringomyelia is an ailment in which cavities form in the substance of the spinal cord. The basis of the mechanism of the development of the disease is a defect of glial tissue, which is congenital in nature. After multiplication, pathological cells die, forming cavities. In this case, degenerative changes in the nerve fibers are observed. Over time, the cavity becomes larger, exacerbating the human condition.
Symptoms of a nervous disease of the spinal cord:
- Violation of sensitivity.
- Paresthesia.
- 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 heal for a long time.
- Deformation of bone structures and joints.
- Osteoporosis.
- Muscle weakness.
- With damage to the cervical spine, the eyeballs sink, the pupils dilate and the eyelids drop.
Diagnosis of pathology consists in the following studies: radiography, myelography, MRI.
At the initial stage of the development of pathology, exposure to lesions and treatment with radioactive phosphorus and iodine are indicated. If the patient has paresis of the limbs, surgery is prescribed. During its implementation, drainage of cavities, removal of adhesions and tissue decompression are carried out.
Myelitis
This is an inflammatory disease of the spinal cord, characterized by damage to its gray and white substances. Pathology can be both primary and secondary in nature.
Depending on the causes, myelitis can be:
- Viral. Caused by the causative agent of influenza, rabies and pathogens belonging to the Coxsackie group.
- Infectious. Most often develops against a background of purulent meningitis. The following pathologies are also provoking factors for the occurrence of an infectious disease of the spinal cord: syphilis, measles, typhoid fever, brucellosis.
- Traumatic.
- Toxic. It develops against the background of prolonged contact of the body with harmful chemical compounds.
- Post-vaccination.
- Ray. It develops in the treatment of malignant neoplasms.
- Acute idiopathic. In this case, it is customary to talk about the autoimmune nature of the ailment.
Clinical manifestations of myelitis:
- General weakness.
- Muscle pain.
- Elevated body temperature.
- Disorder of the lower extremities, turning into paralysis.
- Retention of feces and urine, or, conversely, their spontaneous excretion.
- Pain in the back.
- The rapid formation of pressure sores.
To identify the disease, a puncture of the cerebrospinal fluid is prescribed. Liquor is examined for 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 formation of adhesions and cysts starts.
The main causes of arachnoiditis:
- Spinal injuries.
- Complications after surgery.
- Severe forms of stenosis.
- Body contact with contrast medium. Doctors believe that myelography can be a trigger for the development of the disease.
- Infectious pathologies.
For 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 the limbs.
- Unusual sensations. For example, it seems to a person that an insect is crawling over it or that water is flowing along the leg.
- Cramps.
- Shooting pain, which is most often associated with electric shocks.
Currently, there is no effective treatment for the disease. All ongoing activities are aimed exclusively at stopping pain and improving the quality of life of the patient.
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:
- Body paralysis on one side.
- A sharp decrease in body weight.
- Slow motion of all movements.
- Inability to assess the behavior of others.
- Hearing and visual impairment.
Diagnosis of the disease involves CT, MRI, blood and urine tests.
Treatment of the disease consists in the introduction of medications, the active components of which stop unpleasant sensations and help maintain the body's functional capabilities.
Finally
There are many diseases of the spinal cord. However, most of them pose a threat not only to health, but also to the lives of patients. In this regard, when the first alarming signs occur, you need to contact a neurologist.