Spinal cord stroke (spinal) is a dangerous form of myelopathy. This term refers to neurological pathological conditions covering the spinal cord. Among all strokes recorded in medical practice, the spinal segment accounts for from one percent to one and a half. Two flow patterns are known - ischemic and hemorrhagic. Consider this topic in more detail.
general information
An ischemic type of disease is also called a heart attack. This is such a pathological condition in which a separate brain area does not receive the necessary volume of blood. The situation is causing a lack of oxygen.
Hemorrhagic stroke of the spinal cord is observed if the integrity of the vascular wall of any element is violated, which is why the contents enter the brain tissue. A hemorrhage is formed.
It's important to know
There is a likelihood of a transient pathological condition in which the supply of blood to the spinal systems is disrupted. In medicine, cases of microstrokes are known. When this condition is detected, transistor attacks of ischemia are diagnosed.
There is a difference in the ages of the average patient with a cerebral stroke and spinal stroke. In the first case, patients are older than the second category. Spinal, as studies have revealed, is often formed at a young age. Most patients with this diagnosis are older than 30, but younger than 50 years old. If a person does not receive appropriate treatment, a high probability of death. Even with the right therapy and good care, the likelihood of a person with a disability is high.
What provokes?
The causes of stroke of the spinal cord are varied and localized not in this organ itself, but lie in the circulatory system. The vascular structures responsible for spinal nutrition often suffer from atherosclerotic plaques. There is a risk of arterial blockage and violation of the integrity of the vascular wall. This is possible due to trauma, a blood clot. Certain risks are associated with physical squeezing. It is often observed in patients with osteochondrosis, hernias, and tumor processes. There is a chance of a congenital abnormal state of the vascular system. There are cases when a spinal stroke was explained by listez, malformations, aneurysm. The latter is most often localized in the aorta. Certain risks are associated with venous varicose veins and myocardial infarction.
A sudden and severe decrease in blood pressure in the arteries can trigger a hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke of the spinal cord. Certain risks are associated with pathological conditions, due to which the normal level of blood coagulation changes. This is possible in the case of hemophilia or, for example, due to thrombocytopenia.
How to suspect?
The first symptoms of a stroke of the spinal cord are determined by the form of pathology and the nuances of its localization. Much depends on the level of damage to organic tissues. The most specific manifestations are neurological. The patient notes severe discomfort in the back. When trying to determine their source, it seems that the pain comes from the spine. If a stroke affects the upper blocks, paralysis, paresis of the upper limbs are observed. Legs are sore, gait is broken, from time to time a person is lame.
The first signs, symptoms of stroke of the spinal cord include general human instability. Many paralyze the legs, paresis of the lower extremities is possible. The functioning of the pelvic internal organs is disrupted, there are problems with emptying the bladder and intestinal tract. The back loses its normal level of sensitivity. Paresthesia covers the limbs.
Features of manifestation
In a stroke of the spinal cord, many describe their sensations as a sudden stroke, followed by a severe attack of dizziness. A person feels severe soreness, quickly covering the entire back. Soon, the sensitivity of this zone becomes smaller until it disappears completely. A stroke is reflected in the limbs, the pains are sharp and strong at first, gradually the legs and arms go numb. Many say that during an attack, the limbs weaken, people can not feel the floor under their feet. The outflow of urine from the bladder is impaired, involuntary urination is possible.
Having noticed such manifestations, you must immediately consult a doctor. Only the timely help of a specialist helps to avoid paralysis. A stroke is always an acute attack. It is impossible to predict its consequences in advance, but almost always they are quite severe.
Issue
Determining that the symptoms of a stroke of the spinal cord are observed is sometimes very difficult. Painful sensations often spread to different organs, parts of the body. Spinal brain structures are closely related to almost all internal organs. With a stroke, this provokes an abundance of nonspecific symptoms, which cannot be explained by neurological reasons. This leads to the complexity of diagnosing the condition and the increased risk of medical error.
There are many cases where the symptoms of a brain stroke were mistakenly regarded as manifestations of multiple sclerosis. In medical practice, there were situations in which, instead of a stroke, the patient was diagnosed with a vertebral hernia or radiculitis. You can confuse the pathological condition with jade and a number of gynecological diseases. Similar manifestations are shown by violations in the digestive tract, inflammatory processes in the bladder. Even an experienced doctor who has modern instruments and diagnostic tools is not immune from the erroneous diagnosis associated with the increased complexity of the case.
Ischemic form: features
This form is much more common hemorrhagic. Studies show that approximately 90% of cases occur precisely in her. A distinctive feature is a blood clot that blocks the bloodstream. There is a possibility of fat accumulation, disrupting the flow of blood. The result is damage to brain cells, leading to necrosis. Better prognoses are characteristic of cases of rapid diagnosis and timely treatment. In recent years, this type of stroke is increasingly being diagnosed in people of a relatively young age. Immediately after the diagnosis is made, it is necessary to begin measures to stabilize the blood flow. To do this, use drugs that make blood thinner. A change in this quality allows the fluid to pass through the barrier in the form of a blood clot, which means to deliver nutrition to the brain cells.
A very large blood clot, a severe attack is possible. The condition requires immediate surgery. Intervention is possible after receiving a puncture. The rehabilitation phase requires careful care of the patient. With active recovery, the prognosis is usually positive. In stationary conditions, the patient is provided with bed rest. It is important to have a flat surface. The patient should lie on his back.
How to check?
Suspecting a spinal cord stroke in a patient, it is necessary to direct a person to a full-fledged study. A distinctive feature that unites all patients with such a pathology is pain in the back. Other manifestations may diverge. If a spinal stroke is suspected, the patient is referred to a neurologist. The doctor will advise you to x-ray the spinal column. Useful information can be extracted from the results of CT. Doppler study of the vascular system is shown. Recommended revasography, electroneuromyography. For laboratory examination, blood samples are obtained. It is necessary to take a spinal puncture to assess the characteristics of the biochemical balance.
The results of diagnostic measures allow the doctor to confirm the initial diagnosis or determine what additional measures are necessary to clarify the pathology. Based on repeated neurological consultation, a therapeutic program may already be prescribed.
About puncture
The doctor, suspecting a spinal stroke, will surely refer the patient to such an examination. Puncture - an event in which laboratory assistants receive a small amount of liquid spinal contents. To make a puncture, you need to use a special needle. It is placed between the vertebrae, then the doctor receives a few milliliters of the contents of the organic structure.
Puncture can detect bloody inclusions if hemorrhage has occurred. The study is carried out 12 hours after the initial manifestation of the symptoms of a stroke. This time is enough for the analysis to show red blood cells and their features. If hemorrhage is diagnosed as part of a puncture, additional measures must be taken to identify the aneurysm and determine its exact position.
Before receiving a puncture, it is necessary to evaluate the performance of the liver and kidneys, to analyze the ability of blood to coagulate. To obtain a puncture, local anesthesia is necessary. If a person has allergic reactions to anesthetics, it is necessary to inform about this in advance.
How to fight?
An experienced neurologist can navigate the features of the treatment of spinal cord stroke, rehabilitation, the consequences of this pathological condition. In case of spinal disturbance in the acute period of the pathology, it is necessary to take measures to maintain vital functions in order to support the patient and minimize the risk of death. The task of the doctor is to identify the cause and eliminate it. A necessary aspect of therapy is the normalization of the activity of the heart and vascular system, the stabilization of pressure indicators in the arteries.
As a medical treatment, drugs that make blood thinner are shown if a blood clot became the root cause of the stroke. Recommended remedies, relaxing spinal structures, drugs to protect cells of the nervous system. Some patients need urgent surgery to restore impaired vascular walls.
Case features
In the treatment of stroke of the spinal cord (ischemic, hemorrhagic), paralysis can be controlled. If the patient has just such a condition, the doctor prescribes measures to reduce the risk of pressure sores. Prevention of congestive pulmonary inflammation is necessary. Already in the period of struggle with the acute stage, it is necessary to take into account the features of the recovery process. The complexity of the case cannot be underestimated. Spinal stroke is one of the deadly pathologies.
Recovery phase
With a stroke of the spinal cord, rehabilitation varies from case to case; a lot depends on the characteristics of the lesion. Sometimes the consequences are almost imperceptible - the patient's fingers tremble only slightly, or from time to time the integuments of the back lose their sensitivity. Others have more serious complications - the ability to use limbs is impaired, paralysis develops. To normalize the body, you need to practice rehabilitation measures. The neurologist evaluates the case and identifies the best recovery techniques, determines when to proceed. Usually, rehabilitation begins one, two, sometimes three weeks after the stabilization of the general condition of the body.
A rehabilitation specialist forms a set of exercises individually. Select such procedures that can improve the condition of a particular patient. In the future, the course is adjusted, assessing the success of a person and the consequences of a stroke of the spinal cord. The best results are given by the rehabilitation program, in which the patient has access to specialized simulators designed for people with such health problems. In recent years, robotic systems have become widespread.
Recovery Issues
One of the key problems associated with treatment and rehabilitation against the background of spinal stroke is the numerous lesions. Different internal systems suffer. To provide the best opportunities for restoring health, the patient must enlist the help of a wide range of specialists. Responsibility for case management rests with several highly specialized professionals. Virtually no known cases of identical complications. In many ways, the prognosis is determined by the point at which treatment began. Much depends on the psychological state, mood of the patient. Statistical studies show that only about 15% of patients with a designated diagnosis use the services of rehabilitation centers.
To ensure a full recovery, it is necessary to cooperate with a team of professionals. For a short time period, a full restoration of the functionality of the body is impossible to achieve. The patient must immediately prepare mentally for several months, often for years. Sometimes this period is enough only to restore the ability to walk, and other functions normalize even more slowly. Moreover, there are practically no two identical cases, which means that each rehabilitation option is selected strictly individually.
Features
A person who has suffered a spinal stroke should carefully monitor his health for the rest of his life. One of the consequences of a stroke of the spinal cord is the weakness of the spinal column, which will be susceptible to disease. During the rehabilitation period, this is somewhat offset by the use of specialized items - bandages, pillows, mattresses. After some time, the corset is no longer used, since the constant wearing of the product can cause muscle atrophy and curvature of the spinal column. During the rehabilitation period, you need to remember not only the need to restore the spinal cord, but also the importance of maintaining the stability of the vertebral discs. Wearing a corset creates an additional burden on the cerebral spinal structures.
Having suffered a stroke of the spinal cord, you need to start treating your health very, very responsible. It should be remembered about the possibility of re-violation and increased likelihood of a cerebral stroke. To minimize dangers, it is recommended that you change your lifestyle. It is important to eat right, balancing the diet by nutrients, completely eliminate any bad habits from everyday life. Persons who have had a stroke are advised to carefully monitor their weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose and cholesterol levels. It is necessary to make a daily habit of walking, small physical activity. Hardening will not be superfluous.