The spinal cord is an important part of the body. It acts as a conductor, transmitting signals to all parts of the body from the head and central nervous system. Such a productive interaction allows the movement of the limbs, ensures the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system and others. Any damage to this department is fraught with dire consequences and can instantly put a person in a wheelchair.
What a disease
Myelopathy is a generalized term for all conditions that somehow affect the activity of the spinal cord.
The main factors provoking the development of the disease include:
- mechanical damage;
- various diseases.
Depending on the cause of the illness, the corresponding prefix is added to the term.
For example, cervical myelopathy suggests that the localization of the pathological process is observed in the cervical spine.
Why arises
No one is safe from the development of the disease. She appears suddenly and leads the person into bewilderment.
The most common causes of spinal cord injury include:
- injuries due to falls, accidents, bumps;
- postoperative complications;
- hernias, protrusions, tumors;
- scoliosis;
- osteochondrosis;
- spondylarthrosis;
- spondylosis;
- fractures and dislocations of the vertebrae;
- damage to the ribs;
- all kinds of infections;
- autoimmune pathologies;
- systemic inflammatory diseases;
- blood supply disturbance;
- thrombosis of the spinal vessels;
- atherosclerosis;
- osteomyelitis;
- bone tuberculosis;
- hematomyelia;
- demyelination.
Not the last role in the occurrence of pathology is played by hereditary diseases associated with the accumulation of phytanic acid (Refsum disease) and the presence of motor-sensory disorders (Russi-Levy syndrome).
In various diseases of the spine, damage to the nerve cells of the spinal cord is observed, this pathology is called "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis syndrome" (ALS).
Common symptoms
The onset of symptoms of cervical myelopathy can occur gradually or at one time. The latter is most characteristic of mechanical effects on the spine, for example, shock, fracture, displacement.
A sick person may feel:
- Severe pain of various localization.
- Reduction or complete loss of sensitivity below the lesion.
- Numbness and tingling of fingers, hands and feet.
- Paralysis of limbs or the whole body.
- Violation of the digestive system and the genitourinary system.
- Weakness of individual muscles.
Symptoms of vertebrogenic cervical myelopathy may also be present:
- Problems with coordination of movements.
- Marble complexion.
- Excessive sweating.
- Heart rhythm disturbance.
- Excessive emotionality, obsessive states.
- Fear of impending death and more.
A bright start does not always accompany the disease. In some cases, complaints may be minor and may progress over time.
Such patients rarely visit a medical institution in the initial stages, attributing the deterioration of well-being to fatigue and other causes.
The further course of the disease depends on many factors, however, the sooner it is identified, the more people get a chance to return to a healthy and full life.
Classification
The following types of disease occur against the background of a direct effect on the spinal cord. It:
- Toxic and radiation. They are extremely rare. May occur as a consequence of previous exposures to cancer or poisoning with mercury, lead, arsenic and other dangerous compounds. Damage to the spinal cord progresses slowly. The appearance of the first symptoms is often associated with previous episodes of oncology, namely the appearance of metastases.
- Carcinomatous. It is a paraneoplastic lesion of the central nervous system that occurs against a background of various malignant processes. This can be cancer of the lung, liver, blood, etc.
- Infectious. It is quite difficult and can be caused by enteroviruses, Lyme disease, AIDS, syphilis, etc.
- Metabolic. Cases of its detection are rarely diagnosed. It is caused by various metabolic disorders and prolonged hormonal disruptions.
- Demyelinating. The result of damage to the central nervous system neurons. It can be transmitted genetically or occur during life.
Such lesions are much less common than compression ones.
Cervical lesion
Belongs to the most common forms. It occurs in the region of the first 7 vertebrae.
It can be caused by any of the listed reasons, but it most often occurs due to compression, i.e. pressure on the spinal cord.
It can be hernias, tumors and other factors that have a mechanical effect on this important part of the spine.
Often pathology is provoked by such diseases:
- osteochondrosis;
- scoliosis, etc.
Congenital or acquired defects in large vessels may interfere with the functioning of the spinal cord, causing inflammation.
Patients with cervical myelopathy have the most pronounced and severe complaints.
In them, numbness can begin from the shoulder area and spread to the whole body. There are always violations of the vestibular apparatus, causing:
- dizziness, especially when turning the head or lifting up;
- disorientation;
- the appearance of "flies" before the eyes;
- panic attacks and the like.
Often, symptoms of cervical myelopathy are confused with VVD. After unsuccessful treatment, a more detailed study is conducted to find out the real reason.
Breast pathology
Such localization is no less dangerous, but in most cases its clinical manifestations are less pronounced.
Unlike cervical myelopathy, a patient may be disturbed by:
- a feeling of compression in the ribs and heart;
- heaviness on inspiration;
- pain of varying intensity;
- weakness and trembling in the hands;
- increased discomfort during bending and performing physical exercises.
Most often, it develops against a background of circulatory disorders, but other causes should also not be ruled out.
Symptoms of the chest form are very similar to osteochondrosis of this department, although this is a rather rare pathology of the spine.
When conducting diagnostics, it is important to differentiate it from diseases of the heart and respiratory system.
Lumbar localization
If the patient has overtaken this form of the disease, then problems are observed in the lower body. Under the influence of provoking factors:
- legs (paralysis, numbness, tingling, etc.);
- pelvic organs (there are various diseases associated with a violation of their work).
What is located above the lumbar region is most often not affected by the disease. The exception is mixed forms when the entire spinal cord is damaged.
With compression, this rarely happens, most often it is a systemic effect on the spinal cord or the body as a whole (radiation, poisons, infections, etc.).
Symptoms of cervical myelopathy are partially observed.
Diagnostic Methods
In the absence of characteristic symptoms, cervical myelopathy, like other varieties, is not easy to detect.
Feeling that something is wrong in the body, patients turn to the therapist, orthopedist and other specialists who cannot determine the cause of the deterioration of well-being or make an incorrect diagnosis at all.
A neurologist is involved in the treatment and diagnosis of the disease. First of all, he collects a detailed medical history, i.e., a medical history. The patient will need to inform in detail:
- How long the complaints started.
- If he or close relatives have chronic diseases.
- What lifestyle does he lead (are there bad habits, etc.).
- Has he previously been exposed to radiation and has been in contact with toxic substances, etc.
Based on these data, a specialist will be able to suggest the presence of cervical myelopathy, which will need to be confirmed by examination.
You will definitely need to undergo a general and biochemical blood test. If infection is suspected, a sterility test may be prescribed.
In parallel, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics, including:
- X-ray
- electromyography;
- electroneurography;
- MRI, CT of the spinal column;
- angiography of the spinal cord and its puncture.
The resulting material will be sent to the laboratory for bacteriological culture and detection of other infections by PCR.
After making an accurate diagnosis and identifying a provoking factor, the necessary treatment will be prescribed, which the neurologist will conduct together with other specialists. Depending on the reason, this may be:
- venereologist;
- oncologist;
- vertebrologist;
- osteopath and others.
All about the diagnosis of cervical myelopathy can only be told by the attending physician.
Drug therapy
A single treatment regimen does not exist. The scheme is selected individually and depends on many factors, namely:
- causes of the disease;
- severity
- age and gender of the patient;
- associated pathologies and other.
The following groups of drugs are used for the treatment of cervical ischemic myelopathy:
- vasodilator;
- antispasmodic.
These include:
- "No-Shpu."
- Drotaverinum.
- "Vinpocetine".
- "Xanthinol nicotinade."
With toxic lesions, drugs are prescribed that allow you to remove harmful substances from the body. In infectious diseases - antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial agents. Such patients should understand that therapy will be long and not always successful.
In the presence of genetic pathologies, it is not possible to eliminate the disease medically. In this case, a lifelong treatment regimen is selected that eliminates or mitigates the clinical manifestations.
Surgical intervention
Surgeon's help is resorted to if mechanical factors have triggered cervical myelopathy, such as:
- tumors;
- cysts;
- hernias;
- displacement of the vertebrae, etc.
As practice shows, when removing benign tumors, the patient has many chances to defeat the disease. Therapy for cervical myelopathy in oncology is much more complicated. As a rule, doctors do not undertake to make any forecasts.
With injuries, the result may be different. It all depends on the degree of damage and localization.
Supporting activities
Treatment for cervical myelopathy is half way. After eliminating the underlying disease, the patient will have a long rehabilitation period. It may include:
- all kinds of massages;
- physiotherapy;
- acupuncture;
- physiotherapeutic procedures;
- electrophoresis;
- wearing fixing corsets;
- visiting specialized sanatoriums.
It is strictly unacceptable to engage in self-treatment of the symptoms and causes of cervical myelopathy. Such frivolity is fraught with serious damage to the bone marrow and irreversible paralysis.
Prevention
Most often, the disease occurs in adulthood, but is often diagnosed among young people and even babies.
Cervical myelopathy with ALS syndrome is observed in most patients examined. In order to slightly reduce the likelihood of its occurrence, you should follow a few simple recommendations:
- start every morning with a little workout;
- if the work is associated with prolonged sitting, periodically get up and do various exercises, you can just walk around;
- do not slouch;
- include meat with cartilage and dairy products in the diet;
- get rid of bad habits;
- refuse heavy and poor quality food;
- eat more vegetables and fruits;
- periodically drink a course of vitamins and minerals;
- in the presence of chronic pathologies, undergo timely treatment;
- discuss with the doctor the possibility of using drugs that protect and restore cartilage tissue (chondroprotectors).
Having heard the diagnosis of "cervical myelopathy", one should not immediately fall into despair and think about oncology. In most cases, the pathology has a benign nature. You should be positive and believe in your own recovery, because medicine has long proved that the effectiveness of therapy is closely related to the mood of the patient, even if the prognosis is very poor.