Spinal hernia is a rather severe pathology, which is a congenital anomaly, as a result of which the vertebrae do not close, but form a gap. Because of this, parts of the spinal cord and its membrane go under the skin. Most often, this pathology is formed in the lower part of the spinal column, but can also occur in other places. This is a very serious disease, the severity of which depends on how much the nerve tissue is deprived of protection.
How severe is this disease?
To date spinal hernia It is diagnosed in the prenatal period, which allows you to take preventive measures even before the birth of the baby. Almost always spina bifida is an indication in order to terminate pregnancy, since spinal hernia in newborns is considered a very serious malformation. But if a woman still decided to give birth, then after giving birth, the child is prescribed radical treatment to prevent the development of severe disability.
Spinal hernia in adults is also accompanied by severe disability, because it does not allow movement of the lower extremities and leads to incontinence of urine and feces. A person without outside help simply cannot exist.
Why can a hernia occur?
The causes of spina bifida are still not fully understood. A variety of factors can influence the fetus during fetal development: chemical, biological, physical. Most scientists agreed that spinal hernia may be caused by a lack of vitamins in the mother’s body, in particular folic acid.
Although spina bifida is a congenital pathology, it is not considered genetic in nature. However, if a child with such an anomaly has already been conceived, then with subsequent pregnancy the risk of its occurrence is great.
To prevent the conception of the next child with a split spine before pregnancy, a woman should undergo preliminary training, using a complex of all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
In an adult, a spinal hernia occurs due to a fall from a height, weight lifting, as a result of a collision or shock.
Types of spinal hernia
Such a pathology is of the following types:
- Hidden, which is characterized by a mild form and a violation of the structure of only one vertebra. Most people with this type of hernia have no symptoms, only in the area of the affected area of the spine there is a slight depression.
- Hernia, in which a serious bone defect occurs. Pathology has an external manifestation, expressed in a hernial protrusion with the spinal cord located in it along with the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid. Most often, the nerve roots and trunks are not damaged and continue to function normally. In more severe cases, an infringement of the spinal cord along with the membranes, trunks and nerve roots can occur in the hernial sac. In this case, the pathology is accompanied by severe impaired motor activity and sensitivity.
Symptoms of pathology in newborns
Congenital spinal hernia is manifested as follows:
- paralysis of the legs;
- violation of intestinal motility;
- loss of sensitivity below the site of hernia formation;
- violation of the functions of the bladder, kidneys and rectum.
Another sign that characterizes spinal hernia in children is the very large size of the skull caused by dropsy of the brain (hydrocephalus), that is, fluid accumulation occurs inside the ventricles of the brain. Contributes to this violation of the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which is caused by cerebrospinal hernia.
Hydrocephalus often leads to seizures, delayed development, epilepsy, neurotic disorders, severe headaches, strabismus, poor eyesight, pupils rolling up, limb weaknesses. With very strong fluid pressure on the brain, death occurs.
Symptoms of the disease in adults
A spinal hernia in an adult is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Numbness of the skin on the foot, thigh or lower leg, a feeling of sagging or tingling.
- Pain during bending.
- The difficulty of controlling the work of the muscles of the foot, thigh, lower leg.
- Severe pain that occurs in the lumbar spine, extending to the legs, stomach, groin area.
- Increased sweating.
How is pathology diagnosed?
Diagnosis of a hernia begins with the collection of a medical history: the age at which weakness occurred in the lower extremities and a thinning of the leg muscles, and also when it became very difficult to move, is determined.
The patient must contact a neurologist who assesses the strength of the motor activity of the lower extremities, checks how much muscle tone in the legs is reduced, and also examines the spinal column to reveal an external hernial protrusion.
Diagnosis of a hernia includes:
- Transillumination, with which the contents of the hernial sac are evaluated.
- Contrast myelography. In this case, it is estimated how badly the spinal cord is damaged by injecting an intravenous contrast agent, which begins to accumulate in the area of the hernia;
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, used in the spinal column to examine the spinal cord in layers. The data obtained allow us to identify the pathological region in the structure of the spinal canals and the place where the hernia and its contents are located.
Surgeon consultation and genetics are also required.
Identification of abnormalities in the fetus during fetal development is carried out as follows:
- using planned ultrasound during pregnancy;
- blood tests for the content of alpha-fetoprotein by a woman during the period of gestation;
- the study of amniotic fluid by piercing the membranes.
The decision on whether to terminate the pregnancy or not is made by a consultation of doctors, based on the severity of the pathology and the desire of the woman herself.
Conservative treatment of vertebral anomaly
Spinal hernia is a very serious ailment, therefore, any alternative methods of treatment, visiting saunas and baths, drinking alcohol tinctures, hot compresses, and also hot baths with medicinal herbs are strictly prohibited. All this can greatly worsen the condition of the patient.
Treatment of spinal hernia is carried out only in a radical way - removal of pathology. A conservative treatment is necessary in order to prevent the progression of the anomaly. To do this, use neurotrophics and nootropics, which normalize the work of nerve tissue. Be sure to take vitamins A, B, C, E, contributing to the improvement of metabolic processes in areas of the spinal cord affected by the disease.
Physiotherapeutic procedures (laser, magnet) are also recommended that help restore motor activity. With the help of physiotherapy exercises in the affected areas, neuromuscular connections are restored. Thanks to dietary nutrition, intestinal function is normalized. Be sure to include in the diet more coarse fiber (cereals, vegetables).
Surgical removal of a spinal hernia
Many patients are afraid of surgery, but in most cases it is this method of treatment that helps to get rid of a hernia until the nerve centers are affected. Surgical intervention is absolutely necessary if unbearable pain occurs, fecal and urine incontinence occurs, a person begins to move with difficulty, and only painkillers save him.
The operation (spinal hernia surgical removal) consists in the reconstruction of a spinal defect, closing the opening of bone tissue. If the hernial sac has non-viable tissue, they are removed, and healthy structures of the spinal cord are placed in the spinal canal. In most cases, the disease is accompanied by hydrocephalus, which after some time contributes to irreversible changes in the brain. To prevent the detrimental effect of strong intracranial pressure, a shunt is formed, which is necessary to drain the cerebrospinal fluid into the thoracic lymphatic duct.
Relapse prevention
Unfortunately, it is highly likely that a spinal hernia will form again, in the same place or in some other place. Therefore, when performing therapeutic exercises, it is necessary to listen to your sensations that arise during the stretching of the spine. In no case should pain intensify during classes, but, on the contrary, decrease.
Newborns and adults select a course of drugs that better nourish the tissue of the spinal cord. Children need to visit a neurologist regularly for a routine examination. If the muscle corset begins to weaken, and incorrect posture occurs, then after a while this can lead to the fact that the load on the spine will not be distributed correctly, provoking the formation of a hernia. Therefore, it is very important to treat treatment with all responsibility and consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Output
A hernia of the spinal cord is a severe malformation of the fetus, often causing permanent disability and the occurrence of complications that are incompatible with life. It is treated only surgically, but even this method does not give any guarantee that the hernia does not form again. Therefore, a woman, before planning a pregnancy, should consult a doctor to conduct all necessary examinations and fulfill the necessary recommendations.