Usually, the nervous system structures are responsible for the operation of all organ systems. They are divided into two types: central and peripheral. The first type includes spinal and cerebrospinal structures, and the second represents nerves.
The latter type of tissue can be affected by cancer. Among such ailments, spinal neurinoma also occurs.
Disease information
The disease in question is a benign tumor. It is formed in Schwann cell structures.
Neuroma of the spine is considered a neoplasm in the structures of the cell that covers the nerve channels. The tumor most often takes the form of a circle or capsule. More it occurs in the radicular part of the organ of hearing. It can further develop in the front part. Very rarely, this disease affects the jaw and optic nerves.
Nevrina is also called schwannoma. This ailment occurs in about 10% of cases of the total number of intracranial formations.
And spinal neuroma takes one fourth of the total number of tumors in this part of the body. The disease can develop on the sheath of absolutely any nerve.
Types of ailment
Any schwannoma, including spinal neuroma, is a benign formation. It grows in size very slowly. But in practice, there have been cases when the disease has malignant, that is, converted into a malignant tumor.
There are several main types of this disease:
- Schwannoma of the spine. Among formations, this species is considered the most common. Spinal neuroma is a tumor on the spinal roots. Such formations can grow through the intervertebral foramen. This is usually characteristic of neurinoma of the cervical spine. Bone deformations are formed due to the schwannomas. This consequence of the disease can be detected after spondylographic diagnosis.
- Morton's Neurinoma. It is benign and appears on the sole of one of the feet. It usually forms between the 3rd and 4th toes.
- Schwannoma of the brain. A non-cancerous formation grows very slowly. It is separated from other structures by a capsule shell.
- Auditory neuroma. It can be both young and old. Appears in only one ear and grows extremely slowly.
There are also other schwannomas, such as tumors of the optic, trigeminal, peripheral nerve.
Causes of the disease
Because of what this ailment develops, they definitely cannot say to the end. Usually, doctors say that any schwannoma, such as neuroma of the lumbar spine, is formed due to the proliferation of cells under the influence of gene mutations on the 22nd chromosome. The reasons for the latter, unfortunately, are also unknown.
But there are a number of factors that can affect the onset of the disease:
- prolonged exposure to reagents and chemicals;
- strong radiation exposure at a young age on the child;
- hereditary predisposition to the disease;
- the presence of benign tumors elsewhere;
- neurofibromatosis in a patient or in someone from close relatives.
Heredity is considered one of the main causes of the formation of the disease.
Symptoms of spinal neuroma
There are no special signs that distinguish schwannan from other tumors.
With spinal neuroma, the main symptoms are:
- transverse spinal lesions;
- pain syndrome;
- vegetative disorder.
In the case when the front nerves are affected, paresis of muscle tissue and paralysis begin, and in the rear there is a violation of sensitivity, a feeling of goosebumps appears.
At first, the signs of spinal neurinoma appear or disappear, but with the growth of the tumor, the symptoms become permanent and strong. As a rule, pain increases when a person lies.
With neurinoma of the thoracic spine, discomfort is localized between the shoulder blades. With lumbar schwannoma, the pain will be in the limbs and in the lumbar region.
Thus, if these symptoms occur, you should contact your doctor to make the correct diagnosis.
Schwannoma and pregnancy
Usually, the disease is not a contraindication to conception and bearing a child. But there are cases when the tumor begins to grow rapidly in women in position.
Experts advise removal of the neurin of the spine. After the surgery, planning a pregnancy is allowed in a year.
Schwannoma diagnosis
For this, the patient is prescribed procedures such as:
- Magnetic resonance imaging. This examination can visualize neuroma when it is formed at the very beginning.
- X-ray diagnostics. It identifies bone changes that occur due to tumor growth.
- CT scan. This procedure is done using a special contrast agent. It is it that allows you to consider tumors of small sizes.
- Ultrasound diagnostics. It is one of the safe and informative methods. The procedure allows you to visualize soft tissue changes in the tumor area.
- Biopsy study. In this case, a piece of benign education is taken in order to study it histologically.
- Audiometry The procedure is used for neurinoma of the auditory nerve.
- Comprehensive neurological examination. It allows you to detect a violation of the swallowing reflex, diplopia and paresis, sensitive disorders.
Which diagnostic method to choose for the patient is determined by a specialist.
Spinal Neuroma: Treatment
The therapeutic technique is selected based on where the tumor is located.
With neuroma of the spine, surgery is required in the following cases when:
- there is an increase in symptoms or other signs occur;
- education is rapidly increasing;
- the tumor progresses after radiosurgery.
There are a number of contraindications in which this method of treatment cannot be carried out. So, in the presence of cardiovascular diseases, the patient’s serious condition or when the patient is over 65 years old, surgery is not allowed.
The operation involves the removal of schwannomas by means of its excision.
When the tumor is located on the spine, the process of surgical intervention passes without difficulty. These formations have a dense capsule and do not touch the shell of the brain.
In the case when the tumor grows together with nerve fibers, an operation is performed with its partial removal. Because of this, the patient may have a relapse. But such an action prevents complications.
In some cases, treatment occurs using stereotactic surgery. A benign mass is irradiated here, but the surrounding healthy tissue is not damaged. This treatment method has the least amount of side effects. But sometimes relapse is observed.
The consequences of surgery
The danger of surgery when removing the tumor is the possibility of nerve damage. If nevertheless this happens, then sensitivity and motor functions are violated.
With auditory nerve neuroma, there is a chance of hearing loss. This is not due to surgery, but against the background of the pressure of the formation on the surrounding structures.
Also one of the common complications of the operation is a violation of the muscles, which is responsible for movement.
Treatment with folk remedies
The use of such methods helps to reduce some signs of the disease. But it should be remembered that with the help of folk remedies, it is impossible to cure a tumor or remove it in any way.
Neurinoma itself cannot resolve itself only due to the use of decoctions. Therefore, you should not postpone the visit to the doctor, because in this way you will only aggravate the situation. Severe consequences are also possible. Therefore, when the first symptoms appear, go immediately to a specialist. It is he who will help to prescribe treatment faster and get rid of this ailment.