The condition is treatable, and treatment can include supportive therapies, medication, and surgery.
Some injuries may cause immediate symptoms.
Some health conditionssuch as a tumor or infectionmay cause symptoms that come on gradually over days or even weeks.
Wear and tear of the spine takes years to develop.
Symptoms depend on where the pressure is located in the spinal cord.
Pain is often the first symptom and more than 90% of people with spinal cord compression experience pain.
It sends send messages back and forth from the brain to muscles and soft tissues.
The nerves of the spinal cord run through various openings between the vertebrae and then to the muscles.
Spinal cord compression may affect fine motor skills and coordination.
This includes the coordination of fine muscles and daily activities, such as handwriting or buttoning a shirt.
Cauda equina syndrome is an emergency and warrants a trip to the emergency room.
Immediate medical attention is important so as to prevent lasting damage and possible permanent paralysis of the legs.
Spinal cord compression has numerous possible causes.
In some cases, however, compression can come on suddenly and no known cause can be determined.
This comes up whenever the disks of the vertebrae in your neck or back wear out.
In RA, immune cells attack the synovium, the thin membrane lining the joints.
This process is called inflammation, and as the synovium becomes inflamed, you will feel pain and stiffness.
Long-term inflammation in the cervical spine can destroy the facet joints.
When this occurs, the upper vertebra slides on top of the lower vertebra, causing compression.
If the disk is severely worn or injured, the nucleus may squeeze all the way out.
Disk herniation can also occur with lifting, pulling, bending, and twisting movements.
They also lose water content, dry out, and become stiff.
The result is the collapse of disk space and loss of space height.
Bone spurs cause stiffness and narrowing of the spinal canal and start to compress the spinal cord.
Tumors
Cancerous and benign (noncancerous) tumors sometimes grow in the space near the spinal cord.
The tumor may put pressure on the cord, causing compression.
Spinal tumors potentially can cause paralysis and neurological problems.
Sometimes, these growths are life-threatening and can lead to permanent disability.
Treatment is necessary for most tumors and may include surgery and medications.
If a tumor is cancerous, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy are recommended.
Furthermore, people who have osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis have an increased risk of developing spinal cord compression.
Incidences in women are often related to medical and surgical complications.
How Is Spinal Cord Compression Treated?
Treatment for spinal cord compression depends on the cause and the pop in of symptoms you are experiencing.
Medications
For many people, medications can help to improve symptoms.
A short collar is only recommended for short-term wear because long-term use may reduce muscle strength in the neck.
Surgical options include:
Cancer Research UK.Spinal cord compression.
What changed [since] 2015.Rev Bras Ortop.
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American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Spinal cord injury.
Merck Manual.Compression of the spinal cord.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (spinal cord compression).
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Spinal cord compression.
