What’s Brown-Sequard Syndrome?

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Brown-Sequard syndrome is a relatively rare type of partial paralysis also sometimes referred to as Brown-Sequard hemiplegia or Brown-Sequard palsy. This condition is characterized by paralysis on one side of the body and loss of feeling on the other side of the body, which is usually caused by some sort of damage to the spinal cord. Brown-Sequard syndrome is named after its describer who first wrote about this condition in 1850.

Many times, when the spinal cord is damaged, any part of the body below the level of the injury is paralysed. In the case of Brown-Sequard syndrome, only half of the body usually becomes paralyzed and the other half goes numb or loses the ability to feel certain sensations such as pain or temperature. This is usually due to a spinal cord injury that causes damage but does not completely sever the cord.

There are a few things that can cause Brown-Sequard syndrome. Trauma to the spinal cord, especially puncture or gunshot wounds, can cause this condition, as can a spinal cord tumor. A blocked blood vessel and certain diseases, including multiple sclerosis and meningitis, can also cause Brown-Sequard syndrome.

Weakness or complete paralysis below and on the same side as the spinal cord injury site is one of the primary symptoms of Brown-Sequard syndrome. An individual with this condition will also typically have partial or complete loss of sensation on the opposite side. For example, if the spinal cord is damaged by a puncture wound on the left side, with Brown-Sequard syndrome there will often be paralysis on the left side of the body and loss of sensation on the right side of the body.

Diagnosing the cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome is usually done with an MRI or magnetic resonance image. Determining the cause of this syndrome is the first step in treating it. Treatment options usually vary depending on the nature and severity of the cause, but in some cases, early administration of high-dose steroids will show some success. Treating the underlying trauma or medical condition, however, is generally the only way to rid a patient of their symptoms. For example, a spinal cord tumor is usually removed to treat Brown-Sequard syndrome, but this is also a risky procedure. Many times, the treatments work, but this condition can lead to complete paralysis.

Charles Edouard Brown-Sequard was born in Mauritius to an American father and a French mother. He has done extensive research and studies of the spinal cord in the United States, Great Britain and France. Although he was considered a rather eccentric scientist, he was also considered quite brilliant. Brown-Sequard first noticed this condition when observing farmers cutting sugar cane crops.

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