Spinal cord compression can cause pain and range from mild to severe symptoms such as muscle weakness, bladder and bowel control loss, and numbness. Causes include fractures, tumors, and bleeding disorders. Diagnosis is done through MRI and physical exams, and treatment includes surgery, biopsies, and pain relief.
Spinal cord compression can be one of the most painful back injuries. With these injuries, the spinal cord is compressed by blood, bone, pus, tumors, or a herniated disc. A healthy spinal cord is protected by the spine, but some injuries and diseases can place extra pressure on the spinal cord and nerves in the spinal cord, thus causing pain. The pain may only last a few minutes or, in some cases, for days at a time.
Symptoms of spinal cord compression can range from mild to very severe. If symptoms are mild, only a few nerves along the spine are compressed. If so, there may be discomfort in the back area, muscle fatigue and a tingling sensation. Depending on the cause of the compression, your back may be sensitive to touch along your spine. Also, reflexes, such as the urge to use the bathroom, can become exaggerated and cause muscle spasms.
As spinal cord compression increases, symptoms become more severe. Weakness in the back muscles, inability to fully release the bladder, loss of bowel and bladder control, and numbness in the legs or arms are common symptoms in the worst cases. If the nerves in the spinal cord are so compressed that all nerve impulses in the spinal cord are affected, the individual may experience paralysis.
As mentioned earlier, spinal cord compression can be caused by several factors. For example, if the vertebrae are fractured, broken, dislocated, or malformed, the vertebrae can compress the spinal cord and nerves. Sometimes the vertebrae break or fracture due to an injury or accident, but other times they become brittle due to osteoporosis or certain types of cancer.
Ligaments and other connective tissues can cause compression of the spinal cord if a traumatic back injury occurs. Also, blood can pool in and around the spinal cord after an injury, from a defect in the blood vessels, tumors, use of certain blood thinners and medications, or bleeding disorders. In these cases, the blood can form a hematoma that puts excessive pressure on the spinal cord. Additionally, a specific disorder, cauda equina syndrome, can also compress the spinal cord.
In most cases, people experiencing spinal cord compression can be diagnosed and treated to increase their ability to function or reverse the damage. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), doctors can see which section of the spinal cord is being compressed. Also, a physical exam can reveal many details about the damaged section. For example, if there is weakness and numbness in the legs, but not the arms, and if there is loss of bowel and bladder control, the spinal cord may be compressed in the thoracic section.
Once the doctor has found out what is causing the compression and where the compression occurs, surgery can be done to relieve the pressure. Also, if a tumor is found to be the cause of the compression, a biopsy may be done first. In some cases, corticosteroids may be given for pain relief. Also, any blood or pus that has accumulated around the spinal cord will be drained.
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