What is Myelopathy?

Myelopathy is a spine disorder from extreme compression of the spine, usually caused by age-related degenerative changes, disc herniation, traumatic injury, spinal infection, or other conditions. Compression of the spine may damage the spinal cord or the nerves that run from your brain to your body and make it incapable of functioning properly. Myelopathy involves many different symptoms: pain, weakness, numbness, inability to coordinate your activities in your hands, for example, dropping things, loss of balance, and inability to move appropriately. Myelopathy most commonly develops in the middle portion of the spine and its appendages - either your back, neck, arms, hands or legs.

What are the types of myelopathy?

There are three different types of myelopathy. Each kind is called by a different part of the spinal cord in which the nerves were injured. There are the following three kinds of myelopathy:

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: Cervical myelopathy is compression in the cervical spine or neck.
Thoracic myelopathy: This type of myelopathy that occurs in the middlemost section of the spine is known as thoracic myelopathy. The thoracic spine refers to the mid and upper part of the back.
Lumbar myelopathy: The lower back region of the vertebral column is the lumbar spine. A condition characterized by myelopathy suffered in this area is known as lumbar myelopathy.

What are the symptoms of myelopathy?

The compression of the spinal cord affects many of the nerves that control your body's movements and functions. Different parts of the spinal cord control different functions, and the symptoms of myelopathy vary depending on which part is affected.

Examples of symptoms include:

Pain in the neck or back.
The arms, hands, legs, or feet may experience tingling, numbness or weakness.
Difficulty coordinating simple motions, such as buttoning a shirt or gripping small objects.
Imbalance or coordination issues.
Reverse of reflexes in your limbs.
Inability to control the bladder or bowel.

What causes myelopathy?

Anything that compresses the spinal cord causes myelopathy. Acute myelopathy manifests as a result of any sudden injury or infection. Generally, myelopathy occurs gradually due to chronic wear and tear or degenerative spinal conditions.

Myelopathy usually arises from spondylosis, a condition that causes progressive deterioration of the spine. Spondylosis is a degenerative wear-and-tear disease. Physicians and patients alike use this broad term to refer to arthritis of the spine that occurs from degeneration.

How do doctors diagnose myelopathy?

Myelopathy symptoms are typically not unique to myelopathy. They are usually mistaken for other diseases.

In order to make a confirmed diagnosis of myelopathy, your doctor will perform a full examination and will likely order further investigations. These may include:

Imaging tests, such as spine X-ray,
MRI
CT scan

Myelogram is a radiographic method that uses contrast with X many films or scans to examine CT with soft tissue imaging between the bones of the spinal column.

How is myelopathy treated or managed?

Treatment for myelopathy depends on its cause. If myelopathy is caused by an infection or tumor, your doctor will treat the infection or tumor first.

Nonsurgical treatment can relieve symptoms in many cases. However, if the spinal cord is compressed, most patients require surgical relief of pressure.

Nonsurgical care: If your symptoms are not severe or you are waiting for surgery, your provider might recommend nonsurgical care. Nonsurgical care can relieve pain and other symptoms. Treatment may include bracing, physical therapy, or corticosteroids.
Surgery: Surgeons sometimes relieve spinal cord pressure with decompression surgery, where a doctor removes a herniated disk, cyst, bone spur, or tumor impinging on the spinal cord. A type of decompression surgery is a laminectomy. To perform this surgery, the surgeon removes small bones called lamina from your spine. Taking out these bones opens up the area surrounding the spinal cord.

How can I avoid having Myelopathy?

You cannot prevent all cases of myelopathy. Some myelopathy is due to natural wear and tear resulting from aging.

However, you can take steps to strengthen and care for your back, which can prevent some causes of myelopathy. Good back care can minimize the risk or impact of some back injuries. Good back care includes:

Lift heavy objects safely: Bend at the knees, tighten the abdominal muscles and use the strength of the legs to help in lifting. If you cannot safely lift something on your own, then find someone to help.
Maintain a healthy weight: Extra weight puts more pressure on the spine.
Quit smoking: Smokers usually experience faster breakdowns of spinal disks.
Strengthen your core muscles in your back and abdomen. Examples include crunches, planks or pilates.

What is the prognosis (outlook) for people with myelopathy?

If left untreated, myelopathy can worsen over time. Spinal compression can permanently damage the nerves controlling basic body movements and functions. You cannot reverse nerve damage, so seek care immediately when you begin to feel symptoms.

If diagnosed early, treatment can help alleviate symptoms and even rehabilitate some of the functions that are lost due to damage within the spinal cord.

When should I call the doctor?

You need to inform your doctor about any of the following:

An altered way of walking or frequent trips and falls;
Appearing more or different pain in the neck or spine than what was normal.
Numbness and paresthesia or weakness in the hands, fingers, feet or toes.

Why Tender Palm Super Speciality Hospital for Myelopathy Treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Hospital has a highly experienced team of spine surgeons and diagnosticians who implement the latest international standard infection control measures. The spine surgery team has decades of experience in treating Myelopathy in Lucknow India.