Definition
The term " myelopathy " is used to refer generically to all the diseases that can affect the spinal cord or hematopoietic bone marrow.
Spinal diseases can derive from neoplastic processes, compressions, infections (meningitis), vascular problems (haemorrhage or ischemia due to spraying defects), vitamin B12 deficiency and degenerative pathologies (multiple sclerosis).
Myelopathies can be distinguished in:
- Acute forms (eg epidural hematoma, myelitis, hematomyelia, neoplastic compression and spinal cord infarction);
- Chronic forms (eg primary lateral sclerosis, spondylitic myelopathy, dorsal tabe and syringomyelia).
As far as myelopoietic tissue is concerned, myelopathies refer to an impaired haematopoietic activity of bone marrow (eg agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, etc.).
Most common symptoms and signs *
- Alve alterations
- Muscular atrophy and paralysis
- dizziness
- Erectile dysfunction
- Bladder dysfunction
- Neck pain
- Foot pain
- Hand and wrist pain
- Arm pain
- Back pain
- Articolar pains
- Muscle pains
- Muscular collation
- Tingling in the hands
- Tingling in the legs
- Sore legs
- Fecal incontinence
- Hypoaesthesia
- weakness
- Backache
- Headache
- Paraplegia
- Paresthesia
- Loss of coordination of movements
- Joint stiffness
- Stiffness in the muscles of the back and neck
- Urinary retention
- Sciatica
- Lhermitte sign
- Muscle spasms
- Fatigue with spasms (spasmophilia)
- Constipation
Further indications
The symptomatic picture varies according to the triggering cause, but pain is a common manifestation of all forms of myelopathy. The location of this sensation is closely connected to the site of the pathological process: when the sciatic nerve roots are damaged, for example, pain spreads from the back to the leg up to the foot.
Myelopathies can cause difficulty in walking, muscle weakness in the lower limbs and reduction in strength in the upper limbs. In addition, sphincter disorders such as urinary retention and constipation can occur. Myelopathies can also be associated with paresthesia and altered sensitivity (hypoesthesia).
Generally, a myelopathy is diagnosed on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) and blood chemistry tests (blood tests). The imaging techniques allow, in particular, to highlight any areas of bone marrow suffering and are useful to identify the presence of a compression.
To treat myelopathy it is necessary to intervene on the causal pathology: in some cases, a pharmacological therapy is sufficient, other times it is necessary to intervene surgically.
