Spinal Cord Disorders Overview
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Questions and Answers

What is a potential consequence of spinal cord disorders if left untreated?

  • Complete recovery of spinal cord function
  • Permanent severe problems, such as paralysis (correct)
  • Temporary numbness in the limbs
  • Improved bladder and bowel control

    • What is a common symptom of spinal cord disorders?

  • Increased blood pressure
  • Abnormal or lost sensation (correct)
  • Strong muscle tone
  • Enhanced bladder and bowel control

    • What is used to diagnose spinal cord disorders?

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (correct)
  • Electroencephalogram (EEG)
  • Ultrasound
  • X-ray imaging

    • What is a possible cause of spinal cord compression?

    <p>A fractured bone or a tumor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a spinal cord disorder caused by an infection?

    <p>Acute transverse myelitis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential treatment for spinal cord disorders?

    <p>Rehabilitation to recover as much function as possible</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a type of spinal cord disorder that occurs inside the spinal cord?

    <p>Fluid-filled cavities (syrinxes)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential cause of spinal cord damage?

    <p>Radiation therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common cause of Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>A severe ruptured disk herniation in the lumbar area</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the bundle of nerves affected in Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Cauda equina</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the urgent investigation required to confirm the cause of Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>MRI</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the time frame for performing surgical decompression in Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Within 48 hours</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic symptom of Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Saddle-like parethesias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is more likely to be affected by Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Adults</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the possible outcome of delayed treatment in Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Lasting damage leading to incontinence and possibly permanent paralysis of the legs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the location of the cauda equina in the spine?

    <p>Lumbosacral spine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the traumatic causes of Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Car crash</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a motor symptom of Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Weakness of the muscles of the lower legs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for numbness or 'pins-and-needles' sensations in the groin and inner thighs?

    <p>Saddle anaesthesia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following autonomic symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome affects bladder innervation?

    <p>Sphincteric dysfunction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for a birth defect that can cause Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Arteriovenous malformation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following sensory symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome affects the lower back?

    <p>Severe low back pain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for trouble eliminating urine or waste in Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Retention</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a late symptom of Cauda Equina Syndrome?

    <p>Sphincteric dysfunction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is neurogenic bladder?

    <p>A condition in which the nervous system affects the bladder and urination</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of acute neurogenic bladder?

    <p>Retention of urine with overflow</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of sensory atonic bladder?

    <p>Absence of sense of fullness of bladder, overflow retention of urine with huge size of bladder</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of autonomic or autonomous bladder?

    <p>Incomplete, irregular and involuntary evacuation of the bladder</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is transverse myelitis?

    <p>An inflammation of both sides of one section of the spinal cord</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common symptom of transverse myelitis?

    <p>Pain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of transverse myelitis in terms of the affected area of the spinal cord?

    <p>It usually affects both sides of the body below the affected area of the spinal cord</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of the progression of transverse myelitis?

    <p>It usually develops over a few hours to a few days</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What sensations do some people with transverse myelitis report?

    <p>Numbness, tingling, and burning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common symptom of transverse myelitis in the legs?

    <p>Heaviness and stumbling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What bowel problem may occur in people with transverse myelitis?

    <p>Constipation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible cause of transverse myelitis?

    <p>Viral infections</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which condition can cause inflammation and myelin loss around the spinal cord and the nerve in the eye?

    <p>Neuromyelitis Optica (Devic's disease)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible complication of transverse myelitis?

    <p>Total paralysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of transverse myelitis as a sign of multiple sclerosis?

    <p>Symptoms on only one side of the body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the exact reason for transverse myelitis?

    <p>Unknown or varied</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Overview of Spinal Cord Disorders

    • Spinal cord disorders can cause permanent severe problems, such as paralysis or impaired bladder and bowel control (urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence).
    • Quick evaluation and treatment can help avoid or minimize these problems.
    • Causes of spinal cord disorders include injuries, infections, a blocked blood supply, and compression by a fractured bone or a tumor.
    • Symptoms of spinal cord disorders include weak or paralyzed muscles, abnormal or lost sensation, and difficulty controlling bladder and bowel function.
    • Diagnosis is based on symptoms and results of a physical examination and imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
    • Treatment involves correcting the underlying condition causing the disorder, and often requires rehabilitation to recover as much function as possible.

    Causes of Spinal Cord Disorders

    • Outside the spinal cord:
      • Injuries
      • Compression of the spinal cord (e.g., by bone, blood, tumor, or disk)
      • Blockage of the blood supply
    • Inside the spinal cord:
      • Fluid-filled cavities (syrinxes)
      • Blockage of the blood supply
      • Inflammation (e.g., acute transverse myelitis)
      • Tumors, abscesses, bleeding (hemorrhage)
      • Vitamin B12 deficiency, copper deficiency
      • Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), COVID-19, multiple sclerosis, or syphilis
      • Radiation therapy

    Cauda Equina Syndrome

    • Caused by severe compression of the nerve roots in the lumbar spine, often due to an acute lumbar disc herniation.
    • Symptoms include:
      • Low back pain
      • Pain radiating down the leg
      • Numbness around the anus
      • Loss of bowel or bladder control
      • Saddle-like paresthesias (abnormal sensations)
    • Diagnosis is made clinically, with urgent MRI to confirm the cause.
    • Treatment involves prompt surgical decompression, ideally within 24 hours, or absolutely within 48 hours.

    Symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome

    • Motor:
      • Muscle weakness or paralysis in one or both legs
      • Weakness of the muscles of the lower legs (often paraplegia)
      • Achilles (ankle) reflex absent on both sides
      • Absent superficial reflexes
      • Gait disturbance
    • Sensory:
      • Severe low back pain
      • Pain, numbness, or weakness in one or both legs
      • Later hypoesthesia or anaesthesia in affected dermatome
      • Loss or altered sensations in the legs, buttocks, inner thighs, backs of legs, or feet
      • Saddle anaesthesia (numbness or "pins-and-needles" sensations)
    • Autonomic:
      • Sphincteric dysfunction
      • Sensory atonic bladder or motor atonic bladder
      • Vasomotor and trophic changes
      • Recent problem with bladder or bowel function (retention or incontinence)
      • Sexual dysfunction

    Neurogenic Bladder

    • A condition in which problems with the nervous system affect the bladder and urination
    • Types:
      • A.UMNL (Upper Motor Neuron Lesion):
        • Acute: retention of urine with overflow
        • Gradual: partial lesion causing precipitancy of micturition or complete lesion causing automatic bladder
      • B.LMNL (Lower Motor Neuron Lesion):
        • Sensory atonic bladder: absence of sense of fullness of bladder, overflow retention of urine
        • Motor atonic bladder: preservation of sense of fullness of bladder, retention of urine with moderate size of bladder, inability to evacuate bladder voluntarily
        • Autonomic or autonomous bladder: incomplete, irregular, and involuntary evacuation of the bladder

    Transverse Myelitis

    • Definition: An inflammation of both sides of one section of the spinal cord, often damaging the insulating material covering nerve cell fibers (myelin)
    • Signs and symptoms:
      • Pain, often beginning suddenly in the lower back, with sharp pain shooting down to the legs or arms
      • Abnormal sensations, such as numbness, tingling, coldness, or burning
      • Weakness in arms or legs, sometimes with severe weakness or total paralysis
      • Bladder and bowel problems, such as urinary incontinence, difficulty urinating, and constipation
    • Causes:
      • Viral and other infections, including herpes viruses, which can infect the spinal cord directly
      • Multiple sclerosis
      • Neuromyelitis Optica (Devic's disease)
      • Rarely, parasites or bacteria, such as Lyme disease, can cause a painful inflammation of nerve roots of the spinal cord

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    Description

    This quiz covers the causes and effects of spinal cord disorders, including potential permanent problems and the importance of quick evaluation and treatment.

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