Is a flattened spinal cord serious?

Spinal cord compression can cause cauda equina syndrome, which needs medical attention right away. Call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if you have: Sudden loss of bowel or bladder control. Severe or increasing numbness between your legs, inner thighs, or back of your legs.

Can spinal cord cause death?

People with spinal cord injury are 2 to 5 times more likely to die prematurely than people without SCI. Mortality risk increases with injury level and severity and is strongly influenced by availability of timely, quality medical care.

What is flattening of the spinal cord?

The spinal cord is a group of nerves housed inside the spine that runs almost its entire length. When any portion of the spinal cord becomes compressed or constricted, the resulting symptoms are known as myelopathy.

Can you get paralyzed from cervical myelopathy?

Cervical myelopathy is a serious condition affecting the cervical spine, and if left untreated it can lead to significant and permanent nerve damage including paralysis and death. In most cases, this is an urgent surgical condition. Myelopathy describes any neurologic symptoms related to dysfunction of the spinal cord.

Can a spinal cord injury cause brain damage?

Spinal cord injuries can cause widespread and sustained brain inflammation that leads to progressive loss of nerve cells, with associated cognitive problems and depression, researchers have found for the first time.

What are the top 4 causes of death in spinal cord patients?

1±4 Among the leading causes of death in these studies were pneumonia, septicaemia, heart disease and suicide, although the frequency of each varied considerably in tetraplegia and paraplegia. Another leading cause of death early after injury was pulmonary embolism.

How can cervical myelopathy cause death?

Myelopathy describes any neurologic symptoms related to the spinal cord and is a serious condition. It occurs from spinal stenosis that causes pressure on the spinal cord. If untreated, this can lead to significant and permanent nerve damage including paralysis and death.

What kind of disease flattens the spinal cord?

1 Multi-level disease with degenerated discs seen at all levels. 2 Left paracentral disc protrusion seen at C5-6 which effaces the cord. 3 At C6-7 large disc protrusion is seen that extends into the neural foramina and neural canal the displaces and flattens the cord. 4 normal marrow signal with bones in anatomic alignment. To me this is greek.

Is it possible to have a flattened cord?

“A flattened cord” could be only somewhat concerning or a significant finding that needs to be addressed surgically. This depends upon two things. The central canal space which is the entire space for the cord and your examination findings and symptoms. The cord typically is shaped like a kidney bean when viewed on end.

What are the hidden dangers of spinal stenosis?

Hidden dangers of spinal stenosis. And that’s often just the beginning. As spinal stenosis progresses, it can cause symptoms including difficulty walking, balancing, and using your hands. “In severe cases, you may experience abnormalities with your bowel or bladder function,” said Dr. Valente.

Can a spinal cord disease be called without myelopathy?

Similarly, if the spinal cord is not involved, your diagnosis may say without myelopathy, as in displaced lumbar intervertebral disc without myelopathy. If myelopathy is a complication of another disease, your doctor may refer to it in the terms of this disease.