Myelopathy

• Myelopathy:

  • injury to spinal cord - resulting symptoms are called myelopathy
  • Can occur at any point in the spinal cord but cervical is most common
  • Lumbar is less common as the spinal cord ends around L1/2 - more likely to get a lumbar radiculopathy
• Causes:

  • Spinal stenosis e.g. spondylosis, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, spondylolisthesis, disc herniation
  • RA - cervical vertebrae damage or atlantoaxial subluxation
  • Compression from malignancy, cysts, hematomas
  • Trauma
  • Infection - bacterial meningitis (meninges swell), abscess
  • Radiation therapy
  • Neurological disorders e.g. MS
• Symptoms (depends on site):

  • pain e.g. neck and arms
  • Tingling, numbness and weakness
  • UMN signs - hyperreflexia, increased tone (usually initially flaccid paralysis)
  • Gait disturbance
  • Bladder and bowel dysfunction (late sign)