Myelopathy: Types, Causes and Symptoms

Myelopathy: Types, Causes and Symptoms

Myelopathy refers to any neurological deficit pertaining to the spinal cord.

The three most common types of myelopathy are Cervical myelopathy, Lumbar myelopathy and Thoracic myelopathy. 

Here are the causes and symptoms of myelopathy.

Causes:

1. Injury: This is a very common cause of myelopathy. Any type of accident or even a traumatic event can cause myelopathy and perhaps even paralysis.
2. Spinal stenosis: This is a condition in which the spinal cord narrows and is one of the leading causes of myelopathy.
3. Degenerative disc disorders: As you get older, disc disorders are more likely to occur, as well as other conditions which affect the spinal column, such as osteoporosis, etc. 
4. Tumor: It is a little known fact that tumors very often do cause myelopathy. 
5. Multiple sclerosis: There are many other diseases, which may cause myelopathy and multiple sclerosis is one of them.

Symptoms: 
There are many indications that you are suffering from myelopathy and should consult a medical expert. Here are some of them:

1. Change in coordination: It refers to the state, wherein, all of a sudden you may find it harder to move certain limbs the way you want to. Sometimes, it may affect your whole body as well. 
2. Sudden muscle weakness: It is highly likely, that if you have myelopathy then you will experience sudden weakness in your muscles. 
3. Decreased hand-eye coordination: This is perhaps the biggest indicator of myelopathy since hand-eye coordination is directly linked to your spinal cord and brain and if they are not functioning properly then hand-eye coordination will be affected.

These are just some of the symptoms of myelopathy, however, the doctor cannot diagnose myelopathy until he conduct certain tests. These tests include MRI scans and other tests as well as a regular physical check-up along with a check of your medical history.