Myelopathy

Myelopathy is a neurological term used to describe all kinds of spinal cord lesions. Myelopathy is usually a chronic disease.

The causes of lesion may be different, but all myelopathies have a similar clinical picture and symptoms regardless of ethiology.

Classification of myelopathy

Depending on the cause of spinal cord damage, myelopathy is divided into the following main types:

• Vertebrogenic (spondylogenic), associated with various spine disorders;
• Ischemic (dyscirculatory), developing against a background of the chronic cerebrospinal circulation disorder;
• Post-traumatic, caused both by direct the spinal cord trauma (concussion, hurt), and the compression hematoma influence, ectopic vertebrae or their parts as the result of fracture;
• Carcinomatous, which is an manifestation of paraneoplastic CNS involvement in leukaemia, lymphoid tumour, lymphomatoid granulomatosis, lung cancer and other oncological conditions;
• Infectious, occurring in HIV, neurosyphilis, Lyme disease, enteroviral infection in children;
• Poisonous, based on the toxic effects on the central nervous system;
• Radiation induced, originating after beam-therapy;
• Metabolic;

Symptoms of myelopathy

Clinically, myelopathy can appear with of the motion disorders, any types of sensitive disorders and pelvic organs dysfunction.

Symptoms of the disease depend on the level of the spinal cord lesion.

The most common case is myelopathy, which occurs at the cervical spine level (cervical myelopathy), less common are thoracic and lumbar spine myelopathies.

Cervical myelopathy is characterized by a variety of disorders – pain in the shoulders, arms or neck area, arms and legs numbness, dizziness, neck flexion problem, muscle weakness. It is the neurologist with many years’ experience who is able to set the correct diagnosis and conduct a differential diagnostics.

At the beginning of the disease a person is bothered by aching pain within a certain spine area, and further – by certain neurological symptoms (motion and sensitivity disorders).

All types of myelopathy are characterized by the following general symptoms:

• Muscle strength decrease (paresis) or its complete absence (palsy) in the limbs (arms or legs) that are located below the lesion;
• Impaired sensitivity below the lesion. They appear either in the form of sensory deprivation or sensitization;
• Pelvic organs disorders (intestinal tract and urinary bladder);
• Muscles spasticity, uncontrolled extremities spasms (mostly – legs). The major cause is usually a central nervous system signalling dysfunction.

For a timely and correct diagnosis, an examination by a neurologist who has mastered the metameric treatment method and who can correctly set the diagnosis and determine the further treatment and rehabilitation plan, is extremely important.

The specialists of the “Bersenev’s Medical Centre” have an extensive experience working with spinal cord diseases and doing their best for neuroregeneration. In patients who have undergone a full course of treatment and recovery in our clinic, there is a positive trend, although the prognosis largely depends on the etiology of myelopathy (on its underlying cause) and on the degree of damage to the spinal cord tissue. But thanks to the metameric technologies, it is possible to stop the development of this pathology, to restore the lost functions and to achieve sustainable remission.

Patients who underwent a full course of treatment and recovery in our clinic have a positive dynamics, although the prognosis depends largely on the myelopathy aetiology (from its main cause) and on the spinal cord tissue damage degree. But thanks to metameric treatment method, it is possible to stop the development of this pathology, to restore the lost functions and to achieve a stable remission.

To make an appointment for a consultation or a treatment session, please, call (044) 272-11-82 (children’s department) or (044) 238-22-31 (call centre). The booking is carried out by previous appointment.

Do not delay your appointment with the doctor – the sooner the myelopathy treatment begins, the better the prognosis is!