Spinal cord compression history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2]
Overview
Back pain is the most common presenting symptom in almost all acute cases of spinal cord compression. Symptoms of spinal cord compression depends upon the anatomic level involved. All cases of spinal cord compression presents with sensory, motor and autonomic dysfunction. Sensory symptoms include altered sensation below a certain level (e.g., pin, touch, vibration, temperature). Motor symptoms include hemiplegia or hemiparesis (sparing the face), paraplegia or paraparesis, tetraplegia or tetraparesis. Autonomic symptoms include constipation, urinary retention, dizziness (due to hypotension), cold, shivering, and drowsiness (due to hypothermia), erectile dysfunction, abdominal pain and distension (due to ileus), syncope (due to bradycardia).[1][2][3]
History
The significant information that needs to focus on the history of the patient includes
- History of cancer
- History of IV drug abuse
- Menopause
Common Symptoms
- Back pain is the most common presenting symptom in almost all acute cases of spinal cord compression.[1][2][3]
- All cases of spinal cord compression presents with sensory, motor and autonomic dysfunction.
- Sensory symptoms include altered sensation below a certain level (e.g., pin, touch, vibration, temperature).
- Motor symptoms include hemiplegia or hemiparesis (sparing the face), paraplegia or paraparesis, tetraplegia or tetraparesis.
- Autonomic symptoms include constipation, urinary retention, dizziness (due to hypotension), cold, shivering, and drowsiness (due to hypothermia), erectile dysfunction, abdominal pain and distension (due to ileus), syncope (due to bradycardia).
- The following table describes the most common symptoms of spinal cord compression depending upon the anatomic level involved
| Type of spinal
involvement |
Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Cervical | Headache
Loss of sensation over the upper extremities Motor weakness of neck, shoulder, and arm |
| Thoracic | Pain in the chest and/or back
Loss of sensation below the level of the compression Paralysis of respiratory muscles |
| Lumbosacral | Low back pain that may radiate down the legs
Weakness in the legs and feet Loss of sensation in the legs and feet Bladder and bowel problems Sexual dysfunction Foot drop Decreased or absent reflexes in the legs |
Syndromes Associated with Spinal cord compression
Lesions may develop gradually or acutely and be complete or incomplete. Incomplete lesions often present as distinct syndromes as follows:
| Sensory dysfunction | Motor dysfunction | Sphincter dysfunction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central cord syndrome | Sensory loss is very rare | Upper extremity weakness
distal muscles are involved more than proximal |
|
| Brown-Séquard syndrome | Ipsilateral position and vibration sense loss
Contralateral pain and temperature sensation loss |
Motor loss ipsilateral to cord lesion | |
| Anterior cord syndrome | Loss of pin and touch sensation
Vibration, position sense preserved |
Motor loss or weakness below the level of compression | |
| Transverse cord syndrome | Loss of sensation below level of compression | Loss of voluntary motor function below the level of compression | Sphincter control lost |
| Conus medullaris syndrome | Saddle anesthesia
Sensory loss may range from patchy to complete transverse pattern |
Weakness may be of upper motor neuron type | Sphincter control impaired |
| Cauda equina syndrome |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cole JS, Patchell RA (2008). "Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression". Lancet Neurol. 7 (5): 459–66. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70089-9. PMID 18420159.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Flanagan EP, Pittock SJ (2017). "Diagnosis and management of spinal cord emergencies". Handb Clin Neurol. 140: 319–335. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-63600-3.00017-9. PMID 28187806.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ropper, Alexander E.; Longo, Dan L.; Ropper, Allan H. (2017). "Acute Spinal Cord Compression". New England Journal of Medicine. 376 (14): 1358–1369. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1516539. ISSN 0028-4793.