Is Spinal Stenosis the same as Spinal Cord Compression?
The spinal cord is a long, fragile tube-like structure that starts from the end of the brain stem and continues down to the bottom of the spine. The spinal cord contains bundles of nerve axons that form pathways for carrying incoming and outgoing messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Within itself, the spinal cord contains nerve cell circuits that control coordinated movements like walking, urinating, running swimming; etc.
Like our brain, the spinal cord is also covered with 3 layers of tissue, meninges. The spinal canal contains the spinal cord and meninges, it runs through the center of the spine. For adults, the spinal cord is composed of 33 individual backbones, vertebrae. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord and are separated by discs made of cartilage. This cartilage acts as cushions, reduces the force and pressure generated on the spine. The vertebrae and discs of cartilage extend the length of the spine and together form the vertebral column. Any problem related to spinal cord or nerve injury is best looked after by well-experienced neurologists or stroke doctors. Stroke neurology is also a line of neurology that assesses the neurological symptoms with more intricacy and detail.
For moving further in our subject, we first understood a brief about the spinal cord. Let’s understand more about spinal stenosis and spinal cord compression.
What is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis causes narrowing of bony canals through which the spinal cord and nerves pass. The ligaments and joints get enlarged and thicken by arthritis, it restricts space for nerves to move freely. It further causes pinching of nerves and pitched nerves causing pain, cramping, numbness, and weakness in your back, arms, legs, and neck. As a treatment, medication and physical therapies are administered, and if required surgery is done in some serious cases.
Below are few pointers on spinal stenosis to understand it in more detail:
· It is a degenerative condition that happens gradually over time.
· It causes narrowing of the nerve root and spinal canals.
· It makes the facet joints enlarged.
· It becomes causes behind thicken and stiffens ligaments.
· It also causes an overgrowth of bone and bone spurs.
What are the key symptoms of Spinal Stenosis?
Symptoms occur over a period of time and may cause a sudden onset of pain. One may feel a full dull or severe pain in any area where the spinal canal would have narrowed. The pain may be most felt during certain activities like walking.
· Symptoms for lumbar stenosis
It may cause pain or numbness that radiates down to the thighs and sometimes into calves called sciatica. It also causes neurogenic claudication pain and weakness in the legs. It typically occurs at walking and goes away when sitting or at rest. Over time the symptoms do increase, reducing one’s physical endurance. Pain while walking can be reduced by leaning over a supporting object like a walker or shopping cart.
· Symptoms of cervical stenosis
Cervical stenosis may cause pain, tingling, or numbness which radiates from the neck and goes to down the shoulders and into the arms and hands. Any pressure on the spinal cord, because it runs through the cervical spine, may cause weakness and spasticity in the arms and legs and is called Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy. Spasticity refers to one losing control over its muscles and having difficulty in walking, placing its feet, or dropping objects. One may have trouble with balance and coordination like shuffling or tripping while walking.
All about Spinal Cord Compression
Spinal cord compression is caused by any condition which causes pressure on the spinal cord. Our spinal cord is a bundle of nerves and axons. It is protected by three layers of tissue called meninges. The spinal cord starts from the end of the brain stem and goes down to the bottom of the spine. As it goes down till back it is further protected by a stack of backbones called vertebrates. The nerves of the spinal cord run through the vertebrate and out to your muscles. The spinal cord holds our body upright.
Spinal cord compression may occur anywhere from the neck to the lower back. Symptoms may include numbness, weakness, and pain. Depending on the compression, symptoms may occur gradually or suddenly. It may require manageable or emergency medical care, basis the cause and intensity of compression.
Causes of Spinal Cord Compression
The most common cause of spinal cord compression is the usual wear & tear of the spine, known as osteoarthritis. People getting spinal cord compression through this are usually above 50.
Given below conditions, which causes spinal cord compression, may develop more quickly, even very suddenly, and can occur at any age:
· Injury to the spine
· Abnormal spine alignment (scoliosis)
· Spinal tumor
· Infection
· Certain bone diseases
· Rheumatoid arthritis
· Infection
As we have seen above, both spinal stenosis and spinal compression are different. Both of them have different causes and slightly varying symptoms. But, both require absolute attention as soon as symptoms occur. It can get difficult in both cases if the symptoms are not treated timely. Visit your nearby neurologist for an appropriate and effective diagnosis at the right time. Because treatment in early-stage can help patients manage their symptoms better.
