brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Compression of the Spinal Cord
Causes of Spinal Cord Compression
The spinal cord may be compressed by the following: If the vertebrae are broken (fractured), are dislocated, or grow abnormally (as occurs in Cervical Spondylosis ), they may compress the spinal cord. Vertebrae that are weakened by cancer or osteoporosis may break after a slight or even no injury. Connective tissue:Connective tissue that lines the spinal canal often enlarges and hardens as people age. This change narrows the spinal canal and compresses the spinal cord. (The spinal canal is the passageway that runs through the center of the spine and contains the spinal cord.) An accumulation of blood (hematoma):Blood may accumulate in or around the spinal cord. The most common cause of a spinal hematoma is an injury, but many other conditions can cause hematomas. They include abnormal connections between blood vessels (arteriovenous malformations), tumors, bleeding disorders, and use of anticoagulants (which interfere with blood clotting) or thrombolytic medications (which break up blood clots). Tumors:Cancer that has spread (metastasized) to the spine or the space around the spinal cord is a common cause of compression. Rarely, a tumor within the spinal cord causes compression. The tumor may be cancerous or not. A pocket of pus (abscess):Pus may accumulate outside the spinal cord or, less commonly, in the spinal cord and may compress it. A Herniated Disk : How quickly compression occurs varies. Compression that develops in minutes or a few hours typically results from An injury (the most common cause), which often results in a fracture or dislocation of a vertebra Hematomas Ruptured disks However, bones weakened gradually (for example, by cancer or osteoporosis) may suddenly fracture, which can suddenly cause or worsen compression (see Compression Fractures of the Spine ). Compression that develops over days to weeks typically results from Metastatic tumors Abscesses At some point, compression by a tumor or abscess starts to block blood flow to the spinal cord. Lack of blood injures the spinal cord and causes it to swell. The swelling blocks blood flow even more, creating a vicious circle of more and more swelling of and injury to the cord. This vicious circle may develop over a few days, hours, or sometimes minutes. It is a major medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Compression may develop gradually, over months to years. Typical causes include Cervical Spondylosis (degeneration of vertebrae and disks in the neck) Some slow-growing tumors 