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Once the spinal injury has occurred, one of two things may happen. Firstly, hemorrhaging within the spinal cord may cause compression, which damages the spinal cord even further. Another consequence of myelomalacia is improper circulation of blood to the area damaged, resulting in further damage to the spinal cord. [citation needed]
Spinal column injury is trauma that causes fracture of the bone or instability of the ligaments in the spine; this can coexist with or cause injury to the spinal cord, but each injury can occur without the other. [23] Abnormalities might show up on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but the term was coined before MRI was in common use. [24]
Some do not develop symptoms until a few days after the injury. [3] Causes may include motor vehicle collisions, falls, sports injuries, and non accidental trauma. [3] [2] A number of underlying mechanisms are proposed including spinal cord contusion, injury to the blood supply to the spinal cord, and excessive stretching of the cord. [3]
Primary spinal tumors begin in either the spinal cord or spinal column, whereas secondary spinal tumors begin elsewhere and spread to the spinal region. [25] Symptoms for spinal tumors may vary due to factors such as the type of tumor, the region of the spine, and the health of the patient.
Tethered spinal cord can be caused by various conditions but the main cause is when tissue attachments limit the movement of the spinal cord in the spinal column which causes abnormal stretching of the cord. The tethered spinal cord syndrome is correlated with having the causes: [10] Spina bifida. Occulta; Mylomeningocele; Meningocele
In extreme cases, this can cause spinal cord function inferior to the missing vertebral arches to cease. [12] This cessation of spinal cord function can result in paralysis of lower extremities. Documented cases of paralysis of the anal sphincter in newborns have been observed when spina bifida has gone untreated. [11]
Diagnosis of a back injury begins with a physical examination and thorough medical history by health-care personnel. [8] [14] Some injuries, such as sprains and strains or herniated discs, can be diagnosed in this manner. To confirm these diagnoses, or to rule out other injuries or pathology, imaging of the injured region can be ordered.
This is the most common cause of syringomyelia, where the anatomic abnormality, which may be due to a small posterior fossa, causes the lower part of the cerebellum to protrude from its normal location in the back of the head into the cervical or neck portion of the spinal canal. A syrinx may then develop in the cervical region of the spinal cord.