In this article, we will discuss the Symptoms of Spinal Cord Compression. So, let’s get started.
Symptoms
The onset of symptoms of spinal cord compression are usually slow evolving over days and weeks but can be acute as a result of trauma or metastases, especially if there is associated arterial occlusion (ischemic myelopathy). Following are the symptoms of spinal cord compression:
Pain: It may be localized over the spine or may be in the form of radicular pain that increases with sneezing, coughing, bending, and straining.
Sensory: Paraesthesias, numbness or cold extremities especially the lower limbs, which spreads proximally symmetrically or asymmetrically towards the site of compression. Over days and week, a sharply demarked spinal cord level of sensory loss indicate myelopathic nature of the lesion.
Motor: Weakness, heaviness or stiffness of the limbs commonly of the legs in paraplegia and all four limbs in quadriplegia
Sphincters: Urgency or hesitancy of micturition leading to acute retention of urine in severe compression.