Spinal disorders are conditions that cause damage and deterioration to the spinal cord.
These conditions may include: Tumors, Spinal stenosis, Herniated discs, Abscess, Hematoma, Vertebral fractures, Degenerative disc disease.
The spinal cord is a tubelike structure that consists of a bundle of nerves that extends from the base of the brain and down the back. The spinal cord carries messages from the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal cord is located within the vertebrae (the backbone). The spinal cord is divided into four areas, any of which can be affected by spinal cord disorders.
These areas include:
Cervical (neck)
Lumbar (lower back region)
Thoracic (upper back region)
Sacral (pelvis)
Spinal nerves connect to specific areas of the body through spaces in the vertebrae. Spinal nerves have two nerve roots:
Motor Root: Carries signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to stimulate movement.
Sensory Root: Carries sensory information that relays sensations such as touch, pain, and temperature from the body to the spinal cord.
The sensory roots relay messages to different areas of the skin’s surface, called dermatomes. The loss of sensation in any particular dermatome can indicate a spinal cord disorder and allows doctors to locate the specific area where the spinal cord may be damaged.
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Disorder:
Weakness or paralysis of limbs
Loss of sensation
Changes in reflexes
Loss of urinary or bowel control
Uncontrolled muscle spasms
Back pain
Spinal cord disorders can originate from either outside or inside the spinal cord. Damage from the outside of the cord is caused by compression of the spinal cord or injury. The spinal cord may be compressed due to a bone fracture, spinal degeneration, or abnormalities, such as a hematoma, tumor or herniated disk.
Damage from inside the spinal cord can be caused by a number of disorders, such as:
Fluid-filled cavities
Blockage of blood supply
Vitamin deficiency
Autoimmune diseases
Multiple sclerosis
Syphilis
A herniated disk refers to a problem with one of the rubbery cushions (disks) that sit between the bones (vertebrae) that stack to make your spine.
A spinal disk has a soft, jellylike center (nucleus) encased in a tougher, rubbery exterior (annulus). Sometimes called a slipped disk or a ruptured disk, a herniated disk occurs when some of the nucleus pushes out through a tear in the annulus.
A herniated disk, which can occur in any part of the spine, most often occurs in the lower back. Depending on where the herniated disk is, it can result in pain, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg.
Many people have no symptoms from a herniated disk. For people who do have symptoms, the symptoms tend to improve over time. Surgery is usually not necessary to relieve the problem.
Many panchakarma treatments like kizhi have helped people relieve their pain.