Spinal Paralysis

Spinal paralysis is weakness or loss of movement in the legs, or in both the arms and legs, caused by damage or pressure on the spinal cord or the nerves within the spine. It may appear suddenly after an injury, or develop slowly over weeks or months when a disc, bone, tumour or infection compresses the cord. Early diagnosis and timely treatment improve the chances of recovery.

Symptoms

• Weakness, heaviness or stiffness in the legs, or in the arms and legs
• Unsteady walking, frequent falls or difficulty climbing stairs
• Clumsy hands, with difficulty writing, buttoning clothes or holding objects
• Numbness or loss of sensation below a certain level of the body
• Problems with bladder and bowel control, such as urgency, leakage or inability to pass urine
• Muscle stiffness and spasms in the limbs
• Complete loss of movement and sensation after a severe injury

Causes

• Spinal injury from falls from a height, road accidents or diving into shallow water
• Cervical myelopathy, where age-related narrowing in the neck slowly squeezes the cord
• A large disc prolapse pressing on the cord or nerves
• Spinal tuberculosis or other infections, including pus collections (abscess)
• Tumours of the spinal cord or spine, including cancer that has spread from elsewhere
• Bleeding around the cord or loss of its blood supply
• Inflammation of the spinal cord and certain nerve diseases, which are treated with medicines

Diagnosis

An urgent neurological examination identifies the level of the spine involved and how severe the weakness is. MRI of the spine is the key test, showing the cord, discs, nerves and any compression. A CT scan gives detail of fractures and bone, and X-rays check alignment. Blood tests help detect infection or inflammation. When there is no compression, further tests such as a spinal fluid examination and a neurologist's opinion may be needed.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause, and in many cases time is important. When the cord or nerves are being compressed, surgery to relieve the pressure (decompression) is often needed, sometimes urgently. If the spine is unstable, it is fixed with screws and rods at the same operation. An operating microscope allows careful removal of disc, bone or tumour close to the delicate spinal cord. Infections such as tuberculosis need a full course of medicines, and inflammatory conditions are treated medically.

Rehabilitation is an essential part of recovery. It includes physiotherapy, help with walking and daily activities, bladder care, regular turning in bed to prevent pressure sores, good nutrition and training for family members. The degree of recovery varies and depends on how severe the damage is and how long the pressure has been present.

When to Seek Urgent Care

Go to the nearest emergency immediately in any of these situations:

• Sudden weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
• Difficulty walking that is getting worse over hours or days
• Loss of bladder or bowel control, or inability to pass urine
• Back pain with fever and new weakness
• Weakness, numbness or tingling after a neck or back injury. Do not move the person's neck or back; keep them still and call an ambulance (108 or 112)

If you or a family member has new or increasing weakness, please seek early evaluation with Dr. Prashant Sharma at Keshav Super Speciality Hospital, Meerut.

Related Conditions

• Spine Tumour
• Spine Fracture
• Spinal Tuberculosis (Pott's Spine)
• Sciatica
• All Spinal Treatment ›