The spine is a structure composed of bone and cartilage that protects the spinal cord, a set of nerves that connect the brain to the rest of the body. Thanks to the spine, people are able to walk and maintain balance; Disorders in this part of the body cause motor and other signs.
In this article we will briefly describe the main characteristics of 11 of the main diseases of the spine such as spina bifida, scoliosis, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Alterations of the spinal column can be due to very different causes, from failures in intrauterine development to viral or bacterial infections.
However, since we are referring to the same region of the nervous system, many of the disorders we will describe cause similar symptoms, such as muscle paralysis and stiffness.
1. Scoliosis
Scoliosis is one of the most common spinal diseases, especially in women. It is characterized by the curvature of the spine, which can get worse over the years; In milder cases this alteration does not cause major complications, but if the degree of deviation is high it can interfere with breathing.
2. Lumbar spinal stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis consists of narrowing of the spinal canal, which in turn causes compression of the spinal cord and lumbar nerves, causing pain. It’s about a degenerative disorder generally associated with aging although it can also appear as a consequence of alterations such as achondroplasia or dwarfism.
Sometimes the spinal column does not close completely during intrauterine development; when this happens part of the spinal cord is partially exposed The most common thing is that the alteration occurs in the lower back. Although severe cases are associated with multiple problems, 10-20% of people are born with some degree of spina bifida.
4. Cauda equina syndrome
The horse’s tail (“cauda equina”) is a set of spinal nerves that are located in the lower back. Damage in this region causes signs such as muscle weakness, paralysis, gait disturbances and sciatic pain due to the appearance of dysfunctions in the lower motor neurons of this part of the spinal cord.
5. Chiari malformation
Chiari malformations are structural defects of the cerebellum, a region of the brain that plays a key role in motor coordination. Sometimes During pregnancy, part of the cerebellar nervous tissue slides through the foramen magnum, hole that connects the base of the skull with the vertebral column. Symptoms vary depending on severity.
6. Transverse myelitis
Transverse myelitis is defined as inflammation of the spinal cord. This disorder involves motor symptoms and signs such as muscle weakness and paralysis, as well as sensory deficits (for example, the appearance of pain sensations in the absence of stimulation). It is mainly associated with infections, tumors, vascular alterations and multiple sclerosis.
7. Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disorder in adults. It is a disease related to progressive degeneration of myelin sheaths that cover the axons of many neurons, allowing the efficient transmission of nerve impulses. This causes muscular, sensory and psychological symptoms that worsen over time.
This disease consists of the destruction of neurons involved in voluntary muscular motor skills. The main symptoms and signs are stiffness, atrophy and other muscle alterations, which lead to increasing difficulties swallowing food and liquids, to speak and even to breathe; This last problem usually causes death.
9. Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a subtype of arthritis that is characterized by inflammation of the joints between bones of the spine, generally in the region where it joins the pelvis. It is believed to be due to disorders related to the immune system and pathological inflammation of fabrics. Back stiffness and pain progressively increase.
10. Spondylosis (degenerative disc disease)
Spondylosis consists of gradual degeneration of intervertebral discs and cartilage that protects the junction points between vertebrae. It is common in elderly people since normal aging involves this process to a greater or lesser degree. Sometimes it affects the spinal cord and nerves, progressively compressing them.
11. Hyperkyphosis
“Kyphosis” is a term used to refer to the normal curvature of the spine when it is directed from the inside to the outside of the body. If the curvature is equal to or greater than 45 degrees the spine loses the ability to move inward (lordosis), causing postural alterations, pain and occasionally deformations and respiratory problems.
