Myelitis : Overview, causes, types, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

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Myelitis
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Myelitis

• Myelitis may be a painful and complicated
  disease, but in can be treated. And from
  diagnosis of the disease to treatment motivation
  and will power would be the main strength for a
  patient. Overview of myelitisMyelitis involves
  the infection or the inflammation of the white
  matter or gray matter of the spinal cord which is
  a part of the central nervous system that acts as
  a bridge between the brain and the rest of the
  body.
• During an inflammatory response in the spinal
  cord, the myelin and axon may get damage which
  can cause symptoms such as paralysis and sensory
  loss.
• Myelitis can be divided into certain types
  depended on the area of the cause of
  inflammation.
• Myelitis mainly occurs in narrow region that can
  go and spread to other broad regions.

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Symptoms of myelitis

• The symptoms of early myelitis can be-
• Pain in your lower back
• Weakness or paralysis in your legs or arms
• Sensitivity to touch to the point where slight
  fingertip pressure causes pain
• Numbness or a pins-and-needles feeling in your
  toes, feet, or legs
• Problems controlling your bladder or bowels
• Muscle spasms
• Fever
• Loss of appetite

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Symptoms of myelitis
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• With the coming of symptoms the symptoms can go
  worse within some hours. But in most case, the
  symptoms hit peaks in 10 days.
• Myelitis is most common in younger people within
  the age of 10 to 19 and from 30 to 39 are at
  higher risk. Like multiple sclerosis, myelitis is
  common in women than men.

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Types of myelitis

• Poliomyelitis-Disease caused by infection in gray
  matter which shows symptoms of muscle paralysis
  and weakness.
• Transverse myelitis-It occurs when both side of
  one section of the spinal cord gets damaged. Many
  times the covering of the nerve cells, the myelin
  gets damaged.
• Meningococcal Myelitis (or meningomyelitis)
  lesions occurring in the region of meninges and
  the spinal cord
• Though there are three types of myelitis the most
  common myelitis is the transverse myelitis an
  doctors, and people often refer to any
  inflammatory attack in spinal cord as transverse
  myelitis.

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Causes of myelitis

• The exact reason of myelitis is not known. But
  there are certain conditions which can cause
  inflammation. They are-
• Virus or other infection-Recent infection
  in respiratory tract or gastrointestinal
  tract can cause myelitis. Mostly myelitis occurs
  after infection is over.
• Viruses that can infect the spinal cord directly
  are herpes viruses, including the one that causes
  shingles and chickenpox (zoster), enteroviruses,
  and West Nile virus.
• Other viruses may trigger an autoimmune reaction
  without directly infecting the spinal cord.
• Parasites may infect the spinal cord in a rare
  condition, and some bacteria such as that of Lyme
  disease can cause a painful inflammation in the
  nerve roots of the spinal cord.
• Multiple sclerosis-It is a disease when the
  body's immune system affects the spinal cord
  cells. Transverse myelitis can be the first sign
  of multiple sclerosis.

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Causes of myelitis
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• Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's disease) -It is a
  condition that causes inflammation and myelin
  loss around the spinal cord and the nerve in the
  eye.
• Transverse myelitis can be associated with
  neuromyelitis optica,which can affect both side
  of the body and can lead to eye problems even
  temporary vision loss.
• However people may not have any symptoms of
  Neuromyelitis optica, only can show symptoms of
  Myelitis.
• Autoimmune disease-It can cause myelitis in some
  people.As, antibody affection the spinal cord can
  sometime lead to transverse myelitis.
• Vaccinations -using vaccines for infectious
  diseases including hepatitis B,
  measles-mumps-rubella and diphtheria-tetanus
  vaccines have occasionally been associated as a
  possible trigger.

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Treatments of Myelitis

• Intravenous steroids Steroids are given to
  reduce inflammation in the spinal column.
• Plasma exchange therapy Patient snot responding
  to steroids may be given therapy of plasma
  exchange.Here the plasma in bone marrow is
  replaced with another fluid.
• Antiviral medication. Patients having myelitis
  from viral infection can be treated with
  medicines against virus.
• Therapy against complications
• Pain medication. Chronic pain is a common
  complication of transverse myelitis. Medications
  that may lessen muscle pain include common pain
  relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol,
  others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and
  naproxen sodium (Aleve.)
• Nerve pain may be treated with antidepressant
  drugs, such as sertraline (Zoloft), and
  anticonvulsant drugs, such as gabapentin
  (Neurontin, Gralise) or pregabalin (Lyrica).

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Treatments of Myelitis
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• People who have been diagnosed with antibody
  against neuromyelitis optica should undergo
  medications for that such as corticosteroids
  and/or immunosuppressant, to reduce their chances
  of more transverse myelitis attacks or developing
  optic neuritis.
• Psychotherapy-To deal with anxiety, derpression
  and long term complications which may affect the
  patient's emotions.

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Diagnosis of myelitis

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -It uses a
  magnetic field and radio waves to create 3-D
  images of soft tissues. An MRI can show
  inflammation of the spinal cord, and other
  potential causes of the symptoms, including
  abnormalities affecting the spinal cord or blood
  vessels.
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) -In this technique a
  needle is used to draw small amount of
  cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the protective fluid
  surrounding the spinal cord and brain. People
  with transverse myelitis, show abnormally high
  level of white blood cells in CSF or immune
  system proteins that indicate inflammation.
• Blood tests-Antibody blood tests can be done
  which checks for antibodies associated with
  neuromyelitis optica.

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Complications of myelitis

• People with transverse myelitis can experience
  complications for further long periods which are
• Pain, one of the most common long-term
  complications of the disorder.
• Stiffness, tightness or painful spasms in the
  muscles (muscle spasticity). This is most common
  in the hips and legs.
• Partial or total paralysis of your arms, legs or
  both. This may persist after the first symptoms.
• Sexual dysfunction, it can be common complication
  for both men and women.
• Depression or anxiety, which is common in those
  with long-term complications .It is because of
  the significant changes in lifestyle, the stress
  of chronic pain or disability and the impact of
  sexual dysfunction, Overview Diagnosis

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