Syringomyelia - a chronic disease characterized by the presence of longitudinal cavities in the spinal cord. Most such changes are found in the lower cervical and verhnegrudnom departments. Often there is the spread of the pathological process in the medulla oblongata, rarely available, and a higher localization of the changes - in the lower regions of the brain.
Struck by the Department of the spinal cord extended, in some cases even expansion of the spinal cord leads to partial destruction of the bones of the spine. Inside the cavity is cerebrospinal fluid composition similar to normal. The disease can be congenital or acquired (due to spinal cord injury, his tubercular lesion or as a complication of spinal anesthesia). Congenital form of the disease is often run in families and affects mostly males aged 25-40 years.
Clinical manifestations of syringomyelia. The disease onset is usually gradual. Sometimes the first manifestation of symptoms provokes coughing, sneezing, exercise. Among the most early manifestation include weight loss, weakness of the small muscles of the hands and loss of feeling in it. Further violation of the sensitivity of spreads to other parts of the body. First of all there is loss of pain and temperature sensitivity, such patients may be a way to inflict a deep cuts and burns, time does not otdernuv hand or not aloof from the fire source. At the beginning of such trauma patients are ignored, as the domestic and mundane, but the pathological feature of leather becomes evident with the progression of the disease. Frequent atypical forms of loss of sensitivity of the skin - in the form of a "strip", "spots", the "collar" on the face, neck and abdomen. In this case, the lack of skin sensitivity interspersed with normal areas. Another common symptom is spontaneous pain, which may be burning, sharp or shooting. One-sided pain in the face or arm may even be the first manifestations of the disease, after which the violation must have sensitivity.
With the progression of the disease appear motor impairment - fatigue and reduce the amount of muscle. Reduced muscle tone and weakness occur in the hands and then spread throughout the hand. In the future, says weight loss muscles of the forearm, shoulder, chest. Along with movement disorders, there is a disorder of excessive sweating - a decrease or absence of perspiration. However, the possible increase in abnormal sweating, which occurs spontaneously or reflexively when consuming hot or spicy foods. There is a change in the structure of joints and bones - they atrophy and calcium loss - due to which the bones become fragile and prone to fractures and cracks. In this case, damage to bones and joints are often painless.
Treatment of syringomyelia is to protect the unaffected areas of skin, and early treatment of accidental cuts and burns. With a long and persistent pain analgesics administered in combination with antidepressants or neuroleptics. In some cases, surgical treatment of spinal cord - abnormal drainage of the cavities, dissection of fibrous strands, compressing the brain. Surgery may help to eliminate pain, gradual recovery of the lost sensitivity, but full recovery is rare.
