Vertebral Column

There are 5 regions of the vertebral columns as below:

• Cervical
• Thoracic
• Lumbar
• Sacral
• Coccygeal

Injuries to the ligament, muscle strains, fractures and dislocations of the bony vertebrae, to a severe spinal cord damage. Depending on the injury, one may experience pain, difficulty walking, or be unable to move your arms or legs (paralysis).

Depending on the severity and intensity, mechanism of fracture it may be serious. Some fractures occur due to weakened bone and can be the result of a lower-impact event, such as a minor fall.

Ankylosing spondylitis or bamboo spine is an inflammatory disease causes vertebrae in the spine to fuse. This fusing makes the spine less flexible and results in a hunched-forward posture. It affects men more often than women and begins in early adulthood. 

The spinal column, also called the backbone, is made up of vertebrae, discs, and the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a channel through which signal are sent and received to the brain and the peripheral nervous system. The spinal cord is surrounded by the vertebral column which travels within the spinal canal, formed from a central hole within each vertebra.

Cervical spondylosis is an age-related wear and tear that affect the spinal discs in the neck. The disks dehydrate and shrink, bony projections along the edges of bones (bone spurs) develop.

Treatment for cervical spondylosis are:

Medications: over-the-counter pain relievers

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Corticosteroids(steroid)
• Muscle relaxants

Physiotherapy- exercises to help stretch and strengthen the muscles in the neck and shoulders. 

The signs and symptoms include: Extreme back pain or pressure in your neck, head or back. Weakness, incoordination or paralysis in any part of your body. Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes.

The symptoms are :

• Sudden onset of back pain
• Standing or walking makes the pain worse
• Lying on one side makes the pain less intense
• Limited spinal mobility
• Height loss
• Deformity and disability

Spinal cord injury(SCI) is the result of a direct trauma to the nerves, or damage to the bones and soft tissues and vessels surrounding the spinal cord. Itresults in a loss of function, involving movement and sensation. 

Spinal cord injuries may result from falls, diseases like polio or spina bifida (a disorder involving incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord, and/or their protective coverings), motor vehicle accidents, fall usually in people aged 65 and above, sports injuries, industrial accidents, shootings, and physical assaults, among other causes. Osteoporosis (weak and brittle bone) and cancer can also result in SCI.

Medical Treatment: immobilization with a brace or corset for up to 12 weeks. Bracing helps to reduce pain and prevent deformity.

Surgical Treatment

Vertebroplasty is a surgical procedure to treat compression fractures. Bone cement is used to fix the fracture vertebra which stabilizes the spine thereby reducing the symptoms.

Kyphoplasty involves supporting the fractured site and fixing it with bone cement.

Stabilization can be achieved by removing broken vertebra and replacing them with a plate, screws, or cage.

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) occurs when the nerve roots of the cauda equina(bundle of spinal nerves) are compressed which disrupt motor and sensory function to the lower extremities and bladder. The causes of cauda equina syndrome may be caused by a herniated disk, tumor, infection, fracture, or narrowing of the spinal canal.

It is best treated with decompression by a lumbar laminectomy that is removal of the lamina to make space for the spinal nerves.

A fractured vertebra may need a minimum of six to eight weeks to heal.

Best spine surgery hospitals in India:

• SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai.
• Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon.
• Columbia Asia, Pune.
• Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon.
• Sahyadri Hospitals, Pune.
• Manipal Hospital, HAL road, Bangalore.
• Fortis Hospital, Kolkata.
• MaxCure Hospitals, Hyderabad

The hospitals are:

• BGS Gleneagles Hospital Bengaluru
• MedantaMedicity Gurgaon
• Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital
• Fortis Hiranandani Hospital
• Fortis Hospital Bengaluru
• Artemis Hospital