![]() Ask your health care provider if he or she recommends any supplements for you and always discuss any alternative treatments or medicines you’d like to try. The nutritional supplements glucosamine and chondroitin have been recommended as nutritional supplements for people with osteoarthritis, but recent studies have been disappointing. Simple home remedies like an ice bag, heating pad, massage, or a long hot shower can help reduce pain. Keep your back as healthy as possible by maintaining a healthy weight, practicing good body mechanics, and getting regular exercise. The best way to manage spinal cord compression is to learn as much as you can about your condition, work closely with your healthcare providers and caregivers, and take an active role in your treatment. ![]() The back may also be stabilized by fusing some of the vertebrae together. Other procedures may be done to relieve pressure on the spine or repair fractured vertebrae. Surgical treatments include removing bone spurs and widening the space between vertebrae. Braces to support your back or a cervical collar may also be helpful. You may learn how to do activities more safely. Physical therapy may include exercises to strengthen your back, abdominal, and leg muscles. Medicines may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that relieve pain and swelling, and steroid injections that reduce swelling. Except in cases of emergency, such as cauda equina syndrome or a broken back, surgery is usually the last resort. Treatment depends on the cause and your symptoms and may involve medication, physical therapy, injections, and surgery. The medical team involved in treating your spinal cord compression may include arthritis specialists, bone surgeons, nerve specialists, and physical therapists. These may include a bone scan, myelogram (a special X-ray or CT scan taken after injecting dye into the spinal column), and electromyography, or EMG, an electrical test of muscle activity. A CT or MRI scan will give a more detailed look at the spinal cord and the structures surrounding it. X-rays may also show an abnormal alignment of your spine. These may show bone growths called spurs that push against spinal nerves. Tests that help with your diagnosis may include: During the exam, he or she will look for signs of a spinal compression, such as loss of sensation, weakness, and abnormal reflexes. To diagnose spinal cord compression, your healthcare provider will ask you questions about your symptoms and do a complete physical exam. How is spinal cord compression diagnosed? Severe pain and weakness that spreads into one or both legs, making it hard to walk or get out of a chair Severe or increasing numbness between the legs, inner thighs, and back of the legs If you have any of these symptoms, you need to get medical attention right away, typically in the emergency room: Pressure on nerves in the lumbar region (lower back) can also cause more serious symptoms known as cauda equina syndrome. "Foot drop," weakness in a foot that causes a limp Numbness, cramping, or weakness in the arms, hands, or legs Pain and stiffness in the neck, back, or lower backīurning pain that spreads to the arms, buttocks, or down into the legs (sciatica) Wear and tear of the spine may take years to cause symptoms. Tumors or infections may cause symptoms that develop over days or weeks. Symptoms of spinal cord compression can develop quickly or slowly, depending on the cause. What are the symptoms of spinal cord compression? Other conditions that may cause spinal cord compression can develop more quickly, even very suddenly, and can occur at any age:
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