Spinal Cord Compression

7th January, 2021 • 2 min read

Spinal cord compression happens when too much pressure is put on the spinal cord – the column of nerve tissue that runs down the middle of your spine. This pressure may be caused by certain injuries or conditions that cause bone, a tumour, a ruptured vertebral disc, or a collection of pus (abscess) or blood (haematoma) to press on the cord.

Reviewed by
Dr Ann Nainan
In this article

What are the symptoms of spinal cord compression?

Spinal cord compression can happen suddenly or gradually. When it happens suddenly, it can cause symptoms that appear within minutes, hours, days or weeks. When it happens gradually, its symptoms may get worse over months or years.

The symptoms of spinal cord compression can vary depending on how much of the cord is affected. They include:

  • back or neck pain
  • muscle weakness
  • tingling, numbness and other changes in sensation in parts of your body
  • difficulty controlling when you pee or poo
  • not being able to pee at all or empty your bladder fully when you pee
  • difficulty having or keeping an erection

Spinal cord compression is an emergency condition that needs immediate medical attention. Go to the emergency department or call an ambulance if you think you have it.

How is spinal cord compression treated?

You’ll usually need imaging scans, such as an

MRI
or
CT scan
, to diagnose spinal cord compression.

The treatment you’ll need will typically depend on the cause of the compression and may include:

  • surgery
  • steroids given through a vein
  • a procedure to drain abscesses or collections of blood (haematoma)
  • radiotherapy - for tumours
Did you find this useful?

Article information

Published on:
10 February 2021
Last reviewed:
07 January 2021
Next review:
07 January 2024
Medical reviewer:
Dr Ann Nainan
Author:
Dr Lauretta Ihonor

We include references at the end of every article, so you know where we get our facts. We only ever take evidence from medically-recognised sources, approved by the UK National Health Service's The Information Standard, or certified by Health On the Net (HON). When we talk about popular health trends or claims, we'll always tell you if there's very little or no evidence to back them up. Our medical team also checks our sources, making sure they're appropriate and that we've interpreted the science correctly.

Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.