Spinal Cord Abscess Quiz
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Have a fever
Weak
Tingling
I have back pain
Low back pain
My body is hot
Have numbness
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What is Spinal Cord Abscess?
A buildup of pus around the spinal cord can compress nerves and cause symptoms. This sometimes occurs when bacteria from nearby wounds invade, or when bacteria multiply in distant areas and travel through the bloodstream to the spinal cord's surface.
Typical Symptoms of Spinal Cord Abscess
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of your body
- Fever
- Kidney failure on dialysis
- Numbness or tingling
- Back pain or discomfort
- Lower back pain
- Weakness in your arms or legs
- History of cancer
Diagnostic Questions for Spinal Cord Abscess
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have weakness or paralysis on one side of your body?
- Do you have a fever?
- Are you currently on dialysis?
- Have you been experiencing any numbness or tingling?
- Are you experiencing any back pain or discomfort?
Treatment of Spinal Cord Abscess
Strong antibiotics are typically needed to treat the infection after a biopsy is obtained to identify the organism. A procedure or surgery may be necessary to relieve the compressed area and drain pus from the abscess (collection).
Reviewed By:
Ziev Moses, MD (Neurosurgery)
Dr. Moses is a board-certified neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Recurrent fevers
- Numbness
- Periodic fever (>100.4°F / 38°C)
- Lower part of the back has pain
- Fever then no fever then fever again
- Hand tingling
- Remittent fever of 102.2°F / 39°C
- Extremely high fever of 106.7°F / 41.5°C or higher
- Pain in the upper back
- Off balance
- Fever of 100.4°F / 38°C or more for weeks
- Stomach was uncomfortable, then had a fever
- Pain in the spine
- The left half of the body is numb
- Stomachache and diarrhea before a fever
See full list
Symptoms Related to Spinal Cord Abscess
Diseases Related to Spinal Cord Abscess
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Akimoto T, Hirose S, Mizoguchi T, Yokota Y, Hara M, Ishihara M, Morita A, Nakajima H. Ruptured long intramedullary spinal cord abscess successfully treated with antibiotic treatment. J Clin Neurosci. 2020 Dec;82(Pt B):249-251. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2020.10.054. Epub 2020 Nov 24. PMID: 33246901.
https://www.jocn-journal.com/article/S0967-5868(20)31613-1/fulltextIwasaki M, Yano S, Aoyama T, Hida K, Iwasaki Y. Acute onset intramedullary spinal cord abscess with spinal artery occlusion: a case report and review. Eur Spine J. 2011 Jul;20 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S294-301. doi: 10.1007/s00586-011-1703-z. Epub 2011 Feb 10. PMID: 21308472; PMCID: PMC3111523.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-011-1703-z