Causes of Myelopathy
Myelopathy has a number of possible causes, but age is by far the biggest risk factor for developing the condition. The spinal cord and its nerve roots get more compressed as people age due to inflammation, arthritis, bone spurs, and spinal discs putting pressure on it.
Myelopathy can be either acute or chronic. The issue manifests suddenly when it is acute. Trauma to the spine or a spinal cord infection are two potential causes of acute myelopathy.
Chronic myelopathy develops over a long period of time. This can be traced to a number of illnesses, such as the following:
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- a growth on or around the spinal cord
- Segmental stenosis
- a neurological condition, such as Parkinson’s disease [1] or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [2]