Transverse myelitis

Transverse myelitis is a rare neurological condition. It's caused by inflammation (swelling) of the spinal cord. The swelling damages the nerves and can leave permanent scars or lesions.

The scars or lesions interrupt the communication between the nerves in the spinal cord and the rest of the body.

'Transverse' refers to the swelling being across the width of the spinal cord. It's also sometimes used to describe swelling that only affects part of the width of the spinal cord.

Symptoms of transverse myelitis

The symptoms of transverse myelitis can include:

muscle weakness in the legs, and sometimes the arms
mobility problems
unusual sensations and numbness
bladder problems
bowel problems
sexual problems
pain

Transverse myelitis can happen to anyone at any time in their life. In most cases there might only be one episode of symptoms, but sometimes it can happen repeatedly. Transverse myelitis can be the first sign of MS or another condition.

Causes of transverse myelitis

There are several different causes of transverse myelitis. Sometimes a cause isn't found, and this is called idiopathic transverse myelitis.

Diagnosing transverse myelitis

If your GP thinks you could have transverse myelitis, you should see a neurologist (a specialist in conditions of the nervous system) for a specialist assessment.

Some of the tests you may need to confirm transverse myelitis are:

neurological examination
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
lumbar puncture
blood test s

Sometimes your neurologist will do other tests to look for conditions that cause transverse myelitis. This might include CT scans.

Treating transverse myelitis

Sometimes transverse myelitis requires no treatment as it will improve on its own. Sometimes patients may require treatment for their symptoms, the swelling, or the underlying cause.