What is Syringomyelia?

What is Syringomyelia?

• Syringomyelia: Spinal cord cysts.
• Syringomyelia: Longitudinal cavities in the spinal cord, most often in the cervical region, which may extend for multiple spinal levels. The cavities are lined by dense, gliogenous tissue and may be associated with SPINAL CORD NEOPLASMS; spinal cord traumatic injuries; and vascular malformations. Syringomyelia is marked clinically by pain and PARESTHESIA, muscular atrophy of the hands, and analgesia with thermoanesthesia of the hands and arms, but with the tactile sense preserved (sensory dissociation). Lower extremity spasticity and incontinence may also develop. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1269)
  Source - Diseases Database

Syringomyelia is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Syringomyelia, or a subtype of Syringomyelia, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Syringomyelia as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Syringomyelia: Introduction

Types of Syringomyelia:

Broader types of Syringomyelia:

• Spinal Cord Disorders
• Spinal cord conditions
• Back conditions
• Nervous system conditions
• Congenital conditions - physical defects
• Congenital conditions
• more types...»

Who gets Syringomyelia?

Patient Profile for Syringomyelia: Usually 25-40

How serious is Syringomyelia?

Prognosis of Syringomyelia: Good. Usually good response to early treatment such as surgery. Advanced cases may leave permanent spinal injury.
Complications of Syringomyelia: see complications of Syringomyelia
Prognosis of Syringomyelia: Symptoms usually begin between the ages of 25 and 40 and may worsen with straining or any activity that causes cerebrospinal fluid pressure to fluctuate. Some patients, however, may have long periods of stability. Surgery results in stabilization or modest improvement in symptoms for most patients. Delay in treatment may result in irreversible spinal cord injury. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Syringomyelia Information Page: NINDS)

What causes Syringomyelia?

Causes of Syringomyelia: see causes of Syringomyelia

What are the symptoms of Syringomyelia?

Symptoms of Syringomyelia: see symptoms of Syringomyelia

Complications of Syringomyelia: see complications of Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Syringomyelia.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Syringomyelia.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Syringomyelia: Neurologist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Syringomyelia.
Treatments for Syringomyelia: see treatments for Syringomyelia
Research for Syringomyelia: see research for Syringomyelia

Organs Affected by Syringomyelia:

Organs and body systems related to Syringomyelia include:

• Spinal cord

Name and Aliases of Syringomyelia

Main name of condition: Syringomyelia

Hydromyelia, Hydrorachis, Hydrorhachis, Morvan disease, Myelosyringosis, Spinal cord syrinx, Syringohydromyelia Source - Diseases Database

Syringomyelia: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Syringomyelia:

• Myelopathy
• Hydromyelia
• Syringohydromelia
• Scoliosis
• Spina bifida
• Spinal arachnoiditis
• Chiari malformation

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