Myelitis is a condition that affects the white matter and the grey matter of the spinal cord. As the result, the normal transmission of the nerve impulses between the spinal cord and other parts of the body becomes disrupted. The symptom of this condition is based on the cause and the location of the problem. Some of the causes of myelitis include bacterial infection such as mycobacterium tuberculosis, viral infection such as poliovirus, autoimmune conditions and fungal infections. There are several different forms of myelitis such as meningococcal myelitis (lesions in the protective membrane around the spinal cord and the brain), post-vaccinal myelitis, transverse myelitis, leukomyelitis and poliomyelitis.
Poliomyelitis
This is an infectious viral disease that commonly affects young children under the age of 5 years. This virus can invade the nervous system causing total paralysis within hours. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person contact or by the faecal-oral route or by consuming the contaminated water or food. The initial symptoms of polio include fever, headache, a stiffness of the neck, pain in the limbs and fatigue. Death can occur in some cases when the breathing muscles become affected. There is no cure for polio which can only be prevented with vaccination. The treatment is based on the management of the symptoms while the infection runs its course. The treatment can include medications for urinary tract infections, moist heat to reduce muscle pain and physical therapy or the use of braces or orthopedic surgery to help recover the function of the affected muscles.
Transverse myelitis
This is caused by the inflammation on both sides of one level of the spinal cord. The inflammation can cause damage or destroy the myelin which is the substance that covers the nerve cell fibers. As the result, the communication between the nerves in the spinal cord and the rest of the body becomes affected. The segment of the spinal cord involved determines the part of the body that becomes affected. This condition can be acute developing over few hours to several days or subacute meaning it develops over 1 to 4 weeks. The initial symptoms include the localized lower back pain, abnormal sensation of the legs such as burning or tingling, sensory loss and partial paralysis of the legs. Additional symptoms can include muscle spasms, fever, headache, loss of appetite and feeling unwell. Based on the location of the spinal segment involved, affected individuals can also experience respiratory problems. Bladder or bowel problems can occur which increases the frequency of urination or bowel movements, incontinence and constipation. There is no effective cure for the condition and the treatment is based on reducing the spinal cord inflammation and with the management of the symptoms. When the affected individuals can recover the limb control, physical therapy can help with the muscle strength and with a range of motion.
References
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs114/en/
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001402.htm