Spinal tumors can also be classified according to whether they are located outside the spinal cord, within its protective covering, or within the spinal cord itself.
There are many people who suffer from persistent back pain, who believe that it may be due to an incorrect sitting position or a calcium deficiency that weakens bones and joints. However, experts believe that they may also be spinal tumors due to the abnormal growth of cells within the spinal column. “Pain radiating down the leg may be due to a bulging disc or a narrowing of the spine resulting in pinching of the spinal nerve,” Dr Arjun Dhawale, consultant and orthopedic spine surgeon at Sir Hospital, told Times Now. HN Reliance Foundation.
According to Dr. Dhawale, these tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign) depending on the tests you should get done as soon as possible when you spot the red flags. “A complete clinical evaluation, as well as relevant investigations such as X-rays, MRIs and other investigations, including laboratory tests and PET CT, may be needed to determine the cause and decide on further medical and surgical treatment,” he added.
Experts believe that spinal tumors can also be classified according to whether they are found outside the spinal cord, within its protective covering, known as intradural-extramedullary, or within the spinal cord itself.
What does spinal cancer pain feel like??
If your spine has cancerous tumors, you may experience back pain due to expansion or weakening of the bone structure and severe compression of the spinal nerve roots. Additional factors, such as spinal instability, may also be involved in spinal tumors causing debilitating and uncomfortable back pain.
When you have constant back pain, caused by a cancerous tumor in the spine, it might look like this:
- It starts gradually and gets worse over time.
- It does not improve with rest and intensifies at night.
- Outbreaks that are quite sharp and cause shock-like pain in the upper or lower back.
Some other signs and symptoms that potentially indicate the source of back pain include:
- muscle weakness
- Numbness
- Tingling sensation
- Sensation of decreased temperature, particularly in the legs.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control.
- sexual dysfunction
- problems walking
According to Dr. Dhawale, more than 97 percent of spinal tumors spread from internal organs.
How can a spinal tumor be diagnosed?
Experts say that it is a complex process to diagnose a spinal tumor that is done through a neurological test to know everything about the movements and senses. If your doctor finds potential signs of a spinal tumor, he or she will use imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis. Some other tests would include:
- blood test
- lumbar punctures
- urine tests
- MRI or magnetic resonance imaging
- magnetic resonance spectroscopy or MRS
- Single-photon emission computed tomography or SPECT
- Angiography
- magnetencephalography
- Tissue biopsies
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