Transverse Myelitis
Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment, of the spinal cord. The term myelitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord; transverse simply describes the position of the inflammation, that is, across the width of the spinal cord.
Symptoms of transverse myelitis include a loss of spinal cord function over several hours to several weeks. What usually begins as a sudden onset of lower back pain, muscle weakness, or abnormal sensations in the toes and feet can rapidly progress to more severe symptoms, including paralysis, urinary retention, and loss of bowel control.
four classic features of transverse myelitis emerge:
weakness of the legs and arms
pain, The pain may be localized in the lower back or may consist of sharp, shooting sensations that radiate down the legs or arms or around the torso.
sensory alteration
bowel and bladder dysfunction.
Transverse myelitis may be either acute (developing over hours to several days) or subacute (usually developing over 1 to 4 weeks). (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/transversemyelitis/detail_transversemyelitis.htm)
