A spinal abscess is a rare condition that can have life-changing repercussions. An abscess is essentially a build-up of pus caused by your body’s reaction to injured tissues becoming infected. Your immune system sends white blood cells to fill the damaged tissue and fight the infection.
When this occurs in and around the spinal column, the resulting pressure can cause permanent damage to the spinal cord.
If you believe you’ve suffered permanent damage to your spinal cord as a result of a misdiagnosed spinal abscess, you may be able to claim financial compensation.
Symptoms of a spinal cord abscess
The common indications of an abscess might be absent in the early stages of an infection but as the puss builds, symptoms of a spinal abscess can include:
- Sudden onset of pain
- Sharp pain that can radiate to your arms or legs
- Weakness in limbs that progresses rapidly
- Loss of sensation below the area of the abscess
- Paralysis below the area of the abscess
- Loss of control of your bladder and bowels
- Fever
Diagnosis can be difficult given the rarity of spinal abscesses and the similarities of the symptoms to a number of other spinal cord conditions.
Testing for a spinal abscess
Your doctor may have used a number of different diagnostic tests and tools, including blood tests, imaging tests and a lumbar puncture to try and identify the cause of your symptoms.
Tests that may have been carried out include:
- Complete blood count.
- CT scan of the spine.
- MRI of the spine.
- Neurological exam
- Tests of a fluid sample from the abscessed area
Typically, a healthcare provider will give you antibiotics to fight the infection that caused the abscess. A surgeon may need to drain the fluid from the abscess with a needle, to help relieve the pressure.
Sometimes, your surgeon may surgically remove the abscess entirely. You will most likely require surgery to drain or remove the abscess if you have difficulty moving or are unable to move at all, or if you have sensation problems, such as numbness, somewhere in the body.
Medical negligence with spinal cord abscesses
If not diagnosed or treated in time, a spinal abscess can have devastating consequences for an individual. The longer the spinal cord is compressed by the accumulation of puss, the greater the damage is likely to be. This is why fast diagnosis and treatment is essential if any long-term effects such as permanent paralysis are to be avoided.
Talk with our solicitors
At Aspire Law, we are experts in spinal cord injuries and have an extensive medical negligence department that includes people who have dual qualification and are medically trained. Our solicitors represent a number of clients with spinal abscesses and we know how to quantify a claim for such losses if there is one that can be brought.
If you would like to discover more about making a spinal cord injury compensation claim related to spinal abscesses, call us today on 0800 030 20 40 or contact us online and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.