Edited by B. Davies WHO: Researchers at the University of Southern California have conducted some exciting new myelopathy research WHAT: The researchers have developed and validated a screening test for myelopathy WHY: In medicine there are 2 types of tests:…
My name is Dr Teena Fernandez. I am a GP in North Wales currently undertaking research as part of my Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine at Nottingham University. During my studies my husband sustained a cervical spine injury resulting in a 2 level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion and we found little advice or evidence on returning to sport following such surgery. Can you help researchers from the University of Nottingham? Find Out More We did not know if he could go [...]
Cervical spondylosis, more than a pain in the neck? by J.Hamilton For some migraines is just another word for headache, but in medicine it refers to a specific type of headache characterised by severe head pain that can last from 2-72 hours, are a common disorder and can be incapacitating to people who suffer them. Migraines are common, with estimates suggesting up to one billion people are affected worldwide. Various tri [...]
A message from the director Concerns have recently been raised with regards the legitimacy of the Health Surveys hosted by Myelopathy.org and I would like to address these directly. As you are only too aware, Myelopathy is a condition which faces a number of significant challenges including lifelong disability, widespread misunderstanding and under-recognition, and a lack of clear information or support. Myelopathy.org was founded to address these issues and become a ra [...]
FEM (Finite Element Method) analyses the impact of mechanical loads e.g. 'stress'. It was principally used in engineering (for example aerospace), but increasingly also medical research At the moment, we do not have medical investigations which are able to represent accurately the significance of spinal cord injury. For example, you could have two patients with exactly the same MRI changes, one who is without symptoms and th [...]
By Timothy BoergerReviewed by B.DaviesNeck Muscles and CSM– An Update Part 1 of 2 This will be the first of a 2 part mini-series on the properties of muscles in the neck and how they impacts outcomes of surgery. We previously looked at this following an early piece of research from North America. This series will serve as an update on this research. Why was this study conducted?As outlined previously, the amount of fat found within muscles has been linked [...]
By M StewartEditor: B DaviesIt’s a commonly held belief that you can’t grow new brain cells as adult; you’re born with one hundred billion neurons and that’s as many as you’re getting. However, this isn’t quite the case. While new neurons don’t form in most parts of the human central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), there are two special areas where new neurons do indeed arise after birth. These areas are found in specific parts of the brain w [...]
By Timothy BoergerReviewed by B.DaviesReason for the studyThe number of times a paper is cited is a common metric of how meaningful that paper is to the scientific community. Generally, papers that are highly cited have a profound impact on their field. If scientists look at the trends of which papers are most cited, it can give us an idea of what topics within a scientific discipline are experiencing the most interest over time.MethodsThe prominent journals publishing resear [...]
By A.WillisonReviewed by B.DaviesHumans require many different repair and renewal strategies. At the earliest point in life, we need these pathways to grow and develop but in later life, we use these pathways to recover from disease and injury. For this, our bodies activate a unique type of cell known as a stem cell. Stem cells are a special form of cell, as they can make any cell type in the body, and so can provide building blocks for our organs and tissues. Over the past 20 year [...]
By T.BoergerReviewed by. BM DaviesReason for the StudyWalking impairments are a common feature of cervical myelopathy and can lead to falls. In elderly individuals such falls, even if minor, can lead to injuries, such as broken bones. Broken bones (‘fractures’) are more common as we get older, as aging affects bone strength, including conditions such as osteoporosis. Such fractures generally occur in stereotyped locations such as the wrist, shoulder, hip, and low b [...]
