Spinal cord compression occurs when there is pressure on the spinal cord, anywhere from the neck (cervical spine) to the lower back (lumbar spine). Degenerative changes with aging, hernia, injury or trauma, infection, cancer, abnormal bone growth, hematomas (blood) compress the spinal cord and the nerves within. The patient can experience symptoms such as numbness in the limbs, pain in the neck or back, loss of sensation in the feet, or faulty hand-coordination.
For example in the case of Cauda Equina Syndrome, the nerve roots in the tail bone are severely compressed. The pain is felt at the lower back with a reduced sensation in the buttocks, genitalia, bladder, and the rectum (Saddle anesthesia, loss of sensation in the area that would touch a saddle). If untreated, the person may experience reduced sensation, reflexes, bladder and bowel control, and sexual response. People with CES require immediate medical and surgical attention (spinal decompression) to avoid further loss of sensation and function.