Tumors of the spine aren’t always cancerous nor do they always cause symptoms. Usually though, a spinal tumor creates pain at some point. Nerves produce sensations, control muscles, and oversee autonomic responses, so you may experience other symptoms like tingling or numbness, muscle weakness, or other neurologic issues. Symptoms may occur on their own or in combination with other symptoms.
Sanjay Khurana, MD specializes in diagnosing and treating spinal tumors. If you’re experiencing symptoms in your neck or back that don’t improve after a few days, contact Dr. Khurana’s office to schedule an examination. Early detection and treatment is always your best option for a successful outcome.
Spinal tumors can be within the spinal cord itself, called intradural tumors, or in the bones of the spine, called vertebral tumors. While there are many types of tumors that can affect the spine, the chances of your neck or back pain being related to a tumor are minimal. Spinal tumors are rare.
Statistically, spinal tumors are grouped with more common brain tumors, so they account for only a smaller proportion of the 25,000 brain and spine tumors expected in 2022.
Because a tumor can occur anywhere throughout the spine, symptoms can be widely varied, depending on nerve compression or irritation. Usually, spinal tumors grow slowly. Neck or back pain is commonly the first noticeable symptom. You may notice that the pain is spontaneous, with no period of overwork, strain, or injury to explain it. While most back pain eases after a few days, pain from a tumor probably won’t subside and it may gradually get worse.
Most spinal tumors occur in the thoracic spine — in the middle to upper-middle of the back — accounting for about 70% of cases. Pain may feel like a deep ache rather than at or just below the surface. Pain may also radiate to other locations along the nerve affected by the tumor. In this case, you may feel sudden, sharp pain.
Ordinary back pain often eases overnight with rest. Pain connected with spinal tumors may not. It could disturb your sleep at night or symptoms might be stronger in the morning after you wake up.
In additon to various types of pain, you could feel other sensations or effects from a spinal tumor, including:
Symptoms from spinal tumors can have multileveled pain and other sensations occurring in multiple locations, particularly when the tumor becomes larger or more advanced.
Though spinal tumors are rare, they have the potential to be very serious. Make an appointment as soon as you suspect this may not be a typical backache. Contact Dr. Khurana’s offices in Marina Del Rey or Manhattan Beach, California by phone or online to schedule a consultation.
