What are Transverse Myelitis, Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis and Neuromyelitis Optica?
Idiopathic Transverse Myelitis (TM) is an acute inflammation of the spinal cord, usually involving a limited segment. Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO/Devic’s disease) involves inflammation and demyelination of the optic nerve and spinal cord. Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) involves demyelination in the brain and spinal cord. The extent of damage varies from case to case, therefore, the amount of disability associated with these conditions is variable. Some patients recover from the initial attack with little or no disability. Others, however, are left with sensory symptoms, such as pain or parathesias (tingling), motor weakness, paraplegia (inability to move legs) or quadriplegia (inability to move arms or legs). The information presented here, therefore, is applicable to all of these related conditions. Throughout this guide we will speak in context of TM, but this is meant to apply to any patient who has had spinal cord inflammation/demyelination. Some patients have a risk of
