What's the treatment for transverse myelitis?

The standard treatment is with high doses of corticosteroids. With this treatment, about half the people with transverse myelitis will recover within six months. Another promising therapy is plasma exchange. In one study, those with transverse myelitis who didn't respond to steroids were treated with a two-week course of plasma exchange within the first three months after onset of the condition. Forty percent of study participants showed dramatic recovery with the plasma exchange treatment.

Physical adaptations include learning to cope with bowel and bladder control, sexuality, inability to control muscles (spasticity), mobility, pain, and activities of daily living (such as dressing). As nerve impulses from the spinal cord are often scrambled and misinterpreted by the brain as pain, painkillers are given to ease discomfort. Antidepressants or anticonvulsants may also help.

The prognosis depends on how much of the cord was damaged. Some people recover completely, while others have lasting problems and need help in learning how to cope with activities of daily living. People who develop spastic reflexes early in the course of the condition are more likely to recover than those who do not. If spinal cord tissue death (necrosis) occurs, the chance of a complete recovery is poor. Most recovery occurs within the first three months. A certain percentage of patients with TM will go on to develop multiple sclerosis.

More information on transverse myelitis