How is cauda equina syndrome diagnosed?

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How is cauda equina syndrome diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will diagnose your cauda equina syndrome by interviewing you about your symptoms, assessing your physical abilities, performing tests and ordering imaging tests. They’ll assess your abilities by having you:

  • Stand.
  • Sit.
  • Walk on your heels.
  • Walk on your toes.
  • Bend forward.
  • Bend backward.
  • Bend to the sides.
  • Lie down and lift your legs.

This information helps your healthcare provider assess your:

  • Stability.
  • Sensation.
  • Strength.
  • Reflexes.
  • Alignment.
  • Motion.

Your healthcare provider might then perform a rectal exam to check your anal muscles.

Finally, your healthcare provider might order the following tests:

  • Computed tomography (CT) scan.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  • Myelogram.

Using these imaging tests should allow your provider to see your:

  • Bones.
  • Nerve roots.
  • Spinal cord.
  • Displaced spinal cord or nerves because of herniated disks, bone spurs and tumors.

You’ll be diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome if you have two sets of symptoms:

  • Bowel, bladder and/or sexual problems.
  • Paresthesia of the backs of your legs, butt, hip and inner thighs.

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