What Is a Myelopathy?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
5. Risk Factors
Certain underlying medical conditions can cause or contribute to myelopathy. For example, rheumatoid arthritis can cause spinal cord compression by attacking the tissues of the intervertebral joints. Diabetes can also contribute to myelopathy, and tumors can put pressure on the spinal cord.
Because myelopathy is often chronic in nature, your risk of developing it increases as you get older. Aging also contributes to other degenerative conditions that can cause myelopathy, such as arthritis. This causes decreased joint space between the vertebrae, which can lead to osteophyte formation.
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