What is the Difference Between Paraplegia and Paraparesis

Imagine waking up one day, only to find your body lacking the strength to perform even the simplest of tasks. Now, picture a scenario where not only is your strength diminished, but you’ve lost all control over parts of your body. Welcome to the world of weakness and paralysis— an area where there is a difference between mere weakness and complete loss of muscle function (paralysis). Within this realm, we encounter paraplegia and paraparesis—two conditions affecting the lower extremities. Both are due to impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities, but they manifest differently.

What is the difference between paraplegia and paraparesis? Paraplegia is a condition that causes paralysis of the lower extremities in the body, while paraparesis is a condition that causes weakness of the lower extremities in the body.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Paraplegia 
3. What is Paraparesis
4. Similarities – Paraplegia and Paraparesis
5. Paraplegia vs. Paraparesis in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Paraplegia and Paraparesis
7. Summary – Paraplegia vs. Paraparesis

What is Paraplegia?

Paraplegia is a specific type of paralysis that affects the legs. Paraplegia can happen due to injuries in certain sections of the nervous system, including the thoracic spine (T), lumbar spine (L), and sacral spine (S). Motor vehicle crashes, penetrating injuries, falls, spine tumors, cysts or fluid-filled cavities, lack of blood flow, diabetes-related nerve damage, congenital conditions, injuries that happen during birth or very early childhood, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions like Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, and genetic conditions like hereditary spastic paraplegia can cause the above injuries. Moreover, the symptoms of paraplegia include loss of feeling in the lower half of the body, chronic pain, phantom pain in the lower half of the body, bladder and bowel trouble, difficulty walking and standing, weight gain, depression, and sexual difficulties.

Paraplegia can be diagnosed through physical examination, MRI, X-ray, CT scan, and electromyography. Furthermore, treatment options for paraplegia may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, using mobility devices, prescription medications (muscle relaxers and pain relievers to help with pain, blood thinners to reduce your risk of clots), and surgery.

What is Paraparesis?

Paraparesis is a condition that causes weakness in the hips and legs. It is the partial inability to move legs. Injury, genetic disorders, viral infections, and vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause paraparesis. Moreover, the symptoms of this condition may include difficulty walking and an increased risk of falling due to exaggerated reflexes, along with spasms, cramps, and stiffness. Gradual weakness in the muscles of both legs may occur, followed by urinary and bowel dysfunction, erectile dysfunction in men, as well as issues with the arms and skin.

Paraparesis can be diagnosed through physical examination, MRI, scans of the brain spine, lumbar puncture, nerve conduction test, and electromyography (EMG). Furthermore, treatment options for paraparesis are physical therapy and medication, such as muscle relaxants.

Similarities Between Paraplegia and Paraparesis

1. Paraplegia and paraparesis are two medical conditions due to problems in the lower extremities.
2. Both conditions are due to impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities.
3. Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
4. They can be treated through physical therapy and muscle relaxants.

Comparing the Difference Between Paraplegia and Paraparesis

Type of Condition

• Paraplegia is a condition that causes paralysis of the lower extremities in the body.
• Paraparesis is a condition that causes weakness of the lower extremities in the body.

Cause

• Paraplegia can be caused due to injuries from motor vehicle crashes, penetrating injuries, falls, spine tumors, cysts or fluid-filled cavities, lack of blood flow, diabetes-related nerve damage, congenital conditions, injuries that happen during birth or very early childhood, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions like Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis and genetic conditions like hereditary spastic paraplegia.
• On the other hand, paraparesis can be caused by injury, genetic disorders, a viral infection, and vitamin B12 deficiencies.

Symptoms of Paraplegia and Paraparesis

• Symptoms of paraplegia include loss of feeling in the lower half of the body, chronic pain, phantom pain in the lower half of the body, bladder and bowel trouble, difficulty walking and standing, weight gain, depression, and sexual difficulties.
• Symptoms of paraparesis include having difficulty walking and having an increased risk of falling due to exaggerated reflexes, along with spasms, cramps, and stiffness, a gradual weakness in the muscles of both legs, followed by urinary and bowel dysfunction, erectile dysfunction in men, problems with arms and skin problems.

The following table summarizes the difference between paraplegia and paraparesis.

FAQ: Paraplegia and Paraparesis

1. What is the cause of paraparesis?

The cause of paraparesis often involves spinal cord lesions located caudad to the second thoracic spinal cord segment. Other causes may include spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, infections, genetic mutations, autoimmune diseases, and vascular problems affecting the spinal cord.

2. How is paraparesis diagnosed?

Paraparesis is typically diagnosed through a combination of medical history evaluation, physical examination, blood tests, neurological testing, and imaging studies such as MRI scans of the spine.

3. What are the different types of paraparesis?

Genetic and infectious paraparesis are the two forms of paraparesis. Genetic paraparesis is caused by inherited genetic mutations affecting the nervous system. In contrast, infectious paraparesis is caused by infections, such as viral or bacterial infections, affecting the spinal cord or nerves.

4. What are the four types of paralysis?

The four types of paralysis are:

• • 1. Monoplegia: affects only one limb or a specific region of the body.
    2. Hemiplegia: affects one entire side of the body, typically due to damage to one hemisphere of the brain.
    3. Paraplegia: affects both lower limbs, often caused by spinal cord injuries or diseases affecting the lower thoracic or lumbar regions of the spinal cord.
    4. Quadriplegia (Tetraplegia): affects all four limbs and the torso, typically due to damage to the cervical spinal cord.

5. What is the difference between hemiparesis and paraparesis?

The difference between hemiparesis and paraparesis is based on the extent of weakness. Hemiparesis refers to weakness affecting one entire side of the body, while paraparesis refers to weakness affecting both lower limbs.

Summary – Paraplegia vs Paraparesis

Paraplegia and paraparesis are two medical conditions due to problems in the lower extremities of the body. Paraplegia causes paralysis of the lower extremities in the body, while paraparesis causes weakness of the lower extremities in the body. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between paraplegia and paraparesis.

Reference:

1. “Paraplegia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment.” Netmeds.
2. “Paraparesis – An Overview.” ScienceDirect Topics.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Paraplexia paraplegia” By Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga Commons)(Lmbuga Galipedia) –  (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia