Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionTypes of Spina BifidaSymptomsWhom It AffectsComplicationsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentOutlook
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Types of Spina Bifida
Symptoms
Whom It Affects
Complications
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Outlook
Spina bifidaocculta is also known as hidden spina bifida. The term “spina bifida occulta” translates to “hidden split spine.”
It is a birth defect (a health problem present at birth) that occurs when thespineandspinal corddo not form as they should. It prevents one or more bones of your spine from closing fully. The defect can occur at any point along the spine.
Spina bifida occulta is the mildest and most common form of spina bifida.
This article describes spina bifida occulta symptoms, causes, treatment, and outlook for those with it.
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What Is Spina Bifida Occulta?
Spina bifida occulta—like all types of spina bifida—is a type of neural tube defect. A neural tube defect is a birth defect of the brain, spine, or spinal cord.
In spina bifida, a gap forms between your spine’s vertebrae (small bones). Spina bifida occulta is a mild type of this condition in which a small layer of skin covers the opening.
How Common Is Spina Bifida Occulta?Approximately 12.4% of people have spina bifida occulta. Because the condition does not interfere with spinal function, most people do not know they have it.
How Common Is Spina Bifida Occulta?
Approximately 12.4% of people have spina bifida occulta. Because the condition does not interfere with spinal function, most people do not know they have it.
Spina Bifida Occulta vs. Open Spina Bifida
Open spina bifida describes spinal cord defects in which a fluid-filled sac containing part of the spinal cord protrudes through the skin. This leaves the unprotected spinal cord vulnerable to injury and infection. It can also affect spinal cord function, severely limiting a person’s mobility.
There are two types of open spina bifida. They are:
Symptoms of Spina Bifida Occulta
Most people with spina bifida occulta do not have symptoms that require treatment. The condition is typically so mild that it does not interfere with normal spinal function.
However, about 1 in 1,000 people diagnosed with spina bifida occulta develop a more severe form of this condition. If you have this variety of the condition, you may experience one or more of the following neurological deficits or disabilities:
Rarely, people with spina bifida occulta will havetethered cord syndrome(a spinal cord that can’t move freely inside the spinal canal), which can also cause these symptoms. This condition occurs when tissue is attached to the cord and pulls the cord down, especially during times of growth. Without treatment, tethered cord syndrome can cause progressive neurological damage to your spinal cord.
Who Does Spina Bifida Occulta Affect?
It isn’t clear why some babies are born with spina bifida occulta. Anyone can have the condition.
Certain genetic factors seem to increase the risk of a child having other types of neural tube defects. However, these factors may not be relevant to the development of spina bifida occulta because the problem can occur in people who do not have a family history of the condition.
Complications of Spina Bifida Occulta
Complications of spina bifida occulta are relatively rare. While complications do not occur often, the following problems can be present at birth or emerge over time with all types of spina bifida:
Causes of Spina Bifida Occulta
However, the March of Dimes advises that any woman who is planning a pregnancy or who could become pregnant should begin taking 400 mcg of folic acid (vitamin B9) daily and 600 mcg of folic acid during pregnancy as a preventive measure for all types of spina bifida.
How Spina Bifida Occulta Is Diagnosed
How Spina Bifida Occulta Is Treated
Based on the conditions present, the following treatments may be used for spina bifida occulta after birth:
Does Spina Bifida Occulta Qualify You for Disability?
Being diagnosed with spina bifida occulta does not automatically qualify you for disability. The determination of disability is based on medical and other information about whether or not you meet established criteria.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as meeting the following criteria:
Outlook for Spina Bifida Occulta
Spina bifida affects everyone differently. Since symptoms of spina bifida occulta can be mild or nonexistent, you can have this condition and never know it exists. Treatment or lifestyle modifications may never be necessary.
Most people with spina bifida occulta have healthy nerves and spines. In these cases, you can expect to have a normal life span with no impact of the disease on your life expectancy.
While treatments can help relieve symptoms when they occur, there is no cure for spina bifida occulta.
Summary
Spina bifidaocculta is a neural tube birth defect. Its name means closed split spine. It is the mildest form of spina bifida, a birth defect in which one or more bones in your spine do not close fully as the spine forms.
It is described as a closed form of spina bifida. Most cases of spina bifida involve the growth of a fluid-filled sac that pushes through the gap in the spine. In spina bifida occulta, the gap is hidden or closed because it is wrapped in skin.
While there is no cure for spina bifida occulta, the problem rarely causes symptoms. Many people have this problem at birth and live a full life, never knowing a health issue exists.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Spina Bifida Association.Spina bifida occulta.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Spina bifida.March of Dimes.Spina bifida.Graham P.Spina bifida occulta.Orthopaedic Nursing. 2021;40(4):259.Columbia Neurosurgery.Spina bifida occulta.The Fetal Medicine Foundation.Open spina bifida.American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Spina bifida.Nemours KidsHealth.Spina bifida occulta.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Spina bifida.March of Dimes.Folic acid.ADA.gov.Introduction to the Americans with disabilities act.Social Security Administration.Disability.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Spina Bifida Association.Spina bifida occulta.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Spina bifida.March of Dimes.Spina bifida.Graham P.Spina bifida occulta.Orthopaedic Nursing. 2021;40(4):259.Columbia Neurosurgery.Spina bifida occulta.The Fetal Medicine Foundation.Open spina bifida.American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Spina bifida.Nemours KidsHealth.Spina bifida occulta.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Spina bifida.March of Dimes.Folic acid.ADA.gov.Introduction to the Americans with disabilities act.Social Security Administration.Disability.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Columbia Neurosurgery.Spina bifida occulta.
The Fetal Medicine Foundation.Open spina bifida.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Spina bifida.
Nemours KidsHealth.Spina bifida occulta.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics.
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ADA.gov.Introduction to the Americans with disabilities act.
Social Security Administration.Disability.
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