Red flags The following findings are of particular concern: Sudden onset (eg, within minutes or hours) of numbness Sudden or rapid onset (eg, within hours or days) of weakness Dyspnea Signs of cauda equina or conus medullaris syndrome (eg, saddle anesthesia, incontinence, loss of anal wink reflex) Bilateral neurologic deficits below a spinal segment Loss of sensation on both the face and body (on the same side or opposite side) Interpretation of findings The anatomic pattern of symptoms suggests the location of the lesion but is often not specific.