Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are serious injuries that can result in complete or partial paralysis. These injuries occur when the spinal cord sustains trauma in which it is damaged or torn. Since the spinal cord is the conduit that carries messages to and from the brain, spinal cord damages can either hinder or completely prevent nerve signals from getting where they need to go—thus resulting in paralysis to body parts below the point of injury.
Two Types of Paralysis
There are two types of paralysis: quadriplegia and paraplegia. Quadriplegia occurs when a person experiences significant paralysis, often affecting both arms and both legs. Paraplegia occurs when a person’s injury results in paralysis to the lower half of the body.
Impact of a Spinal Cord Injury
How a spinal cord injury affects you generally depends on where the injury occurs and how severe the injury is. Generally, the higher the injury occurs to your spinal cord, the more paralysis you will experience.
In addition to the location of an injury, the severity of the injury also plays a role in how a person’s life may be impacted. There are two types of spinal cord injuries:
Partial Injuries—these injuries are incomplete, allowing the injured person to retain some movement and sensation below point of injury. People with a partial spinal cord injury may see improvement in their condition over time.
Complete Injuries—these injuries result in a person losing all motor function and sensation below the point of injury. People with complete spinal cord injuries are generally permanently disabled.
Identifying Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are not always readily apparent. Sometimes an injury causes swelling around the spinal column which can take days to weeks to discover. For this reason, it is imperative to have a thorough examination if you or a loved one has experienced any trauma to the spinal cord, especially the head, back or neck. Failure to diagnose a spinal cord injury early can result in permanent disability.
Common signs of spinal cord injuries include:
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Loss of Sensation
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Pain
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Muscle Spasms
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Difficulty Breathing
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Loss of Movement
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Numbness or Tingling
Life After a Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are often devastating, affecting a person’s career, lifestyle and freedom; these injuries often require significant rehabilitation and on-going care for the rest of an individual’s life. While life may drastically change after a spinal cord injury, many individuals find new ways to enjoy life and experience the world around them.
Contacting a Personal Injury Attorney
If your injury was caused by another person’s carelessness or recklessness, you may be able to seek damages from them in a lawsuit (see Understanding Personal Injury Lawsuits). An attorney with experience in spinal cord injuries should be able to advise you on the best course of action to take to get the money you need and deserve. You may not only be able to sue for pain and suffering, medical bills, prescription drug costs, time missed from work, and punitive damages, but also for your ongoing care and treatment. For more information about how to find a personal injury, see What to Look for in a Personal Injury Lawyer .
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This is a grat description and it really helped me understand a lot of things for school. I can only think of one thing that could be improved upon. That is the fact that you could put put the ways to prevent spinal cord injuries on there to. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!!!!!!!!
I would like to know is it possible have incur
a spinal cord injury from a slip and fall accident.I am having the system explained above and did not realize this was connected to my fall.
Thank you for your comment. Please note that this site is not meant to replace an attorney’s advice. Please visit http://www.attorneylocate.com to find an attorney in your area.