The Impacts of Spinal Cord Injury
Each year, between 12,000 and 15,000 people in the United States become victims of spinal cord injury (SCI). Of this, close to 10,000 people become permanently paralyzed and require long-term care and rehabilitation. Most spinal cord injuries occur among healthy males of between 15 and 35 years of age. The Mayo Clinic estimates that close to 45 percent of all spinal injuries result from automobile and motorcycle accidents, while falls, sports injuries and violence are major contributors to SCI as well. In addition, spinal injuries can sometimes also result from illnesses such as cancerous tumors, developmental disorders, degenerative diseases and causes such as aneurysms and strokes.
Types of spinal cord injury
Clinically speaking, a spinal cord injury occurs when the spinal cord is either severed or when the cells and nerve roots that carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body, are critically damaged. Typically, a spinal cord injury impairs movement and feeling below the point where the injury occurs while all functionality above the injury level remains largely unaffected. For instance, an injury to the lower or the sacral region of the spine can affect some or all functionality of the legs, the stomach, chest bladder and bowels, while an injury to the upper spine can impact the functionality of all four limbs. When SCI causes all four limbs to be paralyzed, the condition is called quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Quadriplegia victims usually lose all sensation and movement below their shoulders. When a spinal cord injury results in only the victim’s legs, becoming paralyzed, the condition is known as paraplegia. In general, paraplegia victims retain most upper body functionality and are able to lead far more independent and functional lives, as compared to quadriplegia victims.
Complete and incomplete injury
The degree to which a spinal cord injury affects sensation and motor functions depends on whether the injury is a complete one, or an incomplete injury, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. A complete injury is one in which the victim feels no sensation, or motor functions in the lowest, sacral regions of the spine. Most victims of complete injury are paralyzed for life. In case the victim has sensation and motor function in lowest sacral region, the spinal injury is classified as an incomplete injury. Victims of incomplete spinal cord injury can have varying degrees of motor and sensory function. In some cases, the damage caused to the victim’s nerve fibers can heal over time and the victim may recover some of their lost motor and sensory functions.
Spinal injuries can result in permanent and life-altering consequences for victims and often require long-term rehabilitative care and therapy. Victims are often given functional goals during the rehabilitation stage, which they then try to achieve with proper care and treatment.
Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, and has not reviewed or edited this article and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.
