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What
is Spinal Cord Injury?
Damage
to the spinal cord results from traumatic injury or disease
to the vertebral column. In most spinal cord injuries, the
backbone pinches the spinal cord, resulting in swelling or
bruising. Some injuries involve torn nerves and fibers of
the spinal cord.
A
complete injury means that there is no function below the
level of the injury, with no sensational and no voluntary
movements.
An
incomplete injury means a person has some functioning below
the level of the injury and may have ability to voluntarily
move, with sensations or other functionality.
The
level of injury for a person with spinal cord injury is the
lowest point on the spinal cord below which there is a decrease
or cessation of feeling or movement. Injury level is typically
viewed as predicting the body parts affected by paralysis
and loss of function. Often times, incomplete injuries will
present variations in prognosis.
Cervical
injuries (or neck injuries) often times result in quadriplegia
(also known as tertaplegia). Certain injures such as those
above the C-4 level may require a breathing ventilator. And,
certain injuries such as those characterized as C-5 or C-6
injuries may result in loss of control of hand or wrist movement.
Thoracic
injuries (below the neck) often times result in paraplegia.
Certain thoracic injuries may result in loss of functioning
in the hands or torso area due to lack of abdominal control.
Lumbar and sacral injuries often result in loss of control
of hip and leg function.
The
higher the injury on the spinal cord, the greater the impact
on movement, feel and function. Typical changes for persons
with spinal cord injuries involve loss of sensational and
motor functioning. Other changes experienced by some persons
with spinal cord injury include loss of bowel and bladder
control and loss of sexual function.
Following
a spinal cord injury, people need management with activities,
treatment, rehabilitation, and health. Functional goals are
target expectations that persons and medical professionals
can hope to accomplish within a particular time. Functional
goals are typically determined with a person's medical and/or
rehabilitation team. Functional goals are essential to the
management and advancement of activities and health.
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