About Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury is a serious condition that can result in paralysis, disability, and numbness below the area in which the spinal cord was damaged. In some cases, spinal cord injuries can be fatal. When paralysis affects the arms, legs and torso, it is referred to as quadriplegia or tetraplegia, and paraplegia when it affects only the legs.
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Signs
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Injury to the spinal cord can manifest itself in many ways, not all of which may be immediately obvious following the injury. These signs include pain in the nerves of the spinal column, a loss of movement (temporary or permanent), and a loss of sensation, particularly in the arms and legs.
Emergency Symptoms
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Symptoms which indicate the injury is severe and immediate include the victim being unable to retain a permanent and stable condition of consciousness, severe pain and pressure in the back and neck, and the inability to breathe smoothly following an accident. Victims may also lose control of their bodily functions and have difficulty walking following an injury to the spinal cord.
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Causes
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Motor vehicle accidents account for almost half of the severe spinal cord injuries in the United States. Violent confrontations involving knives, guns, and other weapons, and accidental falls make up the greatest percentage of spinal-cord-injury causes.Sports injuries--particularly seen in contact sports such as football--are another common cause of spinal cord injury.
High Risk
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While spinal cord injuries are most often sustained in unusual accidents that could happen to anyone, there are a few groups of demographics who are somewhat more likely to sustain the injury than others. Men, young adults, seniors, and those who participate in sports represent the greater percentage of individuals who suffer from these injuries.
Treatment
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Assume anyone who has had an accident that involves trauma to the head or neck has suffered a spinal cord injury. While it is not going to always be the case, the assumption is important so as not to aggravate the injury and to make sure the victim gets the medical attention he needs. Call emergency services immediately in these cases and avoid moving the injured individual. Keeping the injured person as still as possible is important, as even small movements of the head and neck could result in further injury and paralysis.
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