Treatment and Damages for Spinal Cord Injury

Inside the spinal columns are soft tissues that make up the spinal cord. The spinal cord, along with the brain, is essential in coordinating movement through the signal it sends all over the body. However, despite having a hard bone as defense, the spinal cord can still get injured, but it would take a great deal of trauma to the vertebrae. The trauma will more likely cause fractures and compression, which may destroy the axons, or the extension of nerve cells, and eventually damage the spinal cord.

Falls, gunshot or knife wounds, diseases that lead to bone deterioration, defective products, and vehicular accidents are the most common causes of spinal cord injuries.

Almost 12,000 people are affected by this kind of injury every year in the country, car accidents being the leading cause of it. Based on the part of the spinal cord affected, there are two types of SCI.

• Quadriplegia - An injury to the cervical spine. A person with quadriplegia has complete paralysis on the upper and lower extremities. The head and neck are also affected, thus resulting to difficulty inbreathing.

• Paraplegia – An injury to the thoracic, lumbar, and/or sacral areas. Paraplegics still have movement in their arms and hands. Parts affected in this injury are the chest, abdomen, hips and legs. The bowel, bladder and sexual functions of a person are also disrupted.

The effects of SCI, and even the injury itself, aren’t always obvious. Anyone who got into an accident, especially those mentioned above, should suspect injury right away. If possible, do an imaging of the spine in a trauma center.

Acute SCI is usually treated with the steroid drug Methylprednisolone eight hours after the injury initiated, since it helps reduce damage to the nerve cells, and inflammation. Realignment with the use of rigid brace or axial traction may also be done as soon as possible to stabilize the spine and prevent further damage.

Rehabilitation programs are also essential to SCI victims in order to regain their normal movement. The recovery process focuses on different aspects: Physical, Occupational, Vocational, and Recreational therapy. The process should not only regain the injured person’s movement, but also help him accept the possibility of living with disability and adjust his lifestyle to it.

More information about the rehabilitation process can be found at Los Angeles spinal cord injury rehab facilities or trauma centers. The injured must also be ready to face the court and ask for damages from the person responsible for the injury, since this will help him financially support the costly rehabilitation.



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