Spinal Cord trauma:
Q: What is spinal cord trauma?
A: Spinal cord trauma is damage to the spinal cord. It may result from direct injury to the cord itself or indirectly from damage to surrounding bones, tissues or blood vessels.
Q: What are symptoms of spinal cord trauma?
A: Symptoms of spinal cord trauma vary depending on the location of the injury. In general spinal cord injury causes there is weakness and sensory loss at and below the point of the injury. The severity of the symptoms depends on whether the entire cord is severely injured or only partially injured. When spinal cord injuries occur near the neck, symptoms can affect both the arms and the legs. Symptoms of neck injuries are: breathing difficulties, loss of normal bowel and bladder control, numbness, sensory changes, spasticity, pain, weakness and paralysis. When spinal cord injuries occur at the chest level, symptoms can affect the legs. These symptoms are: Breathing difficulties, loss of normal bowel and bladder control, numbness, sensory changes, spasticity, pain, weakness and paralysis. When spinal cord injuries occur near the lower back, varying degrees of symptoms can affect the legs. These symptoms include: loss of normal bowel and bladder control, numbness, pain, sensory changes, spasticity, weakness, and paralysis.
Q: What treatment is needed for someone who has spinal injury?
A: A spinal cord trauma is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to reduce the long-term effects and surgery may be necessary. Bed rest may be needed to allow the bones of the spine, which bears most the weight of the body, to heal.
Q: What causes spinal injury?
A: Spinal cord trauma can be caused by any number of injuries to the spine. They can result from motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries (particularly diving into shallow water), industrial accidents, gunshot wounds, assault and other causes.
Q: What are possible complications of a spinal cord injury?
A: Possible complications of having a spinal cord injury are: blood pressure changes, complications of immobility-including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary infections, skin breakdown, and contractures, increased risk of injury to numb areas of the body, increased risk of kidney damage, increased risk of urinary tract infections, loss of bladder control, loss of sensation, loss of sexual functioning, muscle spasticity, pain, paralysis of breathing muscles, and shock.
Q: What can people living at home with spinal cord injury do to prevent complications?
A: People living at home can prevent complications by: Daily pulmonary care (for those who need it), follow all instructions regarding bladder care to avoid infections and damage to the kidneys, follow all instructions regarding routine wound care to avoid pressure sores, keep immunizations up to date, and maintain routine health visits with their doctor.
Q: What is spinal cord trauma?
A: Spinal cord trauma is damage to the spinal cord. It may result from direct injury to the cord itself or indirectly from damage to surrounding bones, tissues or blood vessels.
Q: What are symptoms of spinal cord trauma?
A: Symptoms of spinal cord trauma vary depending on the location of the injury. In general spinal cord injury causes there is weakness and sensory loss at and below the point of the injury. The severity of the symptoms depends on whether the entire cord is severely injured or only partially injured. When spinal cord injuries occur near the neck, symptoms can affect both the arms and the legs. Symptoms of neck injuries are: breathing difficulties, loss of normal bowel and bladder control, numbness, sensory changes, spasticity, pain, weakness and paralysis. When spinal cord injuries occur at the chest level, symptoms can affect the legs. These symptoms are: Breathing difficulties, loss of normal bowel and bladder control, numbness, sensory changes, spasticity, pain, weakness and paralysis. When spinal cord injuries occur near the lower back, varying degrees of symptoms can affect the legs. These symptoms include: loss of normal bowel and bladder control, numbness, pain, sensory changes, spasticity, weakness, and paralysis.
Q: What treatment is needed for someone who has spinal injury?
A: A spinal cord trauma is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to reduce the long-term effects and surgery may be necessary. Bed rest may be needed to allow the bones of the spine, which bears most the weight of the body, to heal.
Q: What causes spinal injury?
A: Spinal cord trauma can be caused by any number of injuries to the spine. They can result from motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries (particularly diving into shallow water), industrial accidents, gunshot wounds, assault and other causes.
Q: What are possible complications of a spinal cord injury?
A: Possible complications of having a spinal cord injury are: blood pressure changes, complications of immobility-including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary infections, skin breakdown, and contractures, increased risk of injury to numb areas of the body, increased risk of kidney damage, increased risk of urinary tract infections, loss of bladder control, loss of sensation, loss of sexual functioning, muscle spasticity, pain, paralysis of breathing muscles, and shock.
Q: What can people living at home with spinal cord injury do to prevent complications?
A: People living at home can prevent complications by: Daily pulmonary care (for those who need it), follow all instructions regarding bladder care to avoid infections and damage to the kidneys, follow all instructions regarding routine wound care to avoid pressure sores, keep immunizations up to date, and maintain routine health visits with their doctor.