Everything You Need To Know About Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are devastating, and often come with permanent injuries that require a lifetime of care. Spinal cord injuries often occur as a result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, and workplace accidents.

How Do Spinal Cord Injuries Happen?

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs down the middle of your back and carries signals between your body and your brain. A spinal cord injury occurs when something disrupts the signals going back and forth, usually a fracture or dislocation of the vertebrae in the spine.
Spinal cord injuries fall into two categories, complete and incomplete. In a complete spinal cord injury, the patient has complete paralysis below the level where the injury incurred. In an incomplete spinal cord injury, the patient still has some movement and sensation below the injury.

Emergency Treatment For Spinal Cord Injuries

Emergency treatment is crucial for spinal cord injuries. With the proper care, the long-term effects of spinal cord injuries can be medically managed. Often an emergency physician will use braces or traction to stabilize the spine, administer medication, and perform surgery to help reduce the damage done by the injury.

Long-Term Care For Spinal Cord Injury Victims

The effects of a spinal cord injury vary depending on the severity and location on the spine where the injury occurred. While some victims experience complete paralysis, other victims face partial paralysis, dexterity problems, loss of sensation and motor functions, inability to regulate blood pressure and temperature, and chronic pain.
For many spinal cord injury patients, the road to recovery is long and arduous. Extensive rehabilitation and assistive devices like wheelchairs are often required to help patients perform daily functions. While these treatments are necessary for recovery, they often come with a heavy financial burden for patients.

Lake Charles Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

The physical and emotional effects of a spinal cord injury could last a lifetime, so if another person’s negligence caused or contributed to your medical problems, they can be held responsible. Call the experienced Lake Charles Spinal Cord Injury attorneys at Hoffoss Devall today if you or someone you love has suffered paraplegia or quadriplegia after an accident to discuss your legal options.
Sources:
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spinalcordinjuries.html
https://www.shepherd.org/patient-programs/spinal-cord-injury/about#FAQ3