Spinal Cord Injury

Over 10,000 people in the US suffer a spinal cord injury, also called SCI, each year. SCI is defined as any damage to the spinal cord that results in loss of function or mobility. Such injuries can be caused by trauma or disease and can result in temporary or permanent loss of sensation, loss of movement (paralysis), or loss of bowel or bladder control. Auto accidents are the primary cause, but violence-related accidents have been increasing steadily as a cause of SCI's. Falls and sports accidents also cause many SCI's each year.

There are two types of injury, complete and incomplete. A complete injury is one in which the victim has no sensation or voluntary motor movement on either side of the body below the level of the injury. If the victim has some feeling or partial movement, it is called an incomplete injury.

Injuries are usually defined with reference to the area of the spine affected. Nerves in the spine are defined by the area of the vertebrae. For instance, an injury to the spine in the neck area will affect the cervical vertebrae, so an injury to the nerves at the fifth cervical vertebra is called a C-5 injury. Below the neck are the thoracic vertebrae, so injuries there are defined as T-1, etc. Below these are the lumbar and sacral vertebrae.

Generally speaking, neck injuries can lead to paralysis of all limbs (quadriplegia) while thoracic injuries cause paralysis to the lower limbs only (paraplegia). Both areas have variations in the amount of dysfunction, depending on the severity of the injury. An incomplete cervical injury can leave the patient with some hand use, while a complete injury at C-4 can require the patient to be on a ventilator. Thoracic injuries can leave the arms functional but interfere with walking, bowel control, bladder control, and sexual function. Other functions that can be affected are blood pressure, body temperature and pain levels.

A spinal cord injury usually involves swelling of the spinal cord, which affects the whole body. When the swelling goes down, the patient may regain function months or years after the injury, but it is rare for all functioning to be recovered. Treatment presently consists of stabilizing any broken vertebrae, maintaining the patient, preventing movement to the injured area, and reducing swelling. There is no cure for SCI but stem cell research has shown some signs of being useful in the future.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury that seems to have been someone else's fault, call VanDerGinst Law at 1-866-843-7367 or click here for a FREE online case evaluation. The initial consultation is free of charge. If we agree to handle your injury case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if, and when, there is a money recovery for you. In many cases a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. So please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

• Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury - What is the difference and how does it affect victims of a spinal cord injury?
  
• Glossary of Spine Terminology
• Spinal Cord Injury FAQ
• Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

Links on the Web

Spinal Cord Injuries Newswire Comprehensive Real-Time News Feed for Spinal Cord Injuries.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:32:17 GMT UConn's Calhoun taking indefinite medical leave NewsOK.com ... e Basketball , College Athletics , Cancer , Orthopedics , Injuries and Traumas , Skin Cancer , Prostate Cancer , Spinal Cord Injuries , Men's Health , Skin Health , Brain and Nerve Health , Muscle and Skeletal Health Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:55:55 GMT 4 Wheel City Teams up with Fordham University to Make Hip Hop History PRWeb ... Bronx, Ny, yet had never met until fate provided them with a common tragedy. Both men are in wheelchairs, with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI), owed to gunshots. As their friendship grew, the two discovered that music was an even stronger bond between ... Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:02:50 GMT Saving Dogs with Spinal Cord Injuries Science Blog ... and corgis, who often suffer injuries when a disk in their back spontaneously ruptures, damaging the underlying spinal cord. About 120 dogs a year that develop sudden onset hind limb paralysis after such injuries are brought to the Small Animal ... Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:39:13 GMT Treating Dogs' Spinal Cord Injuries Could Help Humans WFMY 2 Greensboro Nationwide -- Some pet dachshunds, beagles and corgis with spinal cord injuries will undergo an experimental treatment that, if effective, could eventually be used on people with similar injuries. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:41:36 GMT Spinal Cord Injury: Helping Injured Dogs Heal WAPI-AM Birmingham An experimental drug being tested in dogs with spinal cord injuries could one day help humans, too. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:50:29 GMT Spinal Cord Injury: Helping Injured Dogs Heal KVOR-AM Colorado Springs An experimental drug being tested in dogs with spinal cord injuries could one day help humans, too. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

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