Spinal Cord InjuriesHelaina Dollins

Ally Carroll

DescriptionSpinal cord injuries

usually begin with a blow that fractures or dislocates your vertebrae, the bone disks that make up your spine.

Most injuries don't sever your spinal cord. Instead, they cause damage when pieces of vertebrae tear into cord tissue or press down on the nerve parts that carry signals.

In a complete spinal cord injury, the cord can't relay messages below the level of the injury. As a result, you are paralyzed below the level of injury.

In an incomplete injury, you have some movement and sensation below the injury.

Damage to the spinal cord is known as a lesion.

The paralysis is known as quadriplegia or quadraplegia/tetraplegia if the injury is in the cervical (neck) region.

It is called paraplegia if the injury is in the thoracic, lumbar or sacral region.

What it affectsIf affects the nerves in the spinal canal.Injury to cervical spine affects

nerves in arms. Thoracic spine affect nerves in

chest and abdominals. From L1 down affects the nerves

in the legs and lower body.

TreatmentThere's no way to reverse

damage to the spinal cord. But, researchers are continually working on new treatments, including medications that may promote nerve cell regeneration or improve the function of the nerves that remain after a spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury treatment focuses on preventing further injury and empowering people with a spinal cord injury to return to an active and productive life.

CausesTrauma

CarMotorcycle accident Gunshot Falls Sports injuries

Disease Transverse MyelitisPolioSpina Bifida,Friedreich's AtaxiaSpinal cord tumorSpinal stenosis