Spinal Cord InjuryBy: Christine Kerr 4th Period

Scientific/Common Name• Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

• The spinal cord is like a long rope made of nerve cells (neurons)

• Neurons travel to muscles in arms, legs, and other body parts

• The spinal column has bones called

vertebrae

• The location of the injury is

identified by the number of the

affected vertebra

• Without the spinal cord the brain

and body could not communicate

with each other

Cause

• Damage to spinal nerves prevent messages to be sent from brain to muscles, injuries may be caused by:o transportation accidentso fallso workplace accidentso violenceo diseases that affect bones or

muscles of the spinal column

• When the spinal cord is compressed,

torn, or cut, it swells which cuts off the blood supply to the injured tissue

Target Population

•Men between 19-26 years old

• Injuries occur from:

•Motor vehicle accident (about 50% of all SCIs)

•Falls (20%)

•Act of violence (15%)

•Sporting accident (14%)

•About 10,000 new spinal cord injuries occur each year in the U.S.

•About 250,000 people currently have this right now

Affects to the CNS/PNS

•CNS consists of brain and spinal cord

•PNS consists of nerves branching out of spinal cord

•Patients may lose ability to control bodily functions

• Injuries of the neck are the most dangerous. Patients often lose the

ability to breathe on their own

• Injuries to these neck vertebrae result in quadriplegia

Symptoms

•Pain or intense stinging sensations at the point of injury

•Muscle spasms

•Inability to feel heat, cold, or touch

•Loss of bowel or bladder control

•Loss of the ability to move parts of the body below the point of injury

•Difficulty breathing

•Problems with blood pressure or temperature regulation

•Abnormal sweating

Prognosis

•The prognosis for spinal cord injury depends on two factors:

o location of injury o its extent

•85% of SCI patients who survive the first twenty-four hours after injury are still alive

ten years later

•6% with injuries to the lower spine die within a year

•40% of people who receive injuries to higher spine die within a year

The Cure & Treatment• Treatment may involve:

o Medicationso Surgeryo Tractiono Bracingo Long-term physical therapy and

rehabilitation

• Medrol medication reduces swelling and inflammation of the spinal cord

• Surgery is to remove bone fragments, foreign objects, or vertebrae compressed in spinal cord

• Traction and braces properly alignment spine

• Physical therapy is to regain muscle strength and range of motion

• Rehabilitation includes learning to cope with bodily functions, self-care, and the use of a wheelchair

Notable Case: Christopher Reeve

• Best known for role in 4 Superman movies

• Born: September 25, 1952, New York City,NY

• Died: October 10, 2004, Mount Kisco, NY

• Married to Dana Reeve; son is William Reeve

• May 27, 1995 Reeve was in an equestrian accident

• He founded:o The Christopher Reeve Paralysis

Foundation (CRPF)o The CRPF Research Consortium o The Christopher and Dana Reeve

Paralysis Resource Center

Celebrity Spokesman- Wilmer Velderrama

•Known for his role on "The 70's Show," the host on MTV's "Yo Momma," and the voice of Manny on "Handy Manny"

"I have admired Christopher Reeve since childhood, not only for everything

he represented onscreen, but hisstrength of character off-screen."

OrganizationsChristopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

•Dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.

•Ways to get involved:o Run in marathons that

Team Reeve participates ino Donate online o www.ChristopherReeve.org

Citations Spinal Cord Injury. (2007). In Sick!. Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE

%7CTX2643900122&v=2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=wSpinal Cord Injury. (2007).

Robinson, R. (2006). Spinal Cord Injury. In The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine (3rd ed., Vol. 4, pp. 3492-3496). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3451601523&v=2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

Spinal cord injury. (2007). In World of Health. Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCV2191501212&v=2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

Injury: Spinal Cord Injury. (2009). In R. J. Frey, L. I. Lutwick (Ed.), UXL Encyclopedia of Diseases and Disorders (Vol. 5, pp. 1008-1014). Detroit: UXL. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1838800191&v=2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

He Never Gave Up. (2006). In K. L. Lerner & B. W. Lerner (Eds.), Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources (pp. 75-78). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3456500039&v=2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w