Spinal Cord Injuries Article

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Spinal Cord Injuries

Every year in the United States, nearly 12,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury. These injuries often range in severity, but always cause a dramatic change in victims’ lives.

Author: Sara Goldstein

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Recovering from an injury like this or dealing with a spinal cord injury victim is emotionally draining, and the financial burden can be overwhelming.

Types of spinal cord injury

A “complete spinal cord injury” means that there is no voluntary movement or physical sensation below the point of your injury. With this type of injury, both sides of your body are equally impacted.

An “incomplete spinal cord injury” is when you experience some movement or sensation below where the injury occurred. With this particular injury, both sides of your body are not always equally affected.

Besides a loss of movement and sensation, spinal cord injuries often impact:

• Bowel control
• Bladder control
• Sexual function
• Breathing

In spinal cord injuries where a small amount of tissue is damaged, you may be able to achieve a complete recovery. However, severe cases may result in paraplegia (the loss of sensation and movement from your waist down) and even quadriplegia (paralysis of your arms and legs, often from your shoulders down). Both a complete and incomplete spinal cord injury could result in paraplegia and quadriplegia.

Common causes

Many accidents and events can lead to a spinal cord injury. Some of the common ones include:

• Trauma: When your spinal cord suffers an abrupt, blunt trauma. This often occurs in accidents, sports and violence.

• Motor vehicle accidents: Nearly half of spinal cord injuries are caused by motor vehicle crashes.

• Violence: Violent acts like a shooting or stabbing can create severe, irreversible trauma to your spinal cord. A gun shot or stab wound can even sever your spinal cord.

• Falls: Most common among the elderly population, falls such as slipping in the shower or falling down stairs are to blame for many spinal cord injuries. A

About Author

Have you or a family member suffered an accident that has resulted in a spinal cord injury in the Anderson, Spartanburg or Greenville, South Carolina area? Then please visit the Web site for the Dick James Law Firm of Greenville, South Carolina. We offer free consultations, so please contact our office to schedule an appointment.

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