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.

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:00:00 GMT Is the outcome in acute spinal cord ischaemia different from that in... Nature Publishing Group Abstract Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: To compare the neurological outcome between paraplegic patients with acute spinal cord ischaemia syndrome or traumatic spinal cord injury and to investigate the influence of SCI aetiology on the total Spinal Cord Independence Measure -II score. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:57:21 GMT Neuralstem Files FDA Application For First Chronic Spinal Cord... BioResearch Online Neuralstem, Inc. announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug application with the United States Food and Drug Administration to begin a Phase I safety clinical trial for chronic spinal cord injury with its spinal cord stem cells. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:35:00 GMT Back to basics: Identifying and managing acute spinal cord injury Nursing Center Back to basics: Identifying and managing acute spinal cord injury SPINAL CORD INJURIES involve damage to the neurons of the spinal cord. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 01:41:13 GMT Neuralstem wants trials on spinal patients Daily Record Biotech company Neuralstem Inc. said Wednesday it wants to test its stem cell treatment on patients with spinal cord injuries that have caused paralysis. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:49:42 GMT Giving Back: Americare aids spinal injury group Detroit Free Press Today's subject: Americare Medical of Troy supports the new Michigan chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:45:48 GMT Louisville To Share In Spinal Cord Research Funds WLKY.com - Local News Part of a Department of Defense grant to study spinal cord injuries to soldiers will come to the University of Louisville. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

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