Living With a Spinal Cord Injury

Overview

What is a spinal cord injury?

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord, Opens dialog. The spinal cord is a soft bundle of nerves that goes from the base of the brain to the lower back. It runs through the spinal canal, a tunnel formed by holes in the bones of the spine, Opens dialog. The bony spine helps protect the spinal cord.

The spinal cord carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. This allows you to move and to feel touch, among other things. A spinal cord injury stops the flow of messages below the site of the injury.

The closer the injury is to the brain, the more of the body that is affected.

  • Injury to the middle of the back usually affects the legs. This is called paraplegia.
  • Injury to the neck can affect the arms, chest, and legs. This is called quadriplegia.

A spinal cord injury may be complete or incomplete. A person with a complete injury doesn't have any feeling or movement below the level of the injury. In an incomplete injury, the person still has some feeling or movement in the affected area.

What causes it?

An SCI usually happens because of a sudden, severe blow to the spine. Broken or dislocated bones of the spine (vertebrae) may damage the spinal cord. Often this is the result of a car accident, fall, gunshot, or sporting accident. Sometimes the spinal cord is damaged by infection or spinal stenosis, Opens dialog, or by a birth defect such as spina bifida, Opens dialog.

How is it diagnosed?

A computed tomography scan (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be done right away to help find out the extent of the injury.

You will be tested to see how you respond to pinpricks and light touch all over your body. The doctor will ask you to move different parts of your body and test the strength of your muscles. These tests help the doctor know how severe the injury is. They help determine how likely it is that you could get back some feeling and movement.

How is a spinal cord injury treated?

At the hospital, treatment for an SCI starts right away to prevent more damage to the spine and spinal cord. Steps are taken to get your blood pressure stable and help you breathe. You may get a steroid medicine, Opens dialog to reduce swelling of the spinal cord. When a spinal cord injury is caused by a serious accident, treatment for other injuries is often needed.

As soon as you are stable, rehabilitation (rehab) starts. The goal of rehab is to help prepare you for life after rehab and help you be as independent as possible. What happens in rehab depends on your level of injury.

What is life like when you have a spinal cord injury?

Having an SCI changes some things forever. But you can still have a full and rewarding life. Many people with spinal cord injuries are able to work, drive, play sports, and have relationships and families. But it takes time to adjust. Your rehab team can provide the support, training, and resources to help you move toward new goals. It's up to you to make the most of what they have to offer.

A saying among people who have a spinal cord injury is, "Before your injury, you could do 10,000 things. Now you can do 9,000. So are you going to worry about the 1,000 things you can't do or focus on the 9,000 things you can do?"

Adapting to life with a spinal cord injury can be tough. You can expect to feel sad or angry at times or to grieve for your lost abilities. It is important to express these feelings so they don't keep you from moving ahead. Talk with family and friends, find a support group, or connect with others online. Talking to other people who have spinal cord injuries can be a big help.

It's hard to enjoy life if you have ongoing pain or depression. If you do, tell your doctor. There are medicines and other treatments that can help.

Information about Living With a Spinal Cord Injury

Current as of: December 20, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

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