Types Of Spinal Injuries
Living with disabilities is not easy for anyone. And people with spinal cord injuries usually have miserable life due to disabilities. Several spinal injuries lead to complete disability or partial disability.
In this article, you can understand what the different types of spinal cord injuries are. And how we can avoid them.
The spinal cord collects nerve tissues in a column that runs from the skull base down the back center. It is well protected in three layers of tissues known as membranes. And the spinal cord and the protective layers are covered with the vertebral column.
The spinal cord is the central part of your nervous system. Along with the brain, it performs its functions and controls many essential body functions. It is the pathway that helps send messages from the brain to other parts and the brain from the body parts.
Spinal cord injuries are prevalent in people who face accidents like falls or vehicle accidents.
Classification of spinal cord injury:
According to the ASIA Impairment Scale, spinal cord injuries are classified according to their severity on a grade-based scale. Grades range from A to E, with A the most severe damage and E consequential.
In this situation, complete motor and sensory function loss can be seen below the level of injury. The sensation may remain normal below the level of damage, but the motor function is lost.
Further spinal cord injuries divided into two types;
Spinal cord injuries are classified into two kinds of damage – complete spinal cord injury vs. incomplete spinal cord injury:
- A complete spinal cord injury causes permanent loss to the area of the spinal cord that is affected. Total spinal cord injuries refer to Paraplegia or tetraplegia.
- Incomplete spinal cord injury: It refers to partial loss to the spinal cord. The ability to move and the amount of feeling depends on the area of the spinal cord injured. Moreover, the severity of the injury is also dependent on the type of injury. The outcomes of incomplete spinal injury are based on a patient’s health and medical history.
Causes of spinal cord injury:
Various factors are responsible for spinal cord injuries. For example;
- Certain sports, such as golf, volleyball, and gymnastics, are more likely to cause back pain, but sometimes these games may cause spinal cord injury.
- Poor sleeping positions may also cause spinal injury if the work is not changed for an extended period.
- Performing a repetitive motion at work.
- Accidents
- Falls
- Lifting and twisting are often responsible for sudden spine injuries.
- Unprofessional trainers at the gyms and wrong workout techniques may also lead to spinal cord injuries.
Spinal cord injury symptoms:
The spinal cord injury symptoms can be mild at the start, and they worsen with time if not adequately treated early. Here are the common spinal cord injury symptoms that should not be ignored;
- Decreased response in the arms and or legs.
- Weakness in the arms and or legs.
- Severe pain or stress in the neck or back.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control.
- Abnormal lumps along the spine.
- Difficulty in breathing.
Spinal cord injury treatment:
Surgical treatments are the most common treatments for spinal cord injury. Medications are also given to treat acute spinal cord injury.
Immobilization is another way of treating spinal cord injuries. In this way, your spine can be aligned in the normal position with the help of traction.
The spinal cord injury recovery rate is meager. In many cases, you have persistent symptoms of spinal cord injury, and you face the problems related to them.
It is regularly better to get in touch with a neurologist if you feel any symptoms like numbness, pain, weakness in limbs so that the problem like spinal cord injury can be diagnosed at early stages.