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Doctor insights on: Spinal Cord Injury Precautions

Not by itself: Spinal cord injury alone does not account for cognitive impairments, however, often there is an overlooked closed head injury to blame. Any injury of sufficient force to cause cord injury could cause concussion. Another possibility is that medications used to treat the effects spinal cord injury (bladder meds, spasticity meds, pain meds) can cause impairments in awareness, memory, etc. ...Read more

No: Sciatica is a pain symptom of a pinched nerve in the spine. Spinal cord injury is an actual/potential damage to the spinal cord resulting in a sensory or motor deficit. The two are very different. Speak with your doctor if you are concerned about either. ...Read more

Depends: Spinal cord injury is very complex and the ability to "fix" the problem depends on many things including how badly the nerves have been injured, the age of the patient, the mechanism of injury, etc. Unfortunately, the overall healing potential of the spinal cord is quite poor and many injuries result in permanent problems. ...Read more

What type of injury?: Upper motor neuron, or lower motor neuron injury will start to guide the management. Then there are too many variables that will need to be considered. A sci bowel routine is best developed with a specialist in the field. See an sci doc or nurse they can help. If unable consider this, the paralyzed veterans of america have developed a consumers guide to sci bowel care. Download for free at pva web. ...Read more

No: Spinal Cord Injury is very different than sciatica. I would suggest seeing a pain/spine specialist that can discuss this in more detail for you. ...Read more

See answer below: Wheelchair transfers refer to transfers that a person with a spinal cord injury who is using a wheelchair must perform when going from the wheelchair to a bed, to a couch, to a car, to a shower bench, and back into the wheelchair. Sliding boards are initially used to make the transfers easier. ...Read more

Relieve compression: Spinal cord compression usually requires urgent surgical intervention to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. ...Read more

Cord Injury: Its a generic term used for injury to the spinal cord. Usual causes include infection, trauma, autoimmune/inflammatory and from multiple sclerosis. ...Read more

Very: It can lead to paralysis. It needs to be managed by an expert in an appropriate setting. ...Read more

Medical site: This is site for asking medical questions. You might want to try a lawyer's website. ...Read more

Pain management: Gabapentin can help reduce pain from neurologic injuries. It does not fix anything, however. Your question is lacking a point. Has your spinal cord injury been helped by the decompression? ...Read more

Sciatica: The sciatic nerves arise from the branches of l4, l5, s1, s2, (racepinephrine) and s3. When these branches of these nerves come together they form the sciatic nerve. Because the sciatic nerve arises from each of these five nerves, often any one of these nerves can present also with the symptoms of sciatica. This nerve is considered a peripheral nerve, not a spinal cord nerve. ...Read more

Many: In the acute period: further loss of cord function, pneumonia, blood clots, pressure sores, urinary tract infections, acute depression. Later on: urinary tract infection, pressure sores, autonomic dysreflexia (severe high blood pressure), fractures and deformity of the paralyzed limbs, osteoporosis, depression. ...Read more

Spinal Cord Injury: Spinal cord injury (SCI) medicine includes treatment of conditions associated with SCI including spasticity, bowel and bladder issues, pain, and loss of function. Specialists in this area are certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and may have subspecialty certification in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine. The Spine Surgeon performs surgery to address spinal instability caused by fracture. ...Read more

Maybe: It all depends on the type of traction machine used. ...Read more

Numbness, paralysis: Spinal cord injury affects the function of things below the site of the injury. There is a direct relationship between the spot on the cord damaged and changes below that point. So, the higher up the injury, the more damage is noted. This can be leg numbness or paralysis, the same for arms and if the neck is involved, breathing may be affected. ...Read more

No: Spinal cord injury affects portions of the body b elow the site of the injury. The brain is not affected, but these injuries are frequently very disturbing and sometimes dangerous. The person suffering from this can be depressed and needing of assistance in many other ways. ...Read more

No: Fortunately, not all spinal cord injuries cause paralysis. Milder versions of the injury may simply contuse the cord and may result in little to no neurologic deficits. Other more severe injuries may severley bruise or sever the cord causing a spectrum of neurologic deficits based on location and type of injury. Full recovery is less likely with severe injuries. ...Read more

If: Placed correctly should help with pinched nerve, sometimes they migrate (leads) go have them checked. ...Read more

Variable: Kind of the luck of the draw. Sometimes the cord can be bruised with near complete recovery. There are multiple factors: level of the injury, violence of the injury, etc. Impossible to predict in advance. ...Read more

No: You will not.

See answer below: It all depends where you need to transfer to. Check out fasteddy07 on youtube where i demonstrate how to perform a variety of wheelchair transfers, on a shower bench, on a bed, in a car, from the floor etc... Of course, depending on the injury level, some transfers may not be possible independently. ...Read more

Variable: It can range from simple tingling to complete numbness and weakness as well as loss of bowel and bladder function. Basically you cannot move that part of the body below the spinal cord injury. ...Read more

It's possible: It will depend on thre extent and location of unjust. ...Read more

Trust yourself: Sorry to hear about your story. You do not have to trust everybody, trust yourself, trust your family and friends, trust your docs. Help others affected by trauma by telling your story. ...Read more

No: Sciatica is a pain symptom of a pinched nerve in the spine. Spinal cord injury is an actual/potential damage to the spinal cord resulting in a sensory or motor deficit. The two are very different. Speak with your doctor if you are concerned about either. ...Read more

Depends: Spinal cord injury is very complex and the ability to "fix" the problem depends on many things including how badly the nerves have been injured, the age of the patient, the mechanism of injury, etc. Unfortunately, the overall healing potential of the spinal cord is quite poor and many injuries result in permanent problems. ...Read more

No: Spinal Cord Injury is very different than sciatica. I would suggest seeing a pain/spine specialist that can discuss this in more detail for you. ...Read more

Sciatica: The sciatic nerves arise from the branches of l4, l5, s1, s2, (racepinephrine) and s3. When these branches of these nerves come together they form the sciatic nerve. Because the sciatic nerve arises from each of these five nerves, often any one of these nerves can present also with the symptoms of sciatica. This nerve is considered a peripheral nerve, not a spinal cord nerve. ...Read more

Not by itself: Spinal cord injury alone does not account for cognitive impairments, however, often there is an overlooked closed head injury to blame. Any injury of sufficient force to cause cord injury could cause concussion. Another possibility is that medications used to treat the effects spinal cord injury (bladder meds, spasticity meds, pain meds) can cause impairments in awareness, memory, etc. ...Read more

As it says: It is any injury to yuor spinal cord which is centrally located in your spine. It has multiple levels usually related to the vertebral body level. Ask you doctor if you are unsure. ...Read more

Loss of function : The spinal cord provides a communication pathway between the brain and the rest of the body and it helps to modulate those 2 way communications. If injured , this communication can be affected leading to variable presentations including paralysis depending on what level is injured and to what extent. ...Read more

Fewer calories: The number of calories you need when you cannot exercise is surprisingly small. If you are gaining weight or not losing, you are getting more calories than need.Tricks to getting to healthy weight include avoiding drinking calories (unless of course you are unable to eat solid food safely), avoiding snacking between meals, eating high fiber diet (fiber bulks up in the stomach and reduces appetite. ...Read more

See below: This depends on the extent of the original spinal cord injury. There will probably be minimal effect. However, if any symptoms occur be sure to quickly have them evaluated. ...Read more

Some may not: Be able to control their bowels. Depending on the level of injury and whether it is a complete or incomplete injury, a spinal cord patient may or may not be able to control their bowels. Some will get on a strict bowel regimen to help and others may need other interventions. ...Read more

Terrible injury: As the term implies, the spinal cord is severed ( usually from trauma) resulting in permanent paralysis below the level oc injury. ...Read more

No: no

Immobilization: If you suspect someone has suffered a spinal injury, keep them from moving (particularly any head or neck movements) until the ambulance arrives. ...Read more

Baclofen: Commonly prescribed for this.

With careful plans: Something called a bowel program is developed with medications, use of the gastrocolic reflex and careful timing of rectal stimulation. Trying to get a consistent schedule with complete emptying of the bowel limits accidents. ...Read more