Acute Spinal Injury
The spinal cord is made up of a bundle of nerves that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body, which allow the body to do what you want it to. Any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma and not by disease is referred to as a Spinal Cord Injury ("SCI"). An SCI results from damage to the vertebrae, ligaments or disks of the spinal column, or to the spinal cord itself. An SCI results in either a bruise called a contusion, a partial tear in the spinal cord, or a complete tear in the spinal cord called a transection. An SCI can result in the temporary or permanent loss of usual spinal motor, sensory, and autonomic function. An SCI that results in either a partial or complete tear often causes permanent changes in strength, sensation and other body functions below the site of the injury.
Causes or Possible Risk Factors
- The more common injuries occur when the area of the spine or neck is bent or compressed, as in Birth Injuries (which typically affect the spinal cord in the neck area), Falls, Motor Vehicle Accidents (includes being struck as a pedestrian), Sports Injuries, Diving Accidents, Trampoline Accidents, Violence (gunshot or stab wounds), or Infections that form an abscess on the spinal cord.
- A traumatic spinal cord injury may stem from a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures, dislocates, crushes or compresses one or more of your vertebrae.
- A non-traumatic spinal cord injury may be caused by arthritis, cancer, inflammation, infections, or disk degeneration of the spine.
Symptoms
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of voluntary muscle movement in the chest, arms, or legs
- Breathing problems
- Loss of feeling in the chest, arms, or legs
- Loss of bowel and bladder function
- Loss of movement
- Loss of sensation, including the ability to feel heat, cold and touch
- Exaggerated reflex activities or spasms
- Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity and fertility
- Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord
For more information on the conditions we treat and services we offer, or to book an appointment please call us on 416 489 5313 (Finch) / 416 604 4404 (Jane) or email us at info@physiowell.ca.
