Spinal Cord Injury

What is spinal cord injury?

Spinal cord injury or myelopathy is a disorder of the spinal cord that can result in a loss of mobility or sensation. It should be noted that the spinal cord does not have to be completely severed to have a loss of function. It is possible to injure the neck or back and have no damage to the spinal cord.

What are the symptoms of spinal cord injury?

This injury can result in loss of function, even if it has not severed the spinal cord. The main symptoms are:

  • Severe pain or pressure in the head, back or neck.
  • Loss of sensation or tingling in the hands, feet or fingers of both hands and feet.
  • Loss of control of any part of the body
  • Incontinence or urinary or bowel retention
  • Difficulty maintaining balance or walking
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Strange lumps in the spine or head

What are the causes of spinal cord injury?

The two main causes are:

  • Trauma: due to a car accident, gunshot, fall, ruptured intervertebral disc, etc.
  • Diseases: poliomyelitis, tumors, bifid back, hypertrophic osteitis of the spine, Friedreich’s ataxia, etc.

What is the treatment of spinal cord injury?

If less than 8 hours have elapsed since the injury, treatment consists of administering high doses of methylprednisolone. It has also been shown that the stem cell technique can cure paralysis that may occur in the future.

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Even so, once paralysis has been provoked, a program of care designed for the patient’s recovery must be carried out by a multidisciplinary team:

  • Physiotherapy
  • Nursing
  • Medical rehabilitation
  • Occupational therapy
  • Traumatology
  • Social work
  • Psychology