Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Spinal Cord Injury Complications

Secondary complications occur as a direct result of a spinal injury and are a major health issue for those living with a SCI. While loss of sensation and movement are the most common spinal cord injury complications, other systems in the body can be significantly affected. Spinal cord injury complications, such as pressure sores, urinary tract infections, spasticity, and osteoporosis, if not treated, can lead to serious illness or death.

• Pressure sores (skin breakdown): Also called decubitus ulcers, pressure sores are dangerous spinal cord injury complications. Pressure sores are caused when an individual sits or lies in the same position for a long period of time. The pressure prevents blood from reaching the skin causing the skin to die. People with spinal cord injuries are particularly susceptible to pressure sores since damage to the spinal cord keeps messages of pain and discomfort from reaching the brain, making it very difficult to identify a developing sore. Pressure sores are a common cause of hospitalization, and if not treated, cause death. The best way to prevent these sores is changing positions frequently.
• Urinary tract infections: A traumatic SCI can often lead to loss of bladder control, which increases the risk of urinary tract infections. Urinary incontinence may also cause kidney infection and kidney or bladder stones. These types of spinal cord injury complications can be avoided by drinking plenty of clear fluids and using a catheter—a thin tube that is inserted into the urethra and bladder to drain urine—several times a day.
• Spasticity: Muscle spasms, or spasticity, can develop after a spinal cord injury. These involuntary twitches are exaggerated reflexes caused when some of the nerves in the lower spinal cord are stimulated. Unfortunately, this does not mean that a person is recovering. The nerves, sensing discomfort or pain, are merely causing muscle contractions that the brain is no longer able to control or regulate. Almost anything can trigger spasticity. A paralyzed person cannot perform normal range of motion exercises, making their joints and muscles less flexible and therefore more prone to these types of spasms. The best way to manage or reduce spasticity is to follow a daily range of motion exercise program. If spasms become severe, medical treatments may be needed.
• Osteoporosis and fractures: The majority of spinal cord injury survivors develop osteoporosis. Osteoporosis means “porous bones” and occurs when bones become weak and brittle due to lack of calcium and phosphorus. Normally, bones are kept strong by bearing weight and through regular muscle activity. In people with spinal cord injuries, however, decreased or eliminated muscle activity as well as decreased load on the bones can lead to loss of calcium and phosphorus. In the years following spinal cord injury, some degree of bone loss will occur, which, in turn, increases the risk for fractures. Using one’s legs to provide some support in transferring or standing using a standing frame is helpful in increasing the load on the bones, which can help slow down the osteoporotic process and reduce the risk of fractures.

Other spinal cord injury complications:

The True Cost of a Spinal Cord Injury

The spinal cord injury cost can be overwhelming. Individuals with spinal cord injury have many additional living expenses which might include rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices and equipment needed for mobility. Only 52 percent of spinal cord injury survivors have health insurance at the time of their injury, leading to many questions regarding the spinal cord injury cost of treatment and rehabilitation. Some people may be eligible for economic assistance from the state or federal government. There are also many charitable organizations that offer economic support to those facing seemingly overwhelming expenses.

Spinal Cord Injury Cost Statistics

Spinal cord injury cost, on a national level, is an estimated $9.7 billion each year. The annual cost of treating pressure sores alone is estimated at $1.2 billion. Spinal cord injuries very often require lifetime care, including health care. Depending upon the People who suffer a spinal cord injury can also face difficult challenges to achieve employment, making it even more difficult to take on the added expenses associated with SCI care.

People who suffer a spinal cord injury can also face difficult challenges to achieve employment, making it even more difficult to take on the added expenses associated with SCI care. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 57.5% of those persons with SCI admitted to an SCI Model System, reported being employed at the time of their injury. At post injury year one, 11.5% of persons with SCI are employed. By post injury year 20, 35.4% are employed.

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Coping During Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Sustaining a spinal cord injury is a life changing event, especially if that injury leads to paralysis. Disability can be painful and confusing, leaving spinal cord injury survivors wondering how their injury will impact their relationships, career, everyday activities and long term happiness. A person faced with paralysis will go through a spectrum of emotions including denial, grief, anger, and, finally, acceptance. Although it is a long and difficult process, treatment and spinal cord injury rehabilitation allow many people with spinal cord injuries to lead productive, fulfilling and independent lives.

If you or someone you love has sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury, the future can seem daunting. Coping with paralysis is very difficult; however, there are some things that can and must be done to ensure long term success and independence.

Educating Yourself and Your Family

In order to regain control of your life after a traumatic spinal cord injury, it is imperative that you educate yourself about your injury. As you adjust to your disability, familiarize yourself with the wide range of equipment and modification products available today that will assist you in reclaiming an independent life. Also important in spinal cord injury rehabilitation is teaching those around you about the facts of your disability. Talking about your paralysis with loved ones can help ease the tension and difficulty that comes with adjusting to such a change. Being open and straightforward about your injury and how it affects you might not be easy at first, but it will often strengthen relationships with family and friends, making coping with the sudden change more manageable.

Below are a few reliable and informative web sites regarding spinal cord injuries:

• Mayo Clinic
• MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• National Spinal Cord Injury Association
• Christopher Reeve Foundation

Seeking Support

An essential part of spinal cord injury rehabilitation is to seek out and build a strong network of support. The following are just a few websites that offer forums and communities made up of spinal cord injury survivors and their families. These forums give those affected by a spinal cord injury the opportunity to share their stories and can be very helpful in opening the door to conversation, education, and connections that will help make coping with a spinal cord injury manageable.

• Determined 2 Heal
• Care Pages
• Christopher Reeve Foundation
• Apparelyzed

Focus on What Can Be Done

New technologies, treatments and devices can help you focus on the things you can do when living with paralysis. In fact, due to this modern engineering, spinal cord injury survivors are able to not only accomplish necessary daily activities without any assistance, but many can participate in and accomplish activities for pleasure and fun, including sporting events. Inventive and ingenious medical devices allow people with paralysis to become more independent, more mobile, and more active. Modern wheelchairs are light, comfortable, and made strong enough to travel over rough terrain. Some can even climb stairs or elevate passengers to eye level, making it easier to reach high places without help. Also, computer devices and other gadgets are wonderful at assisting with common day-to-day tasks. Computer-controlled gadgets can help with cleaning, reading, bathing, dressing and grooming while voice-activated computer technology allows you to communicate person-to-person or to dial and/or answer a telephone.

Have Hope

Fifty years ago, the prognosis for those having suffered a spinal cord injury was bleak. Today, faster and fuller spinal cord injury rehabilitation is made possible by advances in stem cell research and nerve cell regeneration. Scientists and doctors are constantly directing their focus to biomedical devices and novel forms of spinal cord injury rehabilitation. These new and advancing technologies are already restoring some measure of independence to those with severe spinal cord injuries. It is unclear when research will find a cure for SCI, but today you can remain confident, while living your life to the fullest, that the future of SCI research will yield some answers.