Spinal Cord Injury Attorneys

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Treatment

Immobilization of the entire spine is critical immediately after suffering the injury to prevent further damage and to identify other critical or life threatening issues. Standard ICU care, including maintaining a stable blood pressure, monitoring cardiovascular function, ensuring adequate ventilation and lung function, as well as preventing and promptly treating infection and other complications.

Surgery

Surgery is most common when a person suffers an incomplete SCI. If the spine is compressed from a herniated disk or a blood clot is formed and is restricting blood flow then surgery will likely be an immediate consideration. Even if surgery cannot repair damage to the spine, it may still be necessary in order to stabilize the spine and prevent further pain or injury.

Physical Therapy/Rehabilitation

The initial focus may be to strengthen and maintain existing muscle function, as well as redeveloping fine motor skills. You will be educated on the effects of your spinal cord injury and taught how to avoid complications.  Finally, you will be taught new skills and how to use various equipment and technology to improve your quality of life. The fastest rate of recovery will likely be seen in the first six months, with small improvements occurring up to two years after injury.

The severity of a spinal cord injury largely depends on what part of the spinal cord is injured. Injuries that occur closer to the brain will be the most severe and impact more bodily functions. Usually injuries to the spinal cord in the cervical (neck) region result in “quadriplegia” with associated loss of muscle strength in all four extremities. Injuries to the thoracic or lumbar (lower back) often result in paraplegia associated with paralysis in the legs and lower parts of the body.

There are generally two levels of spinal cord injury (SCI), complete and incomplete.  A complete SCI produces total loss of all bodily function and control below the level of injury and affect both sides of the body equally.  This level of injury accounts for nearly 50% of all SCIs.  Commonly, the loss of function is caused by a contusion or bruise to the spinal cord or by compromise of blood flow to the injured part of the spinal cord.  An incomplete SCI is when some bodily function and control remains below the primary level of the injury.  A person with an incomplete injury may be able to move one arm or leg more than the other or may have more functioning on one side of the body than the other.

• Extreme pain or pressure in the neck, head or back
• Tingling or loss of sensation in the hand, fingers, feet or toes
• Partial or complete loss of control over any part of the body
• Urinary or bowel urgency, incontinence or retention
• Difficulty with balance and walking
• Abnormal pain or pressure sensations in the thorax (mid-back between neck and abdomen)
• Impaired breathing after injury
• Unusual lumps on the head or spine