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Spinal Cord Injury

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Brain Specialist

Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

Spinal cord injury is a term used to describe the damage that occurs when the spinal cord is compressed, stretched, torn, or cut. Although SCI can result from diseases such as polio, the most common causes are traumatic events such as motor vehicle accidents, acts of violence, and falls. It is estimated that 450,000 people in the US have a spinal cord injury, and there are about 8,000 new cases every year.

Sixty years ago, most people with a spinal cord injury died within weeks as a direct result of their injury or from complications such as kidney infections, respiratory problems, or bedsores. The advent of modern antibiotics, advances in emergency care, and improved rehabilitation techniques have changed all that. Today many people with SCI have a life span that approaches that of non-disabled individuals.

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The Spinal Cord & Spinal Column

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries messages back and forth from the brain to the rest of the body. It allows the body to control voluntary movement of muscles and to detect sensations such as heat and touch.

The spinal cord is found inside the protective rings of the bone (vertebrae) that for the spinal column (backbone) and are named according to their location. The eight vertebrae in the neck are called cervical vertebrae or vertebra C-1 through C-8. Thoracic vertebrae (T-1 through T-12) are located in the chest (thoracic) area. Vertebrae in the lower back, between the thoracic vertebra and the pelvis, are called lumbar vertebrae (L-1 through L-5), and the vertebrae that run from the pelvis to the end of the spinal column are called sacral vertebrae (S-1 through S-5). These designations are useful when describing where a spinal cord injury has occurred and predicting what parts of the body it might affect.

Effects of Injuries

man in wheelchair

Spinal cord injuries are classified as complete or incomplete. A complete injury causes a total loss of function and sensation below the point of injury and affects both sides of the body equally. An incomplete injury results in partial loss. For example, a person with an incomplete injury may be able to move one arm more than the other or feel parts of the body that cannot be moved.

The effects of SCI depend on the location of the damage. In general, the closer to the head the injury occurs, the more dysfunction a person will experience. Symptoms such as pain, muscle spasms, loss of bowel and bladder control, and sexual dysfunction may develop, and some people may experience secondary medical problems such as bladder infections, lung infections, and bedsores.

» Cervical Injuries

Cervical injuries usually cause loss of function in the arms and legs (quadriplegia or paralysis of all four limbs). People with injuries above the C-4 level may need a ventilator to breath, and C-5 or C-6 injuries may result in loss of hand function.

» Thoracic Injuries

Injuries in the thoracic region and below can cause paraplegia (paralysis of the legs and lower body). Injuries at T-1 to T-8 most often result in poor trunk control, but hand control is unaffected. Lower T injuries (T-9 to T-12) allow good trunk control and good abdominal muscle control.

» Lumbar & Sacral Injuries

Injuries in the lumbar and sacral regions generally result in some loss of functioning in the hips and legs.