Spinal Cord Injury

Over 10,000 people in the US suffer a spinal cord injury, also called SCI, each year. SCI is defined as any damage to the spinal cord that results in loss of function or mobility. Such injuries can be caused by trauma or disease and can result in temporary or permanent loss of sensation, loss of movement (paralysis), or loss of bowel or bladder control. Auto accidents are the primary cause, but violence-related accidents have been increasing steadily as a cause of SCI's. Falls and sports accidents also cause many SCI's each year.

There are two types of injury, complete and incomplete. A complete injury is one in which the victim has no sensation or voluntary motor movement on either side of the body below the level of the injury. If the victim has some feeling or partial movement, it is called an incomplete injury.

Injuries are usually defined with reference to the area of the spine affected. Nerves in the spine are defined by the area of the vertebrae. For instance, an injury to the spine in the neck area will affect the cervical vertebrae, so an injury to the nerves at the fifth cervical vertebra is called a C-5 injury. Below the neck are the thoracic vertebrae, so injuries there are defined as T-1, etc. Below these are the lumbar and sacral vertebrae.

Generally speaking, neck injuries can lead to paralysis of all limbs (quadriplegia) while thoracic injuries cause paralysis to the lower limbs only (paraplegia). Both areas have variations in the amount of dysfunction, depending on the severity of the injury. An incomplete cervical injury can leave the patient with some hand use, while a complete injury at C-4 can require the patient to be on a ventilator. Thoracic injuries can leave the arms functional but interfere with walking, bowel control, bladder control, and sexual function. Other functions that can be affected are blood pressure, body temperature and pain levels.

A spinal cord injury usually involves swelling of the spinal cord, which affects the whole body. When the swelling goes down, the patient may regain function months or years after the injury, but it is rare for all functioning to be recovered. Treatment presently consists of stabilizing any broken vertebrae, maintaining the patient, preventing movement to the injured area, and reducing swelling. There is no cure for SCI but stem cell research has shown some signs of being useful in the future.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury that seems to have been someone else's fault, call VanDerGinst Law at 1-866-843-7367 or click here for a FREE online case evaluation. The initial consultation is free of charge. If we agree to handle your injury case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if, and when, there is a money recovery for you. In many cases a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. So please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

• Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury - What is the difference and how does it affect victims of a spinal cord injury?
  
• Glossary of Spine Terminology
• Spinal Cord Injury FAQ
• Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

Links on the Web

Spinal Cord Injuries Newswire Comprehensive Real-Time News Feed for Spinal Cord Injuries.

Sat, 19 May 2012 23:39:25 GMT Melson Returns June 14 Ringnews24 ... purse Justadollarplease.org in association with a Clinical Trial taking place in the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. "I was hoping for my second consecutive 8 round bout, but there was not enough room on this card. Enrique's been in ... Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:32:47 GMT SATURDAY 19th, Venice Benefit to Support Those with Disabilities Examiner.com THIS SATURDAY , 19th May 12-6pm Creative Chakra Spa will have a SPRING FLING event to raise funds and awareness for the non-profit Charity Life Rolls On, a wonderful charity that supports those with spinal cord injuries by giving them back their independence. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:28:33 GMT Boyd Melson Returns On June 14 The Sweet Science ... purse Justadollarplease.org in association with a Clinical Trial taking place in the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. "I was hoping for my second consecutive 8 round bout, but there was not enough room on this card. Enrique's been in ... Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT InVivo Therapeutics' CEO Frank Reynolds Scheduled to Appear on... Freshnews ... Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTC/BB: NVIV ), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI), today announced that CEO Frank Reynolds is scheduled to appear on KXAN-TV's Austin News Today Weekend on ... Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT GlobalData Release: Pharmaceutical Research into Spinal Cord... BioSpace LONDON, UK , 17 May 2012 - Drugs under development to treat those affected by acute spinal cord injuries are not expected to emerge within the current decade, leaving the market largely open to new entrants, according to a new report issued by pharmaceuticals intelligence provider GlobalData. Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:47:26 GMT StemCells, Inc. Reports Positive Interim Safety Data From Spinal Cord Injury Trial Digital Producer NEWARK, Calif., May 17, 2012 -- StemCells, Inc. today announced completion of the first planned interim safety review of the Company's Phase I/II spinal cord injury clinical trial, which indicated that the surgery, immunosuppression and the cell transplants have been well-tolerated. The trial, which is designed to evaluate the safety and ... (more) Click here to read this Spinal Cord Injury news article.

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