SCI – Spinal Cord Injury = Paraplegic + Tetraplegic
Spinal Cord Injury : Tetraplegic and Paraplegic Injuries
Paraplegic and Tetraplegic are terms used to describe the medical condition of individuals who have been paralysed as result of a spinal cord injuries. The classification will depend on the severity of the individual's injuries and the way it affects their limbs.
This web page is created with the intention to provide information regarding acute spinal cord injuries. This includes symptoms, treatment and information on the options for long-term rehabilitation. All this is intended to help improve the quality of life and help those with spinal cord injuries to regain some form of normality in their life.
What is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is typically defined as damage or trauma to the spinal cord that in turn results in a loss or impaired function resulting in reduced mobility or feeling.
Among some of the common causes of spinal cord are trauma (auto accidents; injuries due to sports; falls and the likes) or diseases such as Polio, Transverse Myelitis, Friedreich's Ataxia, Spinal Bifida etc. The resulting damage to the spinal cord is known as a lesion, and the paralysis is known as Quadriplegia or Tetraplegia if the injury is in the Cervical (neck) region, or as Paraplegia if the injury is in the Thoracic, Lumbar or Sacral region. It is very possible for an individual with a broken back or broken neck without being paralysed. This situation happens when there is the vertebrae is either fractured or dislocated but the spinal cord is undamaged.
What is a Complete and Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury?
Generally, there are two different kinds of lesions that a spinal cord injury can produce; the complete spinal cord injury and incomplete spinal cord injury. A complete spinal cord injury simply means that the individual involved is totally paralysed below their lesion. On the contrary, an incomplete spinal cord injury refers to a partial damage to the spinal cord. It is very possible that individuals with incomplete injuries will have sensation below their lesion but not movement and vice-versa. There can be many different possibilities in an incomplete spinal cord injury and no two resemble each other completely.
Such injuries are known as Anterior Cord Syndrome, Central Cord Syndrome, Brown Sequard Syndrome and Posterior Cord Syndrome.
What is Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation?
Individuals with spinal cord injury can expect to have a long and tiring rehabilitation ahead of them. This often takes place at a Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Unit and Rehabilitation Centre or Spinal Injury Unit. It is of utmost importance that a positive outlook be maintained as it can affect the progress of the rehabilitation.
Disabled sports, and wheelchair based sports can be an excellent way to build stamina in the arms, and help in rehabilitation by building on their self-confidence as well as social skills. It is a dream for many physically impaired individuals to represent their respective countries in the upcoming Paralympics Games which will take place in London in 2012.
Spinal Cord Injury Cure and Treatment
A permanent cure for long term paralysis has yet to be attained. Having said that, there are ongoing clinical trials heading in that direction.
Read More at The Spinal Cord Injury Support Site
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