What causes an acute spinal cord injury?
- Falls.
- Motor vehicle accidents (automobiles, motorcycles, and being struck as a pedestrian)
- Sports injuries.
- Diving accidents.
- Trampoline accidents.
- Violence (gunshot or stab wounds)
- Infections that form an abscess on the spinal cord.
- What is the common cause of spinal injury?
- What symptoms might suggest that an individual has injured their spine?
- Can spinal injuries heal?
- What are the two types of spinal cord injuries?
What is the common cause of spinal injury?
The most common causes of spinal cord injuries in the United States are: Motor vehicle accidents. Auto and motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for almost half of new spinal cord injuries each year. Falls.
What symptoms might suggest that an individual has injured their spine?
What are the symptoms of a spinal cord injury?
- problems walking.
- loss of control of the bladder or bowels.
- inability to move the arms or legs.
- feelings of spreading numbness or tingling in the extremities.
- unconsciousness.
- headache.
- pain, pressure, and stiffness in the back or neck area.
- signs of shock.
Can spinal injuries heal?
With many injuries, especially incomplete ones, the individual may recover some function as late as 18 months after the injury. In very rare cases, people with spinal cord injury will regain some functioning years after the injury.
What are the two types of spinal cord injuries?
Spinal Cord Injury Types
Spinal cord injuries can be divided into two types of injury – complete spinal cord injury vs. incomplete: A complete spinal cord injury causes permanent damage to the area of the spinal cord that is affected. Paraplegia or tetraplegia are results of complete spinal cord injuries.