A spinal cord injury refers to an injury to any part of the spinal cord or the nerves surrounding it. These damages result in permanent changes in body functions, feel, and body strength in most cases. If you are a victim of spinal cord injuries in Florida, the effects might affect you socially, emotionally, and mentally. Although spinal cord injuries are complex to repair, treatment and rehabilitation are the current methods that ensure victims live productive lives.
Symptoms of spinal cord injuries
Most spinal cord injuries are catastrophic injuries that result in losing the ability to use your limbs. After such injuries, control of your limbs depends on the severity and location of the injury. Injuries to your spine can affect your neurological functions. When this is the case, the injuries are either complete or incomplete.
A complete injury is when you lose all sensory and motor functions below the injury, while an incomplete injury is when you have motor function below the affected area. However, the motor and sensory functions will depend on the severity of the injury. Paralysis from spinal cord injuries is either paraplegia or tetraplegia. Tetraplegia is also referred to as quadriplegia, where you lose the function of your arms, hands, lugs, and trunk. Paraplegia is where only your legs and pelvic organs can’t function.
When to see a doctor
Once you experience any trauma to the head or neck, ensure you consult a physician immediately since you might suffer from spinal injuries. Serious spinal injuries are hard to notice and often result in severe injuries. In other instances, paralysis might occur immediately or gradually as the spinal cord bleeds and swells. The duration between the injury and contacting a doctor determines the severity of the injuries and expected recovery time.