How to care for spinal cord patients and what patients and their families should know.
Spinal cord injury is one of the serious and complex injuries that may significantly change a person’s life. This injury can be caused by severe traumas such as car accidents, falls from a height, or sports injuries. The spinal cord acts as a vital pathway for the transmission of nerve messages between the brain and other parts of the body, and any damage to it can lead to various disabilities. In this article, the study of spinal cord injury and how to deal with it is discussed.
Definition of spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury refers to damage or destruction of the spinal cord or its protective vertebrae, which may be complete or incomplete. This injury can lead to loss of sensory and motor function below the injury site. The severity of spinal cord injury varies depending on the extent and location of the injury and can range from sensory loss to complete limb paralysis.
Causes of spinal cord injury
Various factors can cause spinal cord injury, among the most important of which the following can be mentioned:
- Traffic accidents: One of the most common causes of spinal cord injury is road accidents that can lead to severe spinal cord injuries.
- Falling from a height: Falling from a great height can cause broken vertebrae and damage to the spinal cord.
- Sports injuries: High-risk sports such as football, hockey, and gymnastics can lead to spinal cord injuries.
- Diseases: Some diseases such as spinal cord tumors, spinal cord inflammation, and degenerative diseases can cause spinal cord injury.
Symptoms of spinal cord injury
Symptoms of a spinal cord injury vary depending on the location and severity of the injury, but some of the most common symptoms include:
- Sensory loss: loss of sensation in areas below the injury site.
- Paralysis: inability to move the lower limbs or even all limbs.
- Severe pain: severe pain in the affected area.
- Respiratory problems: If the spinal cord injury is in the neck area, breathing problems may occur.
Diagnosis of spinal cord injury
Diagnosing a spinal cord injury requires careful medical examination, which includes the following steps:
- Clinical examination: The doctor makes an initial diagnosis by examining clinical symptoms and physical examination.
- Imaging: The use of imaging methods such as MRI and CT scan help doctors to determine the exact extent and location of the injury.
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Dealing with spinal cord injury (spinal cord crush)
Dealing with a spinal cord injury requires special attention and comprehensive care, which includes the following steps:
- Emergency measures:
- Fixation of the spine: At the scene of the accident, the patient’s spine should be immediately fixed to prevent further displacement and more severe injury.
- Transfer to the hospital: The patient should be transferred to an equipped medical center immediately.
- Primary treatments:
- Drug therapy: use of anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids to reduce inflammation and swelling.
- Surgery: If needed, surgery is performed to stabilize the vertebrae and relieve pressure from the spinal cord.
- Rehabilitation:
- Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy exercises to restore movement and strengthen muscles.
- Occupational therapy: helping the patient to return to daily life and perform daily activities.
- Psychological counseling: providing psychological support to accept and deal with the changes caused by the injury.
- Prevention of side effects:
- Skin care: preventing pressure sores and improving skin health.
- Bladder and Bowel Management: Training and management of bladder and bowel function to prevent infections and other problems.
Conclusion
Spinal cord injury is one of the serious injuries that requires special attention and care. Timely diagnosis, appropriate emergency measures, and comprehensive rehabilitation programs can help improve patients’ quality of life. Also, prevention of spinal injuries by following safety tips in daily activities and high-risk sports plays an important role in reducing the occurrence of these injuries.
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