What are Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries usually paralyse the muscles and causes loss of feeling below the damaged area of the spinal cord.
What Causes Spinal Cord Injuries?
- The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system: damage to it results in a loss of function (e.g. mobility or feeling).
- The spinal cord is protected by the backbones: when these bones break, the spinal cord may be damaged.
- Especially hazardous accidents include: motor vehicle accidents, diving into shallow water, falling from a height, gunshots.
- Diseases (e.g. polio, tuberculosis, spina bifida) may also damage the spinal cord.
What Cures Spinal Cord Injuries?
The effects of spinal cord injury are irreversible. The focus should therefore be on rehabilitation:
- providing wheelchairs and special devices to allow the patients to stay active
- physiotherapy and regular exercises to sustain functioning muscles
- techniques to avoid pressure sores and managing bowel and bladder activity
