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Spinal trauma is any damage that has been done to the spinal column. Spinal trauma may involve damage to the spinal cord either from direct injury to the cord itself or indirectly from injury to surrounding bones, tissues, or blood vessels. Injuries known to cause spinal cord trauma range from motor vehicle accidents, falls, and sports injuries to industrial accidents, gunshot wounds, and assault. As the spine is the pathway to send and receive signals from the brain and nerve receptors, spinal trauma is very serious. At the onset of a spinal cord injury, one should seek immediate medical emergency care.
Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Trauma
Spinal cord injury causes weakness and sensory loss at and below the point of injury. Depending on the location – cervical (near the neck), thoracic (chest-level), and lumbar (lower back) – of the spinal injury (or injuries), one or a combination of the following symptoms may result:
- Breathing difficulties
- Loss of bowel/bladder control
- Numbness
- Mild to severe pain
- Inability to move arms and/or legs
Spinal Cord Injury Treatment
In cases where patients do not seek immediate treatment for their spinal cord injury, long-term effects, such as paralysis, may ensue. Not all spinal trauma causes spinal cord injuries. Some spinal trauma may cause fractures or breaks to the vertebra that may be treated with a brace alone. The goal of treatment for patients with spinal trauma is to allow for healing of the fracture in an anatomic position with preservation or at times improvement in neurologic function. Timing of evaluation and treatment of spinal trauma is critical for the best outcome. Spinal decompression and/or fusion of the bones or insertion of hardware through surgery may be needed to remove bone or disc fragments, or foreign objects, or to stabilize fractured vertebrae. Surgical procedures such as vertebrectomy, corpectomy and laminectomy is often performed as part of the surgical treatment. Upon a diagnosis and full medical examination to establish the extent of injury or trauma, your physician will advise you on what treatment is most suitable for you and your condition.
There have been numerous studies over the past 15 years investigating modalities that will help reverse the damage from spinal cord injuries. At present time the greatest advancement in spinal cord injury treatment has been the aggressive diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the spinal cord injured patient. It is our hope that over the coming years advancement in research will aid in reversing or minimizing the damage that is done during a spinal cord injury. |
