Spinal cord paralysis occurs when the spinal cord got damaged for any reason. The spinal cord is the main nerve bundle that provides communication between the brain and the rest of the body. It transmits movement signals produced in the brain to other parts of the body (such as the limbs). It also receives sensations such as the sense of touch from other parts of the body and transmits them to the brain.
The spinal cord is surrounded and protected by the spine bones. Traumas which affect the spine, diseases of the spinal cord, damage to the bones -soft tissues- vessels around the spinal cord may lead to spinal cord injury and paralysis.
Fractures of the spine may not always affect the spinal cord. In most injuries, the spinal cord is not completely cut, but partially damaged. Spinal cord injury generally leads to loss of movement and sensation which is below the level of damage.
What Causes Spinal Cord Paralysis?
- Falls,
- Vehicular traffic accidents,
- Motorcycle accidents,
- Sports injuries,
- Gunshot wounds,
- Spinal cord inflammation (transverse myelitis),
- Diseases such as infantile paralysis or spina bifida may cause spinal cord paralysis.
What are the symptoms of spinal cord paralysis?
Various symptoms may be observed in spinal cord paralysis. The symptoms vary depending on the level of injury and the severity of the damage. There are two types of spinal cord injury: Complete injury and incomplete injury.
- In complete injury, the person loses all sensory and motor functions below the level of damage.
- In incomplete injury, some functions below the level of damage have been preserved.
Depending on the level of damage to the spinal cord, the person may develop paralysis situations which are called quadriplegia or paraplegia. Quadriplegia is a condition when both arms and legs are paralyzed. Paraplegia is a condition in which the arms are healthy, but the legs are paralyzed.
Other symptoms that may be seen in spinal cord paralysis are:
- Loss of movement,
- Loss of sensation,
- Loss in bowel and bladder functions,
- Excessive muscle contractions (spasticity),
- Sexual dysfunctions,
- Neuropathic pain,
- Impairment in respiratory functions.
To diagnose a spinal cord injury, neurological examination, computed tomography (CT), MR imaging (MRI) or spinal x-ray may be used.
Can Spinal Cord Paralysis be Treated?
In spinal cord injury, immediate treatment is necessary to tackle with the life-threatening conditions and prevent long-term loss of function. Various drug therapies and surgical operation may be recommended in the early stages. Immediately after early medical interventions, comprehensive physical therapy is initiated to treat the loss of function which has developed in the patient.
Comprehensive physical therapy can be applied as inpatient or outpatient treatment depending on the condition of the person. At the Istanbul Rehabilitation Academy, neuro-rehabilitation, robotic physical therapy and inpatient physical therapy services are provided for patients with spinal cord paralysis.
