On another page on this website, I discussed complete traumatic spinal cord injuries. These injuries are extremely serious and can have dire consequences for the injured party and their family. Incomplete, also known as non-traumatic spinal cord injuries, are less serious than complete injuries, but they still present problems for a person and their family. If your loved one sustained an incomplete spinal cord injury, you should learn more about their condition in order to help them. You can find information on this condition here.
What is an Incomplete/Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury?
As you may already know, complete spinal cord injury is characterized by no movement or sensation of body parts affected by the injury. An incomplete spinal cord injury is different in that most people have some sensation and mobility of their body, even though that mobility might be limited. Mobility and sensation loss occur below the point of injury and depend on which vertebrae in the spinal cord are affected in an accident.
The good news is that incomplete injuries are becoming more common. Many injuries that may have been considered complete in the past are not incomplete injuries, thanks to advances in technology and medicine. Incomplete spinal cord injuries are more common now than complete spinal cord injuries. Common examples of incomplete spinal cord injuries include:
- Partial movement of a body part affected by an accident
- Movement on one side of the body
- Sensation in certain body parts, even if they cannot be moved
Types of Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
There are many different types of incomplete spinal cord injuries. Some of the most common are listed below:
- Anterior Cord Syndrome: This syndrome is a result of an injury to the front of a person’s spinal cord. It causes a person to lose their ability to recognize temperature or pain below the point of injury. As you might imagine, this can be dangerous, because a person might not notice that they are in physical danger because they do not experience pain. This syndrome also causes a person to lose their sense of touch below the point of injury. Anterior cord syndrome can be a complete or incomplete injury. Some people with this issue regain some movement over time.
- Brown-Sequard Syndrome: This syndrome results in injury to one side of a person’s spinal cord. This syndrome affects one side of a person’s body. The affected side will lose the ability to move, feel pain, and sense temperature. But, the other side of the body should not be affected in terms of movement ability. Pain and temperature issues could persist throughout the body.
- Cauda Equine Lesion: A person with this injury faces damage to the nerves in their spine. Specifically, the nerves that are affected are in the first and second lumbar part of the spine. This causes complete or incomplete loss of feeling and movement. If the injury is minor, these nerves may be able to grow back over time.
- Central Cord Syndrome: This syndrome results from an injury to the spinal cord center. Generally, it leads to loss of function in a person’s arms. Recovery from this injury might start in the lower body and then move up the body. Other areas of the body that might be affected include legs, bowels, and bladder.
- Posterior Cord Syndrome: This injury happens at the back of the spinal cord. It affects a person’s ability to control and coordinate their limbs. However, ability to feel pain, ability to sense temperature, and muscle power are preserved in most cases.
Getting Help
Luckily, incomplete spinal cord injuries are less serious than complete spinal cord injuries. If your loved one is suffering from an incomplete spinal cord injury, there is probably a chance that they will recover some if not all of their function. Because of this, it is important to encourage your loved one and make sure that they get the right treatment.
Paralysis can take a serious emotional toll on most people, so being there to support your loved one at this time is crucial. Even if they do recover from their injury, it will take a lot of painful, hard work to go through the physical therapy. It is important that you provide support and help them through this experience. This can make sure that they recover to the best of their ability.
For some, knowing that they were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence can also be a difficult thing to face. If this is the case for your family, you should contact an attorney for assistance. Your family might be able to receive compensation, which can help you move forward. For more information, contact my office.
