Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries

First, a bit about bones

At birth, a human has a lot more bones than they will as an adult. The cranium, or skull of a newborn comprises several bones that are somewhat flexible. This allows the baby to pass through the relatively small birth canal. Once born, the cranial bones of an infant begin to fuse together to form a solid skull.

The backbone of a newborn includes seven more bones than the typical adult spine, as well. Over time, the five separate sacral bones of a brand-new baby fuse to become the sacrum while five coccygeal bones fuse together to form the coccyx, or tailbone.

How does the spinal cord figure into this?

Good question. The bones outlined above serve to shield and protect the ‘cord’ of soft tissue that extends from the base of the brain to just below the waist in an area of the body known as the conus medullaris. When healthy, the vertebrae of the backbone protect the spinal cord as it works in conjunction with the brain to transmit sensations and control muscle movement. If the spine is traumatized, the consequences can be severe. Spinal cord injury can cause paralysis and even death

How can the spinal cord become injured?

According to the Mayo Clinic, more than 40% of spinal cord injuries (SCI) are a direct result of motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents. Our source at Mayo Clinic also states that nearly 10% of traumatic spinal cord injuries occur as a result of high-impact athletic activities or diving into too-shallow water. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says that as many as 15% of spinal cord injuries in America result from gunshots, piercing knife wounds and other violent interpersonal encounters.

The remainder results from falls (especially after the age of 65), industrial accidents, diseases like osteoarthritis and cancer, and degenerative spinal conditions. A relatively small percentage of spinal cord injuries are birth-related.

Types and severity of SCI

Spinal cord injuries are classified as complete or incomplete. When a SCI is complete, there is no sensation and no voluntary movement whatsoever below the point of the spine where the injury occurred. An incomplete SCI, while traumatic, allows for at least some function and feeling below the primary point of injury.

Research material provided by Johns Hopkins Medical Library describes three classifications of acute SCI. They are:

Triplegia
An incomplete SCI that results in loss of sensation and movement in both legs plus one arm.

Paraplegia
A paraplegic has no feeling or voluntary movement in their legs and lower torso, but retains the use of their upper body and arms.

Quadriplegia
The most severe of acute SCI (excluding death) leaves a person unable to move their arms or legs. Most quadriplegia results from traumatic injury to the vertebrae of the neck. Injuries at or above the C-4 vertebra are likely to wreck havoc with the respiratory system, meaning the injured person will need a ventilator to breathe.

If you or someone you care about is dealing with a traumatic spinal injury, please contact us at your earliest convenience. We may be able to help.

Reference:
Spinal Cord Injury; Mayo Clinic; accessed September 20, 2014
What is an Acute Spinal Cord Injury?; Johns Hopkins Health Library; accessed September 20, 2014
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Fact Sheet; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; accessed September 20, 2014