The spinal cord is the highway of nerves that connects the brain to all the organs, muscles and tissues in the body and allows for the basic functions of life. We can think of the spinal cord as a highway that allows information and signals to travel back and forth from the body to the brain and vice versa. When there is an injury to the spinal cord, it affects our ability to control the function of all those organs, muscles and tissues.
Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can be caused by various damage to the nerves. This can be trauma from an accident or normal degeneration of the structures that are supposed to protect the spinal cord. There are also autoimmune disorders and medical conditions that can lead to damage to the spinal cord, so identifying them is very important.
When you have a SCI, it can cause various systems that can manifest as muscle weakness, changes in sensation and difficulty with controlling the movements of different organs within the body. Although relatively rare, we think that the number of spinal cord injuries documented per year is lower than what occurs because people with symptoms of an SCI do not always get connected with a provider who cares for and diagnoses these injuries. The SCI goes undiagnosed or missed.
According to the National SCI Statistical Center, about 18,000 Americans experience a new spinal cord injury every year and there are currently about 300,000 cases in the U.S.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
The two categories for spinal cord injuries are traumatic and non-traumatic. Traumatic injuries occur when there is an external force or injury that leads to damage to the spinal cord.
In adults, the most common causes of traumatic spinal cord injuries are car accidents and falls. In children, the most common cause of spinal cord injuries is car accidents.
Sports injuries are also a common way of getting a spinal cord injury, but these injuries have decreased since the 1990s with improved rules and regulations around sports. Currently, the most common sports injury that causes spinal cord injuries are diving accidents, skiing/winter sport accidents and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents.
Non-traumatic spinal cord injuries are injuries to the spinal cord without a specific external event. This can be an autoimmune disease that affects the spinal cord, a spinal cord stroke or a tumor or infection to name a few. We also see that, over time, people who have bony and disk degeneration of the bones and disks in their spine can experience damage to the spinal cord. This would also be considered a non-traumatic injury.
Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries
Signs of a spinal cord injury can vary significantly. Some are significant where a patient can no longer move their arms and legs and sometimes cannot even breathe on their own. In other injuries, it can be more subtle with just small changes in what you can feel.
The key thing is that since the spinal cord controls signals to all organs, we must think beyond just weakness and changes in what you can feel as being signs of an SCI. Patients with these types of injuries can also experience changes in ability to control bowel and bladder function, breathing, how we perceive pain and even how we sense hot and cold.
With an injury to the spine and neck, evaluation by a SCI expert should be done to make sure there is not a SCI that is affecting the patient as well.
Preventing Spinal Cord Injuries
Despite a lot of changes that have been made, there is no one single way to prevent injuries, but there are many things we can do to reduce the risk or minimize the extent of injuries.
Ensuring you wear appropriate padding, wear a helmet and use proper techniques when playing sports, working out or riding bikes is important to minimize the risk of injury. Similarly, being aware of your environment and situations that may put someone at risk. For example, avoid diving or throwing someone into a shallow pool or diving into waves at the beach where there might be a hidden sand bar.
As we age, looking at how we may need to adapt our environment to minimize risk of falls is important If able, switching to a walk-in shower, avoiding changes in flooring (switching from a plush rug to hardwood), and using adaptive equipment (cane or walker) should be considered to minimize risks of fall.
When you are driving, make sure to wear your seat belt. When riding motorcycles, bikes or ATVs, make sure you are wearing a helmet and the appropriate protective gear.
Children need to be in a properly installed car seat that is appropriate for their height and weight. Here are the current car seat recommendations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Finally, despite minimizing risks, accidents happen. In addition, these interventions do not necessarily assist in reducing the risk of non-traumatic spinal cord injuries. So, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed above, it is important to get connected to a SCI provider for further evaluation.
UofL Health Can Help
If you or a loved one has a spinal cord injury, UofL Health – Brain & Spine Institute is here for you. Our board-certified spinal cord providers are researchers, teachers and leaders in providing compassionate, innovative, patient-centered care.
The UofL Health – Frazier Rehabilitation Institute – Spinal Cord Program is one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation programs providing comprehensive treatment utilizing state-of-the-art technologies designed to maximize functional recovery and independence. To learn more, call 502-582-7415.
In an emergency, call 911 or visit a UofL Health – Emergency Department.
