Spinal cord injury damages any part of the spinal cord or nerves. Depending on how severe your injury is, you may lose mobility or some functions. Here are common causes of spinal cord injuries.
Auto Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of SCI. [In the aftermath of an accident, it is not just a matter of repairing the vehicle and filing an insurance claim that you should worry about. You shouldn’t delay seeing a chiropractor if you have been injured in an accident. The chiropractor can help you to recover from the injury and restore your health if you’re wondering why you should see a chiropractor. These accidents cause a sudden blow to the spinal cord. This makes the spinal cord move beyond its normal range of motion. As a result, the vertebrae might break or cause dislocation or crushing of other nerves.
There are many contributors to such accidents. This includes inadequate safety equipment or poor vehicle design. Also, note that reckless drivers are more susceptible to spinal cord injury.
Hard Impacts and Collision in Sports
Sports is a dangerous activity based on the moves and encounters. Buts with the opponent. Yet, some sports are more dangerous than others of spinal cord injuries. They include football, rugby, gymnastics, snow skiing, and gymnastics. The hard impacts and collisions can cause axial compression. Axial compression to the head can cause quadriplegia or cervical fracture.
Falls
When a person slip and fall, they are highly likely to fall on their back. Note that a fall on a flat surface can cause issues such as nerve damage or compressed discs. What’s more, the damages of a fall on a raised surface can be catastrophic. A compressed disc can be very painful and can cause one to have difficulty walking or sitting.
A majority of slip and fall accidents are due to the negligence of another party. If you get to sustain spinal cord injuries, contacting a legal expert for guidance is paramount.
Gunshot Wounds
When one is short in the spinal cord area, the bullet’s penetration can have adverse effects. This includes crushing or tearing the spinal cord. This will, therefore, lead to loss of function below the area of injury.
Some Types of Cancer
There are types of tumors that affect the spinal cord function by causing spinal cord compression. Therefore, you are susceptible to suffering from SCI if you have cancer that has a high risk of spreading to the bones. Such cancers are; prostate, breast, melanoma, kidney, and lung.
Arthritis
Arthritis of the spine starts when inflammation, pain, and stiffness occur in the spine’s joints. This can also be in the area where tendons and ligaments attach to the vertebrae of the spine. If spine arthritis is not treated, it can become worse over time. This can affect your daily life or, even worse, cause a long-term disability
Spinal Infection
Spinal infections are rare; however, they are dangerous. This occurs when viruses, bacteria, or fungi attack the spinal tissues. The infection can invade the spinal discs, vertebrae, meninges, and the spine canal. This will lead to severe back pain, which weakens the voluntary muscles and cause bowel dysfunction.
Polio
This is one of the medical conditions that can cause spinal injury. Polio is a viral disease that may affect the spinal cord. This will cause paralysis and muscle weakness which can affect your mobility.
A majority of the above SCIs can be treated. Thus, ensure to catch the early symptoms of the spinal cord injury to get early treatment.
