Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries

The delicate spinal cord extends about 18 inches from the base of the brain to about waist level.  It is protected by the bones of the spine, called vertebrae.  It is possible for someone to break these neck or back bones without damaging the spinal cord itself.  And, it’s common for people to have “slipped disks” in their spines as they age.  These are not spinal cord injuries.

• A spinal cord injury (or SCI, for short) is defined as damage to the spinal cord resulting in a loss of function—such as mobility or feeling.
• Across America, there are approximately 400,000 people living with a spinal cord injury.  Every year, at least 12,000 more people experience an SCI—and the vast majority of them are men.  In fact, for every ten cases of spinal cord injury, only two are women.

The causes of spinal cord injuries are similar to the causes of traumatic brain injuries, including:

• Car accidents.
• Falls.
• Violence (mostly gun shot wounds).
• Sporting accidents.

Loss of sensation and movement are the most common effects of spinal cord injuries.  However, there are other physical changes that may result from an SCI, including:

• Bowel and bladder dysfunction.
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Loss of fertility (for men).
• Low blood pressure.
• A problem regulating blood pressure.
• A problem controlling body temperature.
• An inability to sweat below the point of injury.
• Chronic pain.

Immediately after an SCI, the spinal cord swells.  This can cause changes within every system in the body!  The swelling begins to go down after a matter of days or weeks.  When this happens, some (or all) function may slowly return.  Improvements may be seen for 6 to 12 months.  Unfortunately, only a small percentage of people with a spinal cord injury recover all normal function.