- Injury Treatment, Spine Injury
Spinal cord injuries are often severe and usually require patients to spend huge sums of money on treatment. In addition, there is often a loss of mobility in some or all parts of the body. Therefore, getting professional help is needed. At Georgia Injury Centers, we provide professional healthcare services for injuries, including spinal cord injuries.
The effects of sustaining a spinal cord injury can be devastating for the person. This article goes through some of the causes of spinal cord injuries and what can be done to help anyone who has one. Visit Georgia Injury Centers if you sustain an injury to your spine.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
The World Health Organisation defines spinal cord injury as damage to the spinal cord resulting from trauma (e.g., a car crash) or disease or degeneration (e.g., cancer). However, there is little data on how many cases occur each year.
Nonetheless, researchers estimated that as of 2019, 17,730 new SCI cases occur each year. Also, between 249,000 and 363,000 people are currently living with SCI in the United States. In addition, the costs of getting treatment are astronomical and are out of reach for the average American.
What Are the Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
In very rare cases, one may be oblivious of having a spinal cord injury. In this section, we’ll walk through the most common causes of spinal cord injuries and the symptoms that accompany them.
Vehicle Crashes
Most spinal cord injuries occur as a result of blunt trauma to the spinal cord. Vehicle crashes are often responsible for this kind of force and are, in fact, the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the U.S.
Falls
Falls are also leading contributors to spinal cord injuries. A fall could occur at home, such as when someone trips in the bathroom or outside the home. An example of a fall outside the home is slipping and falling at work.
Violence
Acts of violence such as gunshots can also be responsible for spinal cord injuries.
Sports
Contact sports like football and rugby could cause spinal cord injuries. A person engaging in sporting activities could be hit in the spinal cord leading to an injury. Sometimes, falls could also occur during sporting activities and result in injury to the spinal cord.
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are not always immediately evident. As such, you may not know that you have one. Thus, it is crucial to know the symptoms that will inform you of the possibility of having an SCI.
Spinal cord injuries can cause a loss of movement or altered sensation, such as the ability to feel heat or touch. People who have experienced spinal cord injuries may also experience difficulty breathing and changes in sexual function. Extreme back pains and paralysis in any part of the body can also be a symptom of a spinal cord injury.
It is important to note that not all symptoms are related to spinal cord injuries. Therefore, you need to visit a medical professional to have tests conducted on you to be certain.
What to Do if You Have a Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are not always evident. However, it is important to get medical help when you feel any of the symptoms discussed above. First, visit the hospital to get yourself examined. The doctor could order tests such as an MRI, X-ray, or CT scan to determine the severity of the injury.
There are currently no ways to reverse damage to the spinal cord. However, there are medical procedures to help patients manage it better. This could involve medication and surgery. In severe cases, you may have to undergo physical rehabilitation to regain control of your body. Fortunately, there is ongoing research to develop more effective treatment options for spinal cord injuries.
Get Professional Help From Georgia Injury Centers
We know how traumatic spinal cord injuries can be for the affected individual and their family or caregivers. Therefore, we have ensured that we provide our patients with the best medical care in the state of Georgia. Our professional and well-trained staff are on hand all day to care for and receive new patients.
We also acknowledge that spinal cord injuries are often a result of negligence and that victims may seek damages. Consequently, we have an attorney referral system that helps us put our patients in touch with personal injury lawyers in the state of Georgia. We are certain that we provide excellent medical services for our patients. So contact us today for a free consultation.
