The spinal cord also carries “autonomic” signals that control blood pressure, blood flow, breathing, sweating, bowel, bladder, sexual, and other autonomic functions.

• Bladder Paralysis and Spasticity. Spinal cord injury paralyzes the bladder. The bladder must be catheterized to drain urine. Indwelling catheters (such as a foley catheter inserted through the urethra) have a high risk of infections. Sterile intermittent catheterization is recommended but may be complicated by bladder spasticity or spontaneous contractions of the bladder. Bladder contractions can push urine into the kidney and this may lead to kidney damage. Continue Reading »

The spinal cord injury usually results from fracture of vertebral bones that compress the spinal cord. Continued spinal cord compression increases tissue damage and reduces functional recovery. If the neck or cervical segments are fractured, traction may straighten out and decompress the vertebral column. Chest or thoracic fractures cannot be decompressed by traction. Surgery may be necessary to decompress and stabilize the spinal cord. Continue Reading »

In 1990, the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) proposed a uniform classification system that had five categories, defined in Table 1. Motor level is defined as the level at which the key muscle innervated by the segment has at least 3/5 of its normal strength. Continue Reading »

Studies suggest the incidence rate of SCI is about 40 cases per million population, excluding those who die at the scene of the accident. Given a current United States population of approximately 281.4 million persons, this means that over 11,000 new cases occur each year. Continue Reading »

In years past, the leading cause of death among persons with SCI was renal failure. Today, however, significant advances in urologic management have resulted in dramatic shifts in the leading causes of death. Persons enrolled in the National SCI Database since its inception in 1973 have now been followed for 27 years after injury.

During that time, the causes of death that appear to have the greatest impact on reduced life expectancy for this population are pneumonia, pulmonary emboli and septicemia. Continue Reading »

All mammals begin as two cells — sperm and egg — that combine into a single cell. This single cell will divide exponentially into specialized cells making up various organs and systems — all the tissues of a new organism.

Simply put, a stem cell is an immature cell that can become a different cell, or perhaps become one of many different cells.

Most stem cells also can renew themselves — divide — indefinitely. These two characteristics are what present a new pathway to repairing damage to the human body caused by trauma, degeneration and disease.

The most common causes of spinal cord injury are car and other motor vehicle collisions (54.7%), falls (17.7%), and other medical conditions and sports injuries (27.6%).

The injury is usually caused by sudden impact, which crushes the spine and cord. Continue Reading »

The nerve cell body remains intact, and only the “sending” or “receiving” fibers have to regrow as longer extensions from the nerve cell body.

The peripheral nerves, outside the brain and spinal cord can do this quite easily. But within the brain and spinal cord there is much impediment to such regrowth. Continue Reading »

The phrenic nerve goes from the spinal cord to the diaphragm, a large muscle at the bottom of your chest that mediates breathing activity.

Axons of the phrenic nerve come from the phrenic nucleus situated at spinal cervical segments C3, C4, and C5.

Most of the axons About 75% of people have an accessory phrenic branch that comes from C5 and even C6. The sternocleidomastoid muscle is the long muscle that goes from the angle of your jaw to the head of clavicle, the long horizontal bone that goes from your shoulder to the front base of your neck. Continue Reading »

No. Wheelchairs are tools for mobility. High C-level injuries usually require that the individual use a power wheelchair. Low C-level injuries and below usually allow the person to use a manual chair. Advantages of manual chairs are that they cost less, weigh less, disassemble into smaller pieces, and are more agile.

However, for the person who needs a powerchair, the independence afforded by them is worth the limitations. Some people are able to use braces and crutches for ambulation. Continue Reading »