The human body contains many small and large parts working together. Considering that, one of the most important parts of the body is the spinal cord. If you’re living with a spinal cord injury, it’s understandable to feel confused. Here’s a closer look at spinal cord damage and how Florida medical professionals treat it.
How do most spinal cord injuries happen?
The most common cause of spinal cord damage varies by age. Typically, children and many adults experience spinal cord injuries from motor vehicle accidents. Senior citizens most often suffer from spinal injuries after slipping and falling. Sports-related spinal injuries are also common among younger adults.
Types of injuries to the spinal cord
Medical professionals categorize spinal injuries as complete or incomplete. A complete spinal cord injury causes loss of sensory and motor functions below the injury area. There are also incomplete injuries to the spinal cord, which vary in severity based on loss of sensory or motor functions.
Treating an SCI
Fortunately, modern medicine has several ways to treat spinal injuries. In emergency situations, surgery can sometimes reverse or lessen the effects of spinal cord damage. If surgery isn’t necessary, someone recovering from a spinal injury will often need to attend follow-up appointments with a medical professional. It’s also often necessary for someone recovering from this type of injury to receive physical therapy and other forms of rehabilitation.
While recovering from this kind of injury, it is good to build a support network for mental and physical support. It might also be wise to seek counseling or speak with others who went through this type of injury.