Despite ongoing research and promising breakthroughs in the effort to advance treatment for spinal cord injuries, there are currently no approved treatments or procedures to restore function. Instead, doctors guide an injury victim’s focus to rehabilitative therapy and assistive equipment adaptation. Current treatment protocols for spinal cord injuries center on providing immediate medical care after an injury to minimize damage, utilizing stabilizing medical procedures, and using rehabilitative therapies to assist the injury victim in achieving their maximum medical improvement. With a cure still over the horizon, the goal of today’s treatment is obtaining the highest possible level of independence to live an active, productive life.
Because the brain sends and receives messages through the spinal cord, damage to a portion of the spinal cord prevents movement and sensation below the level of the injury. The level of paralysis a spinal cord injury victim faces after an injury depends on the level of the spinal cord where the damage occurs. For example, an injury victim with damage in the cervical spine at the base of the skull and upper portion of the neck faces paralysis from the neck down, while an individual with an injury in the lower lumbar or sacral spine experiences paralysis in the hips and lower limbs.
With skilled treatment and rehabilitation, a degree of improvement is possible for spinal cord injury victims, despite the current lack of a cure to restore function below the level of the injury.
Ideally, treatment for a spinal cord injury begins at the accident site, whether it’s a car accident, a fall incident, a contact sports injury, or a spinal cord injury from diving, skiing, or other recreational activities. Emergency medical services typically stabilize the injury victim’s spine using a cervical collar and backboard to prevent further damage from bone shards. Keeping the injury victim immobile also helps to minimize bleeding, bruising, and inflammation that would further damage sensitive nerve cells—cells that do not regenerate. Emergency treatment on the way to the hospital and after admission includes keeping the patient immobile and ensuring they have an open airway while the medical team performs assessments and diagnostic tests.
Research studies show that immediate medical treatment after a spinal cord injury improves outcomes by about 35%. After suffering an injury to the spinal cord, the injury victim may undergo surgery to remove any bone fragments and drain fluids to prevent further damage to the nerves in the spinal cord. They may need an additional procedure to stabilize the spine by fusing bones or installing spinal braces for support.
After surgery, a spinal cord injury patient spends time in traction to immobilize and decompress the spine during the healing process. Patients also receive steroid treatments to minimize inflammation and promote healing.
Treatment during the first 24 hours after an injury is critical to a patient’s ability to achieve maximum medical improvement. Research continues as scientists seek treatment to halt cell death after a spinal cord injury.
Experienced spinal cord injury attorneys in Atlanta have seen the outcome for those who suffer spinal cord injury depending on the severity of the damage. Doctors assign spinal cord injury victims a level of injury severity on an alphabetical scale. A-level injuries with the complete severing of the spinal cord are permanent with little or no improvement in function or sensation. In C, B, and D-level injuries, spinal cord injury victims may experience some improvement during the healing and recovery period. Most improvement in A-level injury occurs within the first two days of injury, but for C, B, and D-level injuries, some improvement may occur during the first six months after the initial treatment. After this period, the remaining recommended treatment for spinal cord injury is a program of rehabilitation and occupational therapy to adjust to living with assistive equipment for the best possible outcome.
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