Spinal Cord Injury Epidemiology: A Case Study

(THIS WAS AN INFORMATIVE SPEECH I DID FOR MY COM220 CLASS ON THE STAGES OF SPINAL CORD INJURY RESEARCH. IT ACTED AS AN INTRODUCTION TO MY PERSUASIVE SPEECH ON THE BENEFITS OF STEM CELL RESEARCH)

Pain is one of the most influential symptoms that leads individuals to reach out to health care professionals to seek relief. Pain is subjective and unique to each person. Some individuals may have a higher pain tolerance than others. According to Frandsen (2014), “Pain is an unpleasant, sensory, emotional sensation associated with actual or potential tissue injury” (p. 889). Pain may be caused by a variety of elements, such as tissue or nerve damage and surgery. There are three main categories that pain is classified by, which are origin, duration, and cause. The main focus of this paper is on acute pain, chronic pain, and phantom pain. It is crucial to know how to assess each type of pain, as well as how to enhance it, or decrease the pain.

As a Northwestern University professor of Anesthesiology, Honorio T. Benzon, defines chronic pain is “a demoralizing state that confronts individuals not only with the distress created by the symptoms but also with many other ongoing difficulties that compromise all aspects of their lives” (Benzon). Therefore, chronic pain is rooted in a variety of neurologic functions, integrated from the brain that affects the individual internally and externally. According to David B. Reuben MD, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine,

Rest the patient by safely transferring him/her off the field and situate them in a comfortable stance, stabilising the injury to reduce bleeding. The athlete must not use the injured site for a minimum of 48-72 hours as it may cause additional haemorrhage and injury. Next, apply ice accompanied with a form insulating material onto the injured site for 20 minutes every hour for the first 72 hours to decrease pain, bleeding and swelling. Compression involves wrapping the injured area using a bandage, ensuring that it is not too tight or loose. This stabilises the injury and minimises bleeding and swelling. Elevation requires the injured site to be raised above the heart to decrease the amount of bleeding, swelling, throbbing and pain. The injury can be kept elevated using a soft cushion and must be aloft whenever possible. The athlete must be referred to a doctor or a physiotherapist as soon as possible after managing the injury. This will establish the severity and any rehabilitation needed as well as tips on treatment

Spinal injuries can happen to anyone. There are less than 200,000 cases in the US each year, and most of the time this injury can not be completely cured. The spinal cord is about 18 inches long, it is a bundle of nerves which contains neurons that carry signals between the brain and body. The spinal cord has sections, C1-C8, T1-T12, L1-L5, the sacrum, and the coccyx. The C stands for Cervical, the T for Thoracic, and the L stands for Lumbar. Injuring different sections signifies different problems and diagnosis. The spinal cord controls the body. It controls sensory messages which include sense of touch, pain, pressure, temperature, and body position. It controls motor messages which tell the body what to do. For example, legs, arms, hands,

In the United States, there are approximately 17,000 new cases of spinal cord injuries every year and it is estimated that as of the year 2016 approximately 282,000 people in the United States have an injury to the spinal cord to some degree (NSCISC 2016). The diagnosis of a spinal cord injury includes any damage to the spinal cord, including the nerves associated with it. This kind of injury causes permanent damage to the body by a decrease in strength, sensation, and body functions (Shroff et al. 2017). Spinal cord injuries are particularly hard to treat because each injury is different and the cells associated with the spinal cord are hard to target and treat. In most cases, no improvement functionally is made and the symptoms are permanent.

Chronic pain is any pain that lasts longer than 3 months (FNLM, 2011). A common type of chronic pain is neuropathic pain which occurs when the nerves themselves are damaged by injury or disease (Veteran Mates, 2013). Neuropathic pain is a complex condition that is often underdiagnosed or undertreated, resulting in negative physical, psychological and social impacts (Veteran Mates, 2013). Therefore early management is critical in order to improve the person’s quality of life and to reduce the chance of the pain becoming persistent (Pain Health, 2015). The following 5 articles relating to the management of neuropathic pain will be annotated, including a summary of the main

Spinal cord injuries result from a fracture or dislocation of the vertebrae that is typically due to a sudden, forceful blow to the spine (“NINDS Spinal Cord Injury Information Page”, 2016). According to Early (2006), A traumatic accident, such as a shooting, stabbing, car accident, or diving accident, may result in a spinal cord injury (p. 535). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2016), Damage to the spinal tissue results from displaced or shards of vertebral bone fragments, damaged ligaments, or discs that bruise or tear the delicate tissue and destroy axons. Destruction of axons result in the inability to carry signals from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body (“NINDS Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal immobilization has been a common practice in Emergency Medical Services. The act of spinal immobilization is normally used when a patient has suffered a significant trauma. Spinal immobilization consists of securing the body to a rigid, long spinal board, securing the neck with a cervical collar, and then lastly, securing the head to the board between towels or wedges. Initially starting with the effectiveness of backboarding, continuing into the vital functions that backbaording can impede and finalizing with the vacuum mattress versus the traditional backboard. Ultimately, spinal immobilization of all trauma patients can do more harm than good, and all cases should not be fully immobilized.

In the United States alone, there are approximately 12,000 new spinal cord injury cases each year (The National SCI Statistical Center [NSCISC], 2013). The severity of the patient’s injuries depends on how severe the spinal cord injury is, and where it is located at on the spinal column. If the spinal cord injury is complete, it renders the patient paralyzed below the injury. If the spinal cord injury is incomplete, the patient may have some movement and sensation below the injury (Medline Plus, 2014).

Spinal cord injuries can occur in many different ways but are classified as any damage that causes a change in function of the spinal cord for a temporary or permanent time period. Both experiments are based on the aftermath effects of a

I wrote my paper on sex and disability, primarily with spinal cord injury, also known as SCI. Each spinal cord injury is different and any damage to the spinal cord is a very complex injury and most devastating of all traumatic events. Damage to the spinal cord can occur from either a traumatic injury or from disease to the vertebral column. A person’s injury is described by its level and type, which may result in a loss of some or all of an individual’s sensation and movement. The higher the spinal cord injury is on the vertebral column, or the closer it is to the brain, thus the more affect it has on the body’s movement and what they can feel. More movement, feeling and voluntary control over the body’s system are present with a lower level of injury. People who become

Approximately 11,000 new cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) occur in the United States each year, contributing to the over 200,000 individuals currently living with SCI. SCI results in tremendous changes in an individual’s life, causing impairments to the musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, integumentary, gastrointestinal, genitourinary and sensory systems. Mobility and self-care become limited as well as participation in social and everyday activities when SCI causes paralysis of the muscles below the injury1. An individual who was once independent may now have to depend on others for help in their daily routine. The rehabilitation process plays a major role in helping those with SCI become as independent as possible, and physical therapists

Make the injured person stay in his/her most comfortable position while supporting the affected body part.

A 22 year-old graphic designer name Alex A. got into a car accident that led to spinal cord injuries. The spinal cord controls body functions and feelings through ascending and descending impulses to the brain (Groves 1995). This accident prevented the patient’s spinal cord from delivering sensory or motor function below C2. A ventilator was needed for him to breath and he was fed intravenously. For this reason, a surgery was required to stabilize his condition. After five months of rehabilitation at spinal cord injury center, his motor and sensory function improved by being able to move his hands adequately. However, his lower extremities are concerned since he still had problems with mobility and defecation.