Understanding Spinal Cord Injury and Pain
Spinal cord trauma is one of the most serious injuries that can result from a car accident or slip and fall accident. When someone suffers a spinal cord injury, the bundles of nerves in their spinal column have trouble carrying signals between the brain and body. This can lead to motor loss, sensation loss, and in severe cases, paralysis.
Effects of Spinal Cord Damage
The spinal cord is a major bundle of nerves responsible for transmitting signals to and from the brain and the rest of the body. These nerves are protected by rings of bone surrounding the spinal cord called vertebrae. Direct trauma to spinal nerves themselves as well as indirect damage to the tissue around the nerves can lead to spinal cord injury. When someone suffers spinal cord damage, they begin to lose function, mobility and feeling in certain body parts.
Causes of Spinal Cord Injury
Certain diseases, including polio and spinal bifida, can cause spinal cord injuries. However, spinal cord injuries often result from motor vehicle collisions, sports injuries, industrial accidents, and assaults. In some cases, a different medical condition causes the spine to weaken. This means even minor injuries in other parts of the body can lead to spinal cord trauma.
Types of Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are classified as either complete or incomplete. When someone suffers a complete spinal cord injury, he or she loses all sensation and ability to move body parts below the injury level. Those who suffer an incomplete spinal cord injury still retain some functioning in the body parts located below the injury level. Some of the most common symptoms of a spinal cord injury include difficulty in walking, inability to move the arms or legs, and feelings of numbness or tingling in the extremities.
If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury due to another’s negligence, the Hameroff Law Group can help. Our Tucson personal injury attorneys have tackled difficult cases for accident victims for the past 25 years. You can schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney by dialing (520) 792-4700.