Questions and Answers

The most severe types of spinal cord injuries (SCI) are those that affect the cervical spine because they often can result in quadriplegia, or paralysis of the body below the injury site. As a result, the SCI survivor has little to no mobility, which can lead to a number of increased health risks. A respiratory […] Read More

Although it is relatively rare to have an extra bone, such as a sixth lumbar vertebra (known as a transitional vertebra), it is not actually that extraordinary. It is estimated that about 10% of adults have some form of spinal abnormality, which can include an extra vertebra. While having an extra bone typically does not […] Read More

Injuries that occur between C1-C8 of the cervical spine can result in tetraplegia (commonly referred to as quadriplegia), or an injury that affects all of a person’s limbs to a certain extent. For example, a C3 or C6 spinal cord injury can result in a loss of function of both legs and arms, depending on […] Read More

Your SCI rehabilitation journey can be long and often unpredictable. Some spinal cord injury sufferers spontaneously walk years after their injury. Others are never able to move again. While medical science can do a lot to predict what might happen in a particular case, there are no guarantees when it comes to spinal cord injuries. […] Read More

Particularly in the early days after a spinal cord injury, you might be tempted to languish in bed. Moving around certainly seems counterintuitive when you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury to your body. However, exercises after a spinal cord injury can expedite your SCI rehabilitation, in addition to offering several health benefits. Exercises Ideas: Yoga: ideal […] Read More

Unlike with many other injuries, the most important component of spinal cord injury treatment begins before you even get to the doctor. Remaining still, avoiding moving your spinal column, and prompt emergency care, can all increase the odds that you survive while minimizing the long-term effects of the injury. From there, doctors will focus on […] Read More

Most spinal cord injuries are preventable, so knowing their causes can help you avoid becoming injured. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center at the University of Alabama-Birmingham conducts annual spinal cord injury research, including an assortment of statistics on SCI injuries. It’s interesting to note that, in almost all categories of injuries, men are […] Read More

Doctors usually decide to assess patients for spinal cord injuries based on two factors: the location and type of injury a patient has sustained, and his or her symptoms. Anyone who has fallen, suffered a blow, or lost consciousness may have suffered a spinal cord injury. If you also experience headaches, loss of movement, tingling, […] Read More

Usually, spinal cord injury symptoms are severe and every patient’s prognosis is different. Some make a miraculous recovery within months; others need years of physical therapy and, still, make little to no progress. The outcome depends on the nature of the injury, the quality of medical care someone receives, the degree to which they work […] Read More

There are two main categories of spinal cord injuries: Complete and Incomplete. Complete Spinal Cord Injuries Complete SCIs are the most serious of spinal cord injuries. They occur when the spinal cord is injured, eliminating the brain’s ability to send signals below the injury site. For an injury impacting the lumbar spinal cord, for example, […] Read More