Spine. Conditions

Although injuries to the lumbar spine, including L4 and L5, are severe, they alone are not typically life-threatening, however other injuries or complications caused by the traumatic event certainly can be. The lumbar spine, which is located below the cervical and thoracic sections, consists of five vertebrae that control areas that include the hips and […] Read More

Yes, it is still possible for men to have sex and to get their partners pregnant after surviving a spinal cord injury (SCI). However, engaging in sexual relations after sustaining an SCI will be a different experience than what people have done before the injury. Loss of sensitivity, muscle movement, and sexual reflexes often result […] Read More

Spinal shock is the temporary reduction or loss of reflexes resulting from a spinal cord injury (SCI). The more severe the injury and shock to the autonomic nervous system, the more severe the resulting dysfunction will be. As a result, the spine experiences either hyporeflexia or areflexia, a reduction or loss of reflexes.  Read More

There are four main forms of paralysis. Monoplegia affects one area of the body and most commonly is the result of cerebral palsy (although it can be caused by other ailments and injuries). Hemiplegia patients often report experiencing spins-and-needles sensations early on before it progresses to muscle weakness and full paralysis in one arm and […] Read More

The types of spinal cord injuries (SCI) with the best spinal cord injury prognoses are those that have not resulted in paralysis. However, the most critical factors to a patient’s recovery include the patient receiving immediate and effective medical treatment, and the location and severity of the injury. The sooner that treatment begins, the faster […] Read More

As noted by the Epilepsy Society, “Hemiplegia is a permanent condition.” Most people, once a TBI or SCI occurs that causes hemiplegia or hemiparesis, will need to live with that condition for the rest of their lives, as there is no known cure. However, there are therapy options for patients with hemiplegia that may improve […] Read More

When comparing congenital hemiplegia and acquired hemiplegia, a case of hemiplegia is considered congenital if  “hemiplegia onsets before birth, during birth, or within the first 2 years of life.” If a person becomes hemiplegic later in life, then it is considered a case of acquired hemiplegia. In other words, the major difference between congenital and […] Read More

While hemiplegia is typically characterized as paralysis on one side of the body, there are multiple types of hemiplegia—some of which may be more limited in scope than others. A few different types of hemiplegia include: Facial Hemiplegia Also referred to as partial facial paralysis, this is a form of partial hemiplegia where the muscles […] Read More

The brain is divided into two hemispheres, separated by a bundle of fibers called the corpus callosum. Generally speaking, the right side of the brain controls muscles and other functions on the left side of the body, while the left side of the brain controls much of the right side of the body. Thus, hemiplegia […] Read More

Since hemiplegia is characterized by the fact that it affects one side of the body, it may be referred to as either “left hemiplegia” or “right hemiplegia” depending on the specific side of the body that is affected. Basically, the difference between left hemiplegia and right hemiplegia is whether the left or right side of […] Read More