The Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury severs the communication between the brain and other parts of the body. The extent of the breakdown depends on the severity and location of the damaged area. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerve cells and fibers that runs from the brain to the lower back. It carries messages from the brain to all parts of the body and back again to the brain. Any trauma that damages the cells and fibers can include sports or athletic injuries and shock, falls, or being hit by a high velocity object like a ball or baseball bat or a bullet or any type of motor vehicle accident.

Damage to the spinal cord can cause changes in movement, feeling, bladder control as well as other bodily functions. The problems that develop are directly dependent upon where the cord is damaged. Right after a spinal cord injury the cord stops working and this is called spinal shock. When the reflexes return below the level of the injury the shock is wearing off. When this happens, a doctor will try and determine if the injury is complete or incomplete. If it is incomplete then feelings and movement are likely to return. Rehabilitation should commence immediately with individuals given strengthening exercises and new styles of movement in order to recapture use of their arms and legs. Rehab teams will constantly monitor the return of feeling and progress to ensure that as much movement is recaptured as possible.

Car and motorcycle accidents account for most spinal cord injuries. They can also be caused by violent street encounters often involving guns and knives as well as other weapons.  The elderly suffer falls that result in spinal cord injuries. Sports and recreation such as diving into shallow water, skiing into a tree, or falling off a snowboard can cause serious injuries. Finally, diseases such as cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and inflammation of the spinal cord are known to precipitate spinal cord injuries.

The Florida accident lawyers at Charpentier Law Firm represent those that have been injured as a result of birth injury, trucking accidents, slip and fall, and other accident cases.