Spinal Cord Injuries: How to Prevent the Worst-Case Scenario
Spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis and lifelong disability, but by taking appropriate actions after an acute back injury, you can reduce the risk of spinal cord damage.
Your spinal cord is one of the most important parts of your body; it sends messages from your brain to control every voluntary movement of other body parts. A spinal cord injury disrupts almost every aspect of your life. With modern medicine, it is possible for people with spinal cord injuries to live to an advanced age, but managing the symptoms of spinal cord injury is a full-time job. Common causes of spinal cord injury include accidental falls, motor vehicle collisions, and violent assaults. A disproportionate number of spinal cord injuries happen in the workplace, especially in industries like construction. An Omaha workers’ compensation lawyer can help you if you have suffered a spinal cord injury at work.
Living With Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury arises from a traumatic injury to the back or neck, but it does not just affect your back; it affects every part of your body below the site of the injury. An injury to the lower spine can cause paralysis from the waist down, and an injury to the upper spine can cause paralysis from the neck down, a condition known as quadriplegia. The following are some of the symptoms of spinal cord injury:
- Pain, tingling, numbness, or loss of sensation in parts of the body below the site of the injury
- Paralysis of the affected body parts, with or without muscle spasticity
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
Recent medical advances have enabled some patients with spinal cord injuries to regain some use of some affected body parts. For example, a few patients have regained the ability to walk with the help of a robotic “exoskeleton.” Patients with spinal cord injury need assistance to change positions frequently so that they do not develop pressure ulcers; prevention of pressure ulcers is also why they need custom-made wheelchairs.
First Aid Immediately After a Back Injury Can Save Your Spinal Cord
Many spinal cord injuries are preventable. Compliance with workplace safety standards can prevent accidents that result in catastrophic injuries, but even the actions taken by bystanders can reduce the risk of paralysis after a back or neck injury. Bystanders should call 911 and should not attempt to move the patient themselves. Many spinal cord injuries are not caused by the traumatic injury itself but by bleeding or swelling that results from it. When first responders take measures to prevent bleeding and swelling near the spinal cord, such as by administering corticosteroids like prednisone, the accidental injury might not lead to paralysis.
Contact Andres Law Offices, PC LLO About Injuries Resulting From Work Accidents
An Omaha workers’ compensation lawyer can help you get the treatment you need to manage a spinal cord injury resulting from a work accident. Contact Andres Law Offices, PC LLO in Omaha, Nebraska, about your case.