How to live a quality life with spinal cord injury

The World Health Organization defines spinal cord injury as the damage to the spinal cord that results from trauma. This trauma could be sustained from a car crash or even from disease or degeneration. Every year, cites the WHO, there are up to half a million cases of direct spinal cord injuries that are recorded to the health body from across the world. According to the Nairobi Spine and Orthopaedic Centre, spinal cord injuries usually occur when there is damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal known as cauda equine. “This damage often causes permanent changes in strength, sensation and other body functions below the site of the injury,” the Nairobi Spine and Orthopaedic Centre states.

WHO says men are at a higher risk of spinal cord injuries than women. This risk is more prevalent among young men aged 20 to 29 years and men who are above the age of 70. Among men in the 20 to 29 years age bracket, the cause of the spinal cord injuries is mainly due to trauma from accidents whereas in the older age bracket, the main cause is from diseases and degeneration. Among women, spinal cord injuries are more common in the 15 to 19 age group and among women who are aged 60 years and above.

Symptoms

After injury, a patient my show certain symptoms that require different modes of treatment. These symptoms will vary depending on the severity of the injury and the location of the impact along the spinal cord. In the same breath, symptoms of spinal cord injury may present immediately. Some symptoms may be delayed as swelling and bleeding occur in or around the spinal cord

“Symptoms may include partial or complete loss of sensory function or motor control of arms, legs and, or body,” cites the WHO. “The most severe spinal cord injury affects the systems that regulate bowel or bladder control, breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. Most people with spinal cord injury experience chronic pain.”

Secondary ailments

A person  with spinal cord injury is at an increased risk of getting secondary diseases. According to the WHO, these secondary health problems can be debilitating and even life-threatening. They include deep vein thrombosis, urinary tract infections, muscle spasms, osteoporosis, pressure ulcers, chronic pain, and respiratory complications.

Management for spinal cord injuries

Managing spinal cord injury can be financially and emotionally overwhelming for the patient and his or her relatives. In severe cases, the patient might require intense care and continuous rehabilitation. This can easily trigger depression in the patient. In severe cases, the patient may require help from his family or other caregivers to move around or function. They could also require assistive technology or a care worker to communicate, or take their personal care such as taking a shower or going to the toilet. If psychological counseling is not offered, this sudden inability to carry out activities they had been doing by themselves prior to the injury can have a huge mental toll on them. “An estimated 20 to 30per cent of people with spinal cord injury show clinically significant signs of depression, which in turn has a negative impact on improvements in functioning and overall health,” the WHO states. To help a person who has suffered from a spinal cord injury, the WHO recommends that:

• They be accorded timely and appropriate pre-hospital management. This includes quick recognition of any suspected spinal cord injury, rapid evaluation and initiation of injury management, including immobilization of the spine.
• They get quality care (including surgical intervention) appropriate to the type and severity of injury, degree of instability, presence of neural compression, and in accordance with the wishes of the patient and their family.
• They get access to ongoing health care, health education and products to reduce risk of secondary conditions.
• They get access to skilled rehabilitation and mental health services to maximize functioning, independence, overall wellbeing and community integration. For instance, management of bladder and bowel function should be prioritised.
• They get access to appropriate assistive devices that can enable people to perform everyday activities they would not otherwise be able to undertake, reducing functional limitations and dependency.