Spinal Cord Injuries .....

Your spinal cord is made up of nerves and never fibers. These nerves are responsible for sending signals back and forth between your brain and the body. The signals tell the bodies muscles to move and your body when to feel sensations. The spinal cord is located in ones back and is protected by vertebrae. The vertebrae and spinal cord pair are known as the spinal column. There are 4 parts to the spinal column (1) cervical (neck) (2) thoracic (upper to middle back) (3) lumbar (lower back) and (4) sacral (tailbone). 

When trauma or disease occurs at the spinal column spot a spinal cord injury can take place. If your spinal column presses down on or pinches your spinal cord an injury takes place. The injury can cause swelling or bruising to take place. Likewise, if infection or disease takes place an injury can take place in your spinal cord.

If a spinal cord injury takes place but the person still has some feeling or movement below the level of injury then the injury is said to be incomplete. However, if the individual has no movement or feeling below the level of injury it is said to be a complete injury.

If you have ever been in an accident where a possible spinal injury has taken place then you know that the first step is that they put you in a firm brace or in traction. If you have never experienced this then trust me, they will brace you so that if the spinal column has not been injured it wont be. Movement during a spinal cord injury may damage it more. Medicines to keep you from moving may also be given. If bad enough surgery to remove the part of the spinal column that is damaging or blocking the spinal cord.

Spinal cord injuries affect individuals differently but many will have both physical and emotional issues. Spinal injuries may cause:

• loss of movement in legs making it hard or unable to walk
• loss of movement in the chest, trunk, hands, or arms 
• loss of feeling in parts of the body
• loss of bladder and bowel control
• pain or stinging sensations, spasms

In addition to physical conditions anxiety and depression may affect those with spinal cord injuries and the family and friends that love them. Fear  loss of dreams is often the first thoughts when a spinal injury occurs but that is not the only thought other factors include:

• details of the spinal cord injury
• age often plays a role 
• cause of injury
• life situation --- job, school, where you are in life
• ability to get to specialist and rehab workers after injury
• obtaining those that will help and encourage both personally like family and friends as well as others in the social network. 

The main thing is that you know that there is still life. That there are those that love you and you can make it even though the road is a bit harder now