The spine is extremely important. It relays information to and from the brain. Without spines, people wouldn’t be able to control their bodies, nor would they be able to feel pain or pleasure through touch. Since spines are so important, it’s also important to know how to treat someone with a spinal cord injury to make sure that the damage is minimized.
Unfortunately, as of right now, there is no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord. However, research is being done to promote nerve regeneration and improve the nerves that still work after a spinal cord injury.
Treatments for a spinal cord injury happen in three phases: on site, at the hospital, and rehabilitation. On site, the victim is placed on a rigid carrying board with a rigid neck brace so that the spine can’t be moved and no more damage occurs.
At the hospital, doctors have to keep the victim breathing and keep his/her neck braced to prevent any more injuries. Severe injuries could require more treatment such as surgery to remove any obstructions, fuse broken spinal bones, or install a spinal brace. Traction is a treatment used to bring the spine back into proper alignment. A steroid known as Medrol can be administered quickly to the victim to reduce swelling and nerve cell damage. There are also experimental treatments since spinal cord injury cures are consistently being researched.
Rehabilitation is the longest phase of treatment, and could last the rest of the victim’s life. Physical therapy could help victims move more easily and speak more clearly after a spinal cord injury. The use of assisting devices such as wheelchairs or speech interpreters is also considered a form of rehab. Vocational therapy is used to re-train people in fine motor skills they’ll need to rejoin the workforce. There are many more forms of rehabilitation, and many of them can be found here.
If you or someone you know has suffered a severe spinal cord injury, contact Alexander Law Group LLC. Our team of lawyers will get you the settlement you need to cope with a traumatic spinal injury.
