Some motor vehicle crashes result in a victim suffering from a spinal cord injury, which is a life-changing experience. Impacts depend on the severity and location. Areas of the body that are affected by the injury are always lower than the location of the damage to the spine. More of the body is impacted when it occurs closer to the neck than what happens if it is nearer to the tailbone.
Learning that you do have something wrong with your spinal cord can conjure images of life in a severely limited state. This isn’t always the case. Only some cases involve paralysis, but this doesn’t mean that other types of effects aren’t just as hard to cope with.
Immediate limitations may not be permanent
When you first suffer from this type of injury, don’t become discouraged immediately. There is a phenomenon known as spinal shock that can cause inflammation near the injury site. The body’s immune system triggers a reaction to try to protect the spinal cord, which can destroy vital cells. This can last for a few weeks.
The good news is that when spinal shock is present, you will experience some relief from troublesome symptoms. Some function and sensation recovery is possible. If you do suffer this type of injury, find out from the doctor if they believe that spinal shock is causing some of your symptoms.
Type of injury can impact recovery
Some people have a complete injury, which means that there isn’t any sensation or feeling below the damaged area. These individuals have less of a chance of having a significant recovery than those who have an incomplete injury. An incomplete injury is one in which the person still has some feeling or function in the impacted area of the body. It is important to start working on your recovery as quickly as your medical team allows because this can improve your chances of a better recovery.
For people who suffered these injuries in an accident, seeking compensation might be beneficial. This can help them to cover the costs incurred by this type of injury, but it must be done within a certain time frame after the crash.