Spinal cord injuries

the definition

Spinal cord injuries are defined as damage to the spinal cord as a result of a direct injury or contusion to the spinal cord in particular. Or indirect damage to the bones, soft tissues, and blood vessels surrounding the spinal cord.

Damage to the spinal cord causes the patient to lose some functions such as the ability to move or feel, In many spinal cord injuries, the spinal cord remains intact. What is remarkable is that spinal cord injury differs from back injury, which may result from causes such as nerve compression or a herniated disc. Even when a person suffers a fracture in one or more of the vertebrae of the spine, a spinal cord injury may not occur unless the spinal cord is specifically affected.

symptoms
Spinal cord injuries can cause one or more of the following signs and symptoms:

loss of movement
loss or alteration of sensation, Including the ability to sense heat, cold, and touch.
Loss of bowel or bladder control.
Convulsions or hyper-reflexes.
Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity, and fertility.
Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord.
Coughing, difficulty breathing, or secretions from the lungs.

Common causes of spinal cord injuries
– Fall accidents, road accidents and industrial accidents
– After surgeries
Sports injuries and assaults.
Diseases such as polio or spina bifida.
Weakness of the spine from another condition, such as arthritis, which may cause spinal cord trauma.

Tumors on the spinal cord

Physiotherapy program for dealing with spinal cord injuries

 

Steroids such as dexamethasone or

Methyleprednisolone to reduce swelling. In some cases, doctors may recommend surgical intervention. Bed rest may be necessary to heal the spine. After severe spinal cord injuries, It becomes necessary to resort to physiotherapy and occupational therapy for rehabilitation, In general, This type of injury leads to paraplegia. when this happens, You cannot move the lower body. It can also lead to quadriplegia which is a complete loss of movement in the extremities.

with a spinal cord injury, The patient can regain some movement after the treatment and rehabilitation of the spinal cord injury.

Exercises vary depending on the location and severity of the injury. Here are several of these exercises:

Move the joint

The joint is moved in its full range of motion and in all directions. With the help of a physiotherapist in case of severe spinal cord injuries, or without relying on him if the patient has the ability to control his joint, For the following purposes:

Reducing pain.

Getting rid of joint stiffness.

Stimulating blood circulation in the area.

stretching exercises

Stretching exercises are important exercises in spinal cord injuries and physical therapy. For the following reasons:

Reducing involuntary muscle contractions.

Reducing pain receptors in the joints.

Giving the muscles greater endurance to carry the patient’s weight.

Doing other physiotherapy exercises easier without injuries.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise improves blood circulation and stimulates the circulatory system. Which reflects positively on the work of the muscles, It also maintains the patient’s weight, which may increase after a spinal cord injury, negatively affecting movement.

Muscle strengthening exercises

Spinal cord injuries and the lack of use of the muscles resulting from them lead to muscle atrophy, its shrinkage and, consequently, its weakness, leading to the following:

Poor circulation.

Increased risk of falls and fractures.

Decreased metabolic rate in the body.

Here comes the role of muscle-strengthening exercises, as they work to increase muscle strength and maintain its size. Thus, the patient relies on himself to carry out daily activities.

Walking training

This exercise focuses on restoring the ability to walk and balance the body. lower body development, Using a range of equipment such as treadmills, balance grips and many more.

Devices used in physical therapy

The physiotherapist may resort to using some devices in the scope of spinal cord injuries and physiotherapy, Among these devices are the following:

Weight bearing locomotor

These devices help support your body weight while walking on a treadmill or on the floor. This device aims to:

Strengthening and re-establishing neural connections between organs and the spinal cord that do not require brain intervention.

Improve the performance of the respiratory system.

Reducing joint problems.

Functional electrical stimulation device

This device targets nerves damaged by spinal cord injuries. It activates it by means of electric currents of suitable strength. Which increases the chance of controlling the limbs and internal organs such as the bladder.

This device is usually used by people with severe spinal cord injuries.

Peripheral nerve injuries

the definition
Peripheral nerves are long, cylindrical, wire-shaped structures that help connect the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) to muscles and skin in the periphery. This connection allows information from the central nervous system to be delivered to the muscles to produce desired movements and actions virtually everywhere in the body. While also enabling the transmission of information such as pain signals to the central nervous system.

Peripheral neuropathy is the result of injury or trauma to the peripheral nerves. which may be caused by various reasons, Which leads to a malfunction in the nerves.

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy

This depends on the type of peripheral nerve affected. Whether it is a motor nerve (which controls muscle movement), a sensory nerve (which controls sensitivity to pain, temperature, touch, and vibration), or an autonomic nerve (which controls the temperature, color, and perspiration of the skin).

Some of the more common symptoms include:

Burning pain in the feet or hands

Numbness in the feet or hands

A tingling or tingling sensation in the affected area

Extreme sensitivity to touch

Asymmetry in the legs and falls

Cold, discolored, and/or heavy sweating of the feet

Muscle weakness in the feet or hands.

Common causes of peripheral neuropathy

Some common causes include:

The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy in the world is vitamin deficiency, Including B1, B6 and B12

Nerve compression such as carpal tunnel syndrome

Metabolic disorders such as kidney disease

autoimmune diseases, including Guillain-Barre Syndrome, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, and some types of vasculitis.

Infections such as Lyme disease, leprosy, and HIV

alcoholism

medications, such as chemical treatments

Genetic reasons

Peripheral nerve physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is very important in rehabilitating muscles and strength and improving the ability to move.

The medical professional may use the following therapies:

Cold therapy.
Heat compresses.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
– Acupuncture.
– massage.
– Laser to rebuild the nerve
– Move the nerve to excite it.
– Manual therapy and manual exercises