What is an acute spinal cord injury?

The vertebrae are tiny bones that make up your spine. A canal runs down the center of each vertebrae. Running through this canal is your spinal cord, a bundle of nerves carrying messages between your brain and your body. It facilitates both movement and sensations.

Acute spinal cord injury is defined as an injury that bruises or partly ruptures and entirely tears the spinal cord. It is a prevalent cause of permanent disability and death in children and adults.

What are the symptoms of acute SCI?

Acute SCI symptoms can vary widely. It depends on the location of the spinal cord, the area affected, and the severity of the symptoms.

Immediately after a spinal cord injury, your spine may go into shock. This causes loss or loss of sensation, muscle movement, and reflexes. Once the swelling subsides, it will be easier for your healthcare provider to detect the extent of the injuries.

Typically, the more severe the symptom, the higher up in the spinal cord it will be located at the level of the injury. For example, an injury to the neck affects the first and second vertebrae of the spine (C1, C2) or the mid-cervical region (C3, C4, and C5), which affects respiratory muscles and breathing function. A lower injury to the lumbar vertebrae can interfere with bladder, bowel, and leg control through nerves and muscles and sexual function.

Quadriplegia is the loss of functionality in two arms and two legs.
Paraplegia is the loss of functionality in the legs and lower part of the body.
The only difference between a complete injury and an incomplete injury is the extent of spinal cord damage.
A complete injury is when there is no movement, and the person cannot feel anything below the level of injury.
An incomplete injury is when a certain level of residual sensation or movement is still present below the level of injury.

Common signs of acute spinal cord injury include:

Weakened muscles
Loss of ability to move the arms, legs, or chest voluntarily.
Breathing problems
Loss of feeling in the arms, legs, or chest
Loss of bowel and bladder function
The symptoms of SCI can mimic those of other diseases or conditions.

What causes an acute SCI?

Many different things can cause SCI. More common injuries occur when the area of the spine or neck is bent or compressed, as in the following:

Falls
Motor vehicle accidents, which include vehicular bicycle/motorcycle accidents, pedestrian struck while walking-end
Sports injuries
Diving accidents
Trampoline accidents:
Gunshot or stab wounds are examples of violence.
Infections result in pus (abscess) accumulation over the spinal cord.
Birth injuries: These happen mainly in the cervical spinal cord region.

How are acute SCI diagnosed?

Acute SCI constitutes a medical emergency. Emergency assessment is required at all times whenever a spinal cord injury is suspected.

Symptoms of an SCI may not become evident right away. A comprehensive medical examination and diagnostic tests are required. The examining physician will ask about your medical background and what happened during the injury. An SCI can cause continuing nerve damage. These will require more follow-up medical attention. In some cases, surgery is necessary to stabilize the spinal cord following acute SCI.

May include diagnostic testing:

Blood tests
X-ray. This scan employs invisible electromagnetic energy beams to photograph internal body tissues, bones, and organs on film.
CT scan. An imaging test that employs the use of X-rays and computer technology to make very detailed images of the body. Any part of the body can be shown using a CT scan. These include bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans show more detail than a general X-ray.
MRI scan: This test uses radio waves, large magnets, and a computer to produce images of the organs and architecture of the body. This test does not include the use of X-rays.

How is an acute SCI treated?

SCI calls for emergency room attention at the accident or injury scene. Your head and neck will be braced or immobilized so they cannot be moved with an injury. This can be very challenging when you are frightened after a severe accident.

Currently, there is no repair of a bruised or damaged spinal cord. However, researchers are highly energetic in trying to find a method to stimulate spinal cord regeneration. The exact degree of SCI and its location determine if it is mild, fatal, or severe. This may require you to undergo surgery to assess the extent of the damage to the injured spinal cord and stabilize any fractured backbones. Pressure in the wounded area may also be relieved by surgery. You may need additional surgery to treat other injuries that may have been coming from the accident. Your treatment could include:

Observe and manage the intensive care unit.
Medications, such as corticosteroids, decrease spinal cord edema
Mechanical ventilator or breathing machine, to assist in breathing.
A bladder catheter is just a tube placed into the bladder, allowing urine to drain into a collection bag.
A feeding tube is placed either through the nostril down into the belly or directly down into the belly from underneath. It provides extra calories and nutrition.
A long-term hospital stay, in addition to rehabilitation, often accompanies recovery from an SCI.

Many other healthcare providers besides physicians, such as nurses and therapists (physical, occupational, or speech), will care for you. They will help manage your pain and monitor your heart, blood pressure, body temperature, nutritional status, and bladder and bowel function. They may also help control involuntary muscle shaking or spasticity.

Can acute SCIs be prevented?

Although there is no way to prevent SCI, there are many things you can do that may lower your risk. These include:

Never operate a vehicle when drunk.
Always wear a seatbelt while driving.
Prevent falls and accidents in your house.
Keep firearms unloaded and locked away.
Wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle or engaging in any other sports or activities that might result in head injury.
Such activities include bike riding, skiing, hockey, and football. Do not wade in shallow water.

Who is at risk for acute SCI?

Some individuals are at greater risk for SCI than others. Individuals who fall in either of two age ranges, those between the ages of 16 to 30 and individuals over age 65, are at greater risk. Most people with SCI are men. Non-Hispanic white people have a higher risk of developing an SCI than any other ethnic group.