| Cord Injury | | | | The Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury Prevention, |
| A spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord. The | | | | Care & Cure (FSCIPCC) is a non-profit educational |
| spinal cord is a soft bundle of nerves that extends | | | | group dedicated to the prevention, care and cure of |
| from the base of the brain to the lower back. It runs | | | | spinal cord injuries through public awareness, |
| through the spinal canal, a tunnel formed by holes in | | | | education and funding research. Founded by its |
| the bones of the spine. The bony spine helps protect | | | | current Chairman Ronald R. |
| the spinal cord. See pictures of the spine and the | | | | How does spinal cord injury pain develop? |
| spinal cord. | | | | The spinal cord and brain together comprise the |
| Spinal cord injuries usually begin with a blow that | | | | Central Nervous System (CNS). The spinal cord is |
| fractures or dislocates your vertebrae, the bone | | | | responsible for the body's movement and sensation. |
| disks that make up your spine. Most injuries don't | | | | Once injured, it does not repair itself. The master link |
| sever your spinal cord. Instead, they cause damage | | | | between our brains and our bodies, the spinal cord |
| when pieces of vertebrae tear into cord tissue or | | | | contains millions of individual nerve fibers in a highly |
| press down on the nerve parts that carry signals. | | | | organized weave. Nerve cells direct impulses from the |
| Symptoms and Causes | | | | brain to specific muscles in the body. |
| Any trauma that pulls, compresses, pushes sideways | | | | Is there any treatment? |
| or cuts your spinal cord may cause SCI. Penetration | | | | Improved emergency care for people with spinal cord |
| of a foreign object, such as bone or metal, into the | | | | injuries and aggressive treatment and rehabilitation |
| spinal cord can cause serious damage, as can | | | | can minimize damage to the nervous system and |
| pressure from bleeding, swelling and fluid | | | | even restore limited abilities. Respiratory complications |
| accumulation. | | | | are often an indication of the severity of spinal cord |
| A complete spinal cord injury is defined by total or | | | | injury About one-third of those with injury to the |
| near-total loss of motor function and sensation below | | | | neck area will need help with breathing and require |
| the area of injury. However, even in a complete | | | | respiratory support. |
| injury, the spinal cord is almost never completely cut | | | | Emergency actions |
| in half. Doctors use the term "complete" to describe | | | | Urgent medical attention is critical to minimizing the |
| a large amount of damage to the spinal cord. | | | | long-term effects of any head or neck trauma. So |
| Weakness, poor coordination or paralysis, particularly | | | | treatment for a spinal cord injury often begins at the |
| below the level of the injury | | | | scene of the accident. |
| Loss of bowel or bladder control | | | | More than Physical Therapy |
| Prevention Strategies | | | | Besides a loss of sensation or motor functioning, |
| Implementing programs that reduce or eliminate | | | | individuals with SCI also experience other changes. |
| behavioral and environmental risk factors, and provide | | | | For example, they may have bowel and/or bladder |
| behavioral and environmental protective factors. | | | | dysfunction. Sexual functioning is frequently disrupted |
| Continuing to support collaborative prevention efforts | | | | or lost with SCI.. |
| in areas such as transportation, falls, and firearms. | | | | |