What is the difference between a traumatic and nontraumatic spinal cord injury?
February 8, 2017 - Uncategorized
As per the Mayo Clinic, a traumatic spinal cord injury can occur as a result of an impact that fractures, dislocates or compresses one or more of your vertebrae. This type of injury is known as a traumatic spinal cord injury. A nontraumatic spinal cord injury might be secondary to arthritis, spinal disc degeneration, infection or even cancer.
Complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries
Regardless of whether a spinal cord injury is traumatic or nontraumatic, nerve fibers that pass through the injured area of the cord are affected. That can result in impairment of some or all of the muscles below the site of the spinal cord injury. With a complete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is fully compressed or severed. The brain’s ability to send signals to muscles below the level of the injury is totally eliminated. With an incomplete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is compressed or injured, but the ability of the brain to send signals below the level of the injury isn’t completely lost.
Common causes of spinal cord injuries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that strokes and spinal cord injuries are the two leading causes of paralysis in the United States. Common causes of traumatic spinal cord injuries include:
- Auto and motorcycle accidents
- Slip and falls and trip and falls
- Sports and recreational injuries
- Acts of violence
A traumatic spinal cord injury is likely to be catastrophic. The Reyna Law Firm in Texas is a statewide personal injury law firm with offices in San Antonio. JR Reyna has been successfully representing seriously injured clients for over 20 years. If you’d like to discuss spinal cord injury legal options with a skilled, experienced and compassionate lawyer, just call the Reyna Law Firm at 888-259-8249 for a free consultation and case evaluation. No legal fees are due unless JR obtains a settlement or verdict on your behalf.
For more information click here