What is an acute spinal cord injury (SCI)?
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is due to a traumatic injury. The injury may cause a bruise (contusion), a partial tear, or a complete tear (transection) in the spinal cord. SCI is more common in men and young adults.
SCI results in a decrease or loss of movement, feeling, and organ function below the level of the injury. The most common sites of injury are the cervical and thoracic areas. SCI is a common cause of lifelong (permanent) disability and death in children and adults.
The spine has 33 vertebrae. They are:
- 7 cervical (neck)
- 12 thoracic (upper back)
- 5 lumbar (lower back)
- 5 sacral* (sacrum, located in the pelvis)
- 4 coccygeal* (coccyx, located in the pelvis)
* By adulthood, the 5 sacral vertebrae fuse to form 1 bone. The 4 coccygeal vertebrae fuse to form 1 bone.
These vertebrae form the spine and protect the spinal cord. In general, the higher up the spine that the injury happens, the more severe the symptoms. Injury to the vertebrae does not always mean the spinal cord has been damaged. And damage to the spinal cord can happen without breaks or dislocations of the vertebrae.
SCI can be divided into 2 main types of injury:
- Complete injury. There is no function below the level of the injury. This means no feeling or movement. Both sides of the body are equally affected. Complete injuries can happen at any level of the spinal cord.
- Incomplete injury. There is some function below the level of the injury. This could be movement in one limb more than the other, feeling in parts of the body, or more function on one side of the body than the other. Incomplete injuries can happen at any level of the spinal cord.
What causes an acute spinal cord injury?
There are many causes of SCI. The more common injuries happen when the area of the spine or neck is bent or compressed. This can be caused by:
- Birth injuries, which often affect the spinal cord in the neck area
- Falls
- Sports injuries
- Diving accidents
- Trampoline accidents
- Violence, such as injuries that pierce the spinal cord, including gunshots and stab wounds
- The most common symptoms of acute spinal cord injury may include:
- Muscle weakness or paralysis in the trunk, arms, or legs
- Loss of feeling in the trunk, arms, or legs
- Muscle spasticity
- Breathing problems
- Problems with heart rate and blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Loss of bowel and bladder function
- Sexual problems