Diagnosing an incomplete spinal cord injury can feel like a blessing and a curse.
After all, you’ve been spared from the severity of an outcome that could have paralyzed you completely. That said, it’s still important to take the injury seriously and understand that it will cause lifelong consequences that you must mentally and physically prepare for.
Keep reading to learn more about the differences between a complete vs incomplete spinal cord injury!
Definition
A complete spinal cord injury means you have lost all sensory and motor ability below the injury site, which is very bad. This means that people with complete injuries can’t feel or control anything below the point where the injury happened. For example, if the damage is in the neck, the person will usually be paralyzed from down and lose all feeling below the neck.
On the other hand, if the damage to the spinal cord isn’t too bad, there is some hope. Not all motor and sensory abilities below the injury level are lost in these situations. There are many different levels of disability. Some people with incomplete injuries may still have some feeling or motor control, which lets them do things independently.
Sensory Function
When a person has a full spinal cord injury, they lose all of their abilities below the point where the injury happened. This means that they can’t feel warmth, pressure, pain, or touch in those places. So, they might not notice crashes or pain, which can cause more problems if they don’t get the care they need to avoid things like pressure sores.
When spinal cord damage is not too bad, it is possible that some ability will still be there. This can feel very different, like being more or less sensitive to touch, pain, or changes in temperature. This residual sensory function can help people a lot during recovery because it may allow them to feel and respond to triggers that can help them with daily tasks and keep them safe.
Motor Function
When a full spinal cord injury happens, the person loses all muscle function below the point where the injury happened. This means that the person is crippled and can’t move the injured muscles on their own. If the damage is higher up on the spinal cord, they may need help from wheelchairs or ventilators to keep important processes going. This is because if the damage is higher up the spinal cord, it can hurt the muscles that help you breathe.
After incomplete spinal cord damage, people can keep different amounts of movement skills. Motor impairment can range from just a little bit of weakness to almost regular function. This depends on how bad the pain is and where it is. Some people with only partial injuries might be able to walk again with help, while others might only be able to use a few of their muscles.
Prognosis
In general, someone with a full spinal cord injury is less likely to be able to work better than someone with a partial injury. Even though medical advances and new treatments keep giving people hope, the chances of returning a lot of muscle function after a full injury are low. When someone has a serious injury, therapy generally focuses on keeping their general health, avoiding problems, and improving their quality of life.
Most of the time, people with incomplete spinal cord injuries are more likely to be able to work again. When people with injuries that aren’t completely healed go through thorough rehab, their movement and cognitive skills often get better. There are many different levels of healing. Still, the chance of being able to move around and take care of yourself on your own is often higher.
Location of Injury
Complete spinal cord damage usually happens at certain points along the cord. The body parts that are hurt depend on how bad the damage is. For example, an injury at the thoracic level could leave the lower limbs paralyzed. In contrast, an injury at the neck level could affect the arms, legs, and breathing.
On the other hand, partial spinal cord injuries can happen anywhere along the spinal cord and vary in how bad they are and where they happen. Because of this, people with missing injuries may have more difficult problems, with some parts of their bodies hurting more than others. Rehabilitation specialists at Spine Center Atlanta carefully look at the amount and severity of each injury to come up with spinal injury treatment plans that meet each patient’s needs and help them get better.
Bladder and Bowel Function
When someone has a complete spinal cord injury, they often lose control of their bladder and bowels. This disease is called neurogenic bladder and neurogenic bowel, and it causes people to leak urine and poop. Catheterization and bowel programs are often used to keep the patient clean and avoid complications.
When a spinal cord injury is only partly damaged, the bladder and bowel function can be affected in many different ways. Some people may still have some control, which lets them use the toilet independently or with little help.
Recovery Potential
Even though it’s not impossible to get better after a total spinal cord injury, most people don’t get better very much. The length of recovery varies a lot on things like the level of injury, how bad the injury is, and how different people are. But the chances of getting back a lot of motor and sensory function below the level of damage are usually lower than with incomplete injuries.
Spinal cord injuries that are only partially damaged are more likely to heal. Many people with injuries that aren’t completely healed go through rehabilitation programs that try to help them work better as much as possible. This gives them freedom that may not be possible in cases of complete injuries.
Unveiling the Paralysis Puzzle Between Complete vs Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
In summary, it is extremely important to understand the difference between a complete vs incomplete spinal cord injury to better diagnose and treat patients. Complete spinal cord injuries are more severe and require more advanced interventions than incomplete ones.
Make sure to educate yourself and stay informed about spinal cord injury to make informed decisions when facing adversity.
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