Injuries to the segments of your spinal cord that are contained in the cervical spinal vertebrae typically result in some degree of paralysis to all 4 limbs, which result in quadriplegia. Injuries inside the thoracic area typically affect the chest, as well as the legs and cause paraplegia. Vertebra within the lower back in between your thoracic vertebra in which the ribs connect and your pelvis include the lumbar vertebra. Sacral vertebra will run from your pelvis over to the spinal column’s end. Injuries to your 5 lumbar vertebra and likewise to the 5 sacral vertebra usually produce a lack of function within the legs, hips, bowel, bladder, as well as sexual function.
Where does the spinal cord end?
Your spinal cord ends between L1 to L2 in which a group of spinal nerves continually go downward in the lumbar and sacral vertebrae. The group of spinal nerves is called the cauda equine. Damage to those root nerves is called cauda equina syndrome.
The effects of spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury effects depend upon the injury level and kind of injury. Spinal cord injury may be separated into two kinds of injury: incomplete and complete. Complete injury causes no function under the neurological injury level: no voluntary movement and no sensation. All sides of your body equally are affected. Incomplete injury causes a bit of preserved function under the neurological injury level. An individual who has incomplete injuries might have the ability to move a single limb more than the other, might have the ability to feel portions of their body which can’t be moved, or might have more function upon one part of their body than another.
For more information on spinal cord injury, contact the law offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. at (855) 760-6746.
