Spinal cord injury
If it is an injury to the spinal cord or corresponding nerve tracts, other symptoms may also be present: In some patients, previously non-existent reflexes occur, these are called pathological reflexes. In addition, disturbances of sensation or sensation of loss of sensation are possible. Further symptoms can be muscle weakness or muscle paralysis.
A distinction is made as to whether the paralysis is hemiplegic, affects only arms or legs, or affects all four limbs. According to this, the paralyses can be classified as follows: In severe cases, complete paraplegia occurs. Paraplegia is damage to the spinal cord along its entire diameter.
It does not always have to be a complete paraplegia directly. For example, a fractured vertebra can lead to a partial injury of the spinal cord, which can lead to complete paraplegia due to water retention (so-called spinal cord edema). Also possible is bleeding or fracture parts pressing on the spinal cord, which can cause paraplegia.
Paraplegia begins with a flaccid paralysis of the muscles, with additional sensory disturbances below the injury. The flaccid paralysis then turns into a spastic paralysis, and pathological reflexes can also occur. In addition, vegetative disorders can also occur in paraplegia.
In addition, disturbances of urinary and fecal continence, in the anal and coccyx region (so-called breeches region), disturbances of sensation/misperceptions can occur. Paraplegia and urinary, faecal incontinence and sensory disturbances in the anal region represent an absolute emergency! The symptoms depend in particular on the location of the vertebral fracture.Fractures of the cervical spine are therefore characterized by pain in this region both at rest and in motion, incorrect posture of the head and the subjective feeling that one can no longer hold the head.
In addition, injuries to the cervical spine can cause swallowing difficulties. In the case of injuries to the lumbar vertebrae or coccygeal vertebrae, it is mainly the lower limbs that are affected with pain, lack of strength and/or numbness. In addition, as already mentioned above, faecal and urinary incontinence can occur at this height of the spine, resulting in sensory disturbances and sensations in this region.
- In the case of tetraplegia, all four limbs would be affected. In this case there is a very severe injury of the spinal cord in the cervical vertebrae.
- Paraplegia is damage to the spinal cord in the area of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Only the lower or upper limbs are affected. In addition, there are usually sensory disturbances in the area of the paralysis.