Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

    Severity of Spinal Cord Injury is a Key Distinction

    Spinal cord injuries are described in two ways —
    by the location of the injury and the severity.

    Location of the Spinal Cord Injury

    The location of the spinal cord injury determines what parts of the body are affected by the injury.
    Generally, the higher the location of the injury, the more areas of the body that will be affected:
    •        The neck region (cervical) controls the upper part of the body, including the arms, hands,
    shoulders, diaphragm, neck and head.
    •        The upper back (thoracic) controls chest muscles and parts of the back and abdomen
    •        The middle back (lumbar) affects the lower back and abdomen, the buttocks, and parts of the
    legs and sexual organs.
    •        The hip region (sacral) controls the lower parts of the legs controls and parts of the sexual
    organs
    •        The tailbone region (coccygeal) controls sensation from the lower back
    Paralysis that affects both the upper and lower parts of the body including the arms and legs is
    called quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Paralysis that affects only the lower part of the body is called
    paraplegia. Paralysis that affects one side of the body is called hemiplegia.

    Severity of the Spinal Cord Injury

    Partial and Complete Spinal Cord Injuries

    With a partial injury, the spinal cord is still able to convey some messages to and from your brain.
    As a result, the person who is affected retains some sensation and the possibly of some
    movement below the location of the injury. Those who have partial spinal cord injuries may
    experience significant recovery with treatment.

    A complete spinal cord injury means that the damage is so great that no (or very few) messages
    can get through. The person affected has a total or near-total loss of feeling and movement below
    the location of the injury. Even in a complete injury, a few messages can get through since the
    spinal cord is rarely severed.

    For More Information Contact Us Today to Speak With a Member

    For more information about types of spinal cord injury or to discuss your situation with one of our
    members, contact the U.S. Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Center for a consultation. We have offices
    in Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida.
Education and Resources for those in Need: 888 651 5544
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