Spinal cord injuries can impact your life in a variety of manners. Whether this injury is caused by a vehicle crash, a fall or medical malpractice, you should ensure that you’re prepared for the possible impacts that come with it.
Weight gain or loss
Spinal cord injuries may cause you to gain weight due to lack of activity and stress. Those same two factors may also cause you to lose weight. Both of these can lead to health problems, so you should be very careful not to allow this to become too severe. Monitoring your weight is likely going to be a normal part of your medical follow-up visits after the injury.
Muscle spasticity
The spinal cord sends signals to all the body parts, including the muscles. Some people have issues with the signals that control the muscles. This can lead to the muscles contracting uncontrollably. This is a painful condition that isn’t easy to cope with. For some, stretching exercises may help to minimize the chance of this occurring.
Bone density
Osteoporosis is common in spinal cord injury patients. This is because they aren’t able to keep the bones strong through weight-bearing like individuals who are healthy and fully mobile. Some patients with this condition will suffer from fractures. It’s also possible that they might experience bone growth in areas that don’t normally have bones, such as within the muscles.
Anyone who suffers from a spinal cord injury should ensure they get medical care right away. They might also opt to pursue a claim for compensation from the party whose negligence led to the spinal cord injury.