Only a few bodily injuries more devastating than a spinal cord injury (SCI). A blow to the spine could confine one to a wheelchair or lead to other unfortunate and life-altering challenges. Thankfully, if you’ve suffered an injury to your spine, you can get the best spinal cord injury treatment in Lehigh Acres, FL.
The spinal cord, easily one of the most delicate parts of the body, enjoys a high level of protection, and for good reasons. Firstly, it’s difficult to achieve complete restoration after a spinal cord injury. However, meeting an experienced chiropractor will give you an excellent chance to get your life back to normal.
In this article, you will learn more about spinal cord injuries. Most importantly, you will see why chiropractors are crucial to spinal injury healing.
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What is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury is any harm to the spinal cord. Your spinal cord is a collection of nerves and tissues that are housed in the vertebrae. It is in charge of sending signals from the body to the brain, as well as from the brain to other parts of the body.
The vertebra is a vertical arrangement of hollow bones which protect the spinal cord. The vertebrae take the bullet for the spinal cord, by receiving every blow to the spine. However, there are limits to the amount of impact the vertebrae can take for the spinal cord.
After a traumatic blow to the spine, such as an auto accident impact, the vertebrae may suffer a fracture. These fractured bones then apply pressure to the spine, damaging it.
Spinal cord injuries lead to severe physical trauma for the victims. So, if you’ve suffered a spinal cord wound, you may be battling with one form of incapacity or the other. Spinal cord injuries can make it difficult to walk, perceive pain, or move large body areas.
What Are the Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Whether it’s from an auto accident, stab wound, or fall, we can classify spinal cord injuries in two ways. Some spinal cord injuries are complete, while some others are incomplete. We explain both of them below.
Complete Spinal Cord Injuries
A complete spinal cord injury will make you unable to move or feel sensations below the injury level (neurological level). In this situation, the damage ceases blood flow to the injured part. In addition, there might be bruises on the injury spot.
In complete spinal injuries, both left and right sides of the body bear the brunt of the damage. Also, there could be paralysis of the lower part of the body or all four limbs. These conditions are called paraplegia and quadriplegia, respectively.
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
For incomplete spinal injuries, one part of the body below the injury spot maintains its ability to move or feel. This is because some communication channels between the body and the brain will remain active. For example, someone with a spinal cord injury can move one leg better than the other.
How Are Spinal Cord Injuries Graded?
You can know the severity of your spinal injury by using a grading system. The American Spinal Injury Association has set a scale for measuring the severity of spinal cord injuries. This scale is called the ASIA SCI grading scale.
The ASIA SCI grading scale classifies all spinal injuries into five grades: A, B, C, D, and E. Here are their descriptions.
- ASIA Grade A: Complete SCI with no ability to move for feel below the neurological level.
- ASIA Grade B: Incomplete SCI and the patient retains some ability to feel below the neurological level but zero ability to move.
- ASIA Grade C: Incomplete SCI with some ability to move below the neurological level. Fewer muscles can move upwards or act against gravity.
- ASIA Grade D: Incomplete SCI and the victim retains some ability to move below the neurological level. More muscles can move upwards or act against gravity.
- ASIA Grade E: The ability to move and feel is entirely normal.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Spinal Injury?
Chiropractors provide non-traditional treatment solutions for various medical conditions involving the skeletal structure. Spinal injuries also benefit from chiropractic care. So, a chiropractor can adjust the spine’s bones to relieve pain and restore body functions after an SCI.
You should see a chiropractor if you’ve noticed any of the symptoms of spinal cord injury, such as:
- Muscle spasms
- Neck, back, and shoulder pain
- Arm and leg pain
- Numbness
- Loss of movement
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Breathing difficulty
- Loss of sensation
- Twisted neck or back
Your chiropractor will first conduct an examination to assess the extent of the damage. Furthermore, they will perform a combination of procedures to ease the pressure on the spinal cord and improve blood flow. After that, you should feel significant pain relief and start performing activities you previously could not.
Let us see some procedures a chiropractor may prescribe for your treatment.
Spinal Adjustment
Your chiropractor will apply pressure on your spine through their hands, so your bones can fall into place. For misalignments that require more control than the hands can afford, a chiropractor will use special instruments. Spinal alignments alone can ease a significant amount of the pain you feel.
Physical Therapy
Your chiropractor may also recommend physical therapy to consolidate the gains from the spinal manipulation. Physical therapy involves exercises that will strengthen the bones in your back and enhance your ability to move body parts.
Ultrasound Therapy
Your chiropractor may also utilize ultrasound technology to heal inflammation, improve blood flow, and make your muscles more flexible. Ultrasound therapy will achieve these by heating soft tissues in the affected areas.
Cold and Hot Therapy
Your chiropractor may use ice packs or heating pads during treatment as part of the hot and cold therapy. The ice reduces inflammation and swelling, while the heat eases muscle stiffness. Furthermore, this therapy may involve injecting you with cold saline to promote post-surgery healing.
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Electrical Muscle Stimulation
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is a technique that involves passing electric charges through electrodes into your back. EMS strengthens the muscles and tissues around the affected area and reduces the frequency and number of possible muscle spasms.
Get the Best Chiropractic Spinal Cord Injury Treatment in Lehigh Acres, FL
Specific Care Chiropractors stand out among the chiropractors you can call for spinal injury treatments. In Lehigh Acres and across Florida, our services have a high record of recovery success in care, pain relief, and rehabilitation for spinal cord injury victims.
Our chiropractors are trained and licensed to carry out spinal manipulations and other forms of SCI treatment. Prepare to receive customized care from us because we understand that all cases aren’t the same. So, book an appointment with us now to receive care from the best injury treatment center in Lehigh Acres, FL.
