Effects of Spinal Cord Injury

The spinal cord is part of the body’s central nervous system. It connects the brain to the lower back, and transmits nerve signals back and forth, allowing the body to move and experience sensations. Spinal cord injuries can impact strength, movement, and sensations, essentially compromising all areas of a person’s life.

Spinal cord injury attorneys Sean M. Burke and Jason N. Argos have helped numerous people in the Irvine, CA, area pursue compensation for damages caused by a spinal cord injury. Here, we go over the potentially catastrophic effects of a spinal cord injury, many of which are permanent. 

Loss of Movement

Loss of movement, or paralysis, is one of the greatest dangers of a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord sends and receives nerve signals to and from the brain, which allows a person to move the limbs and extremities. When the spinal cord is injured, those signals are interrupted. Some people lose some motor function below the point of a spinal cord injury, but if damage is severe enough, a person can lose all movement below the point of the injury. 

Loss of Sensations

Along with a loss of movement, many of our Irvine clients suffer from a loss of sensation following a spinal cord injury. Again, the degree of sensation loss and the area of loss is dependent on where the spinal cord is injured and how severely. Individuals may experience altered sensations, constant tingling, or feeling of numbness; or they may be completely unable to feel any sensations, including heat, cold, or touch.

Spasms

If someone loses movement as the result of a spinal cord injury, that doesn’t mean that the body won’t move at all. Rather it means that they have lost control of those movements. It is not uncommon for individuals to experience random spasms or exaggerated reflex activities following a spinal cord injury.

Loss of Bowel or Bladder Control

Some people suffer from incontinence, or a loss of bowel or bladder control after a spinal cord injury. These individuals are not only unable to control when they urinate or have a bowel movement, but they are often unable to feel the need to use the restroom.

Change in Sexual Functions or Sensations

Depending on the point of a spinal cord injury, people may experience a change in sexual sensations or a complete loss of sexual sensations. It is also not unusual for sexual functions to be lost. This has a huge impact on a person’s quality of life, and can also take away the ability to have a child.

Difficulty Breathing 

If a spinal cord injury occurs toward the top of the spine, it can impact the function of the lungs. This can lead to a wide range of issues for our Irvine clients, including difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, an inability to clear secretions from the lungs, and frequent bouts of pneumonia.

Get In Touch

A spinal cord injury can have widespread and permanent effects on a person's life. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury due to another person’s reckless or negligent actions, we can help you hold them accountable. To discuss your situation with attorneys Sean M. Burke and Jason N. Argos, contact our law firm online or call (949) 644-3434 at your earliest convenience.