In order to achieve the highest rate of success, you must seek proper treatment following a spinal cord injury (SCI).
Finding Treatment for an SCI
Understanding spinal cord injuries.
A person who suffers a spinal cord injury will suffer from various functional losses that may include the inability to move or feel anything. Paralysis injuries result from different types of traumatic events (falls, gunshot wounds, car accidents, etc.) or diseases which can include spina bifida or polio, for example. What appears strange to many people is that a person does not necessarily sustain a spinal cord injury when he or she suffers from what we know as a broken back or neck, if only the bones in the surrounding area are damaged. Yet a loss of functioning may occur even though the spinal cord is not severed.
The effects an injured party might suffer from a spinal cord injury depend on both the type of injury, and its severity. The injury can be complete or incomplete depending on the level of sensation and movement a person feels. This information can help determine what parts of the body might suffer from paralysis or other functional losses. Some of the other changes a person with a spinal cord injury might experience include:
- Bladder and bowel dysfunction
- Changes in sexual functioning
- Fertility issues in males
- Injuries in the very high area (C-1, C-2) may cause loss of some of the involuntary functions such as breathing
- Low blood pressure
- Lack of ability to effectively regulate blood pressure
- Reduction in the ability to control the temperature of the body
- Cessation of sweating below the injury site
- Chronic pain
The Right Treatment is Essential.
Choosing the right rehabilitation program is essential for the successful treatment of any spinal cord injury. While both insurance and location will likely be the final determining factors, all programs include features that you can easily evaluate.
Choosing the highest quality spinal cord treatment means that you or your family must find and research many different rehabilitation programs. Quite frequently, you will find the highest quality programs located within the confines of facilities that are designed specifically for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The program should involve a team of specialists that include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:
- Rehabilitation nurses
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Social workers
- Vocational counselors
- Recreational therapists
- Nutritionists
- Rehabilitation psychologists
In the state of Texas, the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) offers a program called Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services (CRS). This program works to help those who have spinal cord injuries use all of the available resources to help them improve their potential for functioning independently. The Texas CRS program serves to help consumers who have spinal cord injuries (SCIs) receive individualized services in order to improve their ability to function independently.