Treatment Options for Spinal Cord Injuries

In the past, spinal cord injuries did not have treatment. Most injuries were severe and fatal. Fortunately, modern science has discovered ways in order to help people recover from spinal cord injuries. Technology has provided ways to shorten the healing times patients spend in a hospital. But there is still no breakthrough on how to completely reverse the damages done to the spinal cord. But scientists are still trying to find ways to deliver new treatment options and medications in order to facilitate nerve cell regeneration in the spine after a serious injury. Treatments in spinal cord injury are usually limited to prevention of later injuries as well as the rehabilitation of a person to lead a normal as possible life. The complexity and the seriousness of a spinal cord injury will depend on the swiftness and type of treatment that is given to the patient at the time of the injury. Right after an accident, emergency personnel must see to it that no further movement is done to the neck or back to prevent further damage to the spine. Also, your breathing is tracked carefully, as well as treatment to prevent shock in patients. These actions help insure long-term head trauma is kept to a minimum.

In the hospital, the doctors will run diagnostic tests in order to find out if you have spinal cord injury. One may be immobilized through sedation in order to prevent any more damage. If doctors discover a spinal cord injury, the patient will likely be then admitted to the ICU of the hospital or specialized treatment facility for further treatment.

Early in the treatment process, the physician will focus on treating the injury that has caused the loss of movement and bodily function below the injury location. The doctor may recommend the following options:

Medication

The doctor may prescribe Methylprednisolone or Medrol for acute spinal cord injury. This is highly effective if the person is given the medicine within 8 hours after the onset of the injury. This medication works by decreasing the inflammation at the location of the injury, thus reducing damage to the nerve fibers.

Immobilization

This can entail placing metal bracings, weights, neck collar or body harnesses on the skull in order to hold them in place. This is done to make the spine stable and aligned during the healing process.

Surgery

This may be another option in order to prevent future pain and deformation. Surgery also removes bone fragments or other objects that may be compressing the spine. There have been 2 schools of thought on the matter whether to perform it immediately or after a while and it still has yet to be resolved.

Aftercare and Rehabilitation

After the injury, the patient needs to be hospitalized for a few days or weeks. There will be rehab therapists who will assist the patient in order to regain movement and strength lost after the injury. This may last for a long time, so physical and emotional treatment can also be needed to cope up with the spinal cord injury.