There are many different issues that can affect the spine and may make you uncomfortable or could make it difficult for you to move about freely. These types of injuries are relatively common and many individuals throughout the Plano, Prosper, Frisco and Dallas Metroplex areas are experiencing these difficulties on a regular basis. In fact, a sore back is the most common reason why people miss work. At times, however, the issue may be quite serious and that is the case with the spinal column or spinal cord injury.
A spinal cord injury can be catastrophic and it not only affects the individual who is suffering from the injury directly, it affects anyone in their circle of family and friends as well. It actually may take place more often than you realize and across the United States, more than 12,000 individuals suffer from a spinal cord injury every year. Most people don’t really have a grasp on exactly what a spinal column or cord injury can do to an individual, but it could leave a person paralyzed in a worst-case scenario.
The spinal cord is a column of nerves that is wrapped in a sheath of myelin and then protected by the vertebrae in the spinal column. It is made up of several different parts, including the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal. A spinal injury can occur in any one of these areas although they are more likely to occur in the cervical or lumbar spine.
Spinal cord injuries may also occur in different ways and in different degrees of severity. Typically, it is either considered to be an incomplete injury or a complete injury. If you suffer from an incomplete spinal cord injury, there is damage to the spinal cord although it is not fully severed. An individual who suffers from an incomplete spinal cord injury may retain certain functions of the human body but that is going to differ from one individual to another. When a complete spinal cord injury occurs, however, the cord is completely severed and it eliminates the ability to function. In some cases, however, the function can be regained with the right type of therapy and treatment.
Most people in the Frisco area or throughout the Dallas Metroplex who have suffered a spinal cord injury are not going to have any question in their mind as to whether it is an issue. In fact, it is a life-threatening issue in many cases but the symptoms may differ from one individual to another. Some of the specific types of symptoms can include a difficulty with breathing, paralysis, a loss of bladder or bowel function, chronic pain, bedsores, loss of libido, nerve pain, muscle pain, pneumonia and frequently occurring infections.
Spinal Cord Injury Doctor
If you have a spinal column or cord injury, you can contact the offices of Dr. Dickerman for assistance. He may have treatment options available that could assist you in regaining some function and seeing the best results for the type of injury that you have experienced.
