Exactly how one’s body responds to a spinal cord injury depends on the location of the injury and the extent of the damage to the spinal cord. Generally speaking, the closer an injury is to one’s head, the more of the body that will be affected.
For example, an injury in the neck could leave a victim unable to move below their neck. Such an injury may even cause a person to experience problems with breathing and regulating their body temperature.
It is also important to remember that the spinal cord need not be torn or cut before one experiences symptoms. Problems can emerge if the spinal cord is crushed or bruised or even stretched out. While a person may not experience complete paralysis in such cases, they will likely still experience some loss of sensation and movement below the affected area.
While such injuries happen for a number of reasons, the important thing for people to remember is any trauma to the spinal cord is a potentially disabling injury. A person who finds they can no longer work because of a spine injury may be able to receive benefits through the Social Security Administration.
