POPIN Friday Fact

 

If you have any questions about the information contained within, or you'd like to find out more about Family Network on Disabilities FREE trainings, please visit our website at www.fndusa.org or call TOLL FREE in Florida 800-825-5736. Want to know more? We offer over 30 online tutorials on our website. You can find them at www.fndfl.org/Tutorials.asp.

  

Types of Paralysis - Quadriplegia (Tetraplegia) and Paraplegia


Spinal Cord Injury Overview

When a person suffers a spinal cord injury, information traveling along the spinal nerves below the level of injury will be either completely or partially cut off from the brain, resulting in Quadriplegia (Tetraplegia) or Paraplegia.

The body will still be trying to send messages from below the level of injury to the brain known as sensory messages, and the brain will still be trying to send messages downwards to the muscles in the body, known as motor messages. These messages however, will be blocked by the damage in the spinal cord at the level of injury. Nerves joining the spinal cord above the level of injury will be unaffected and continue to work as normal.

Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia   Quadriplegia / Tetraplegia is when a person has a spinal cord injury above the first thoracic vertebra, paralysis usually affects the cervical spinal nerves resulting in paralysis of all four limbs. In addition to the arms and legs being paralyzed, the abdominal and chest muscles will also be affected resulting in weakened breathing and the inability to properly cough and clear the chest. People with this type of paralysis are referred to as Quadriplegic or Tetraplegic. The term Quadriplegic or Quadriplegia may also sometimes be used, mainly in the UK.

Paraplegia  Paraplegia is when the level of injury occurs below the first thoracic spinal nerve. The degree at which the person is paralyzed can vary from the impairment of leg movement, to complete paralysis of the legs and abdomen up to the nipple line. Paraplegics have full use of their arms and hands.

Cauda Equina Syndrome   The Cauda Equina is the mass of nerves which fan out of the spinal cord at between the first and second Lumbar region of the spine. The spinal cord ends at L1 and L2 at which point a bundle of nerves travel downwards through the Lumbar and Sacral vertebrae. Injury to these nerves will cause partial or complete loss of movement andsensation. It is possible, if the nerves are not too badly damaged, for them to grow again and for the recovery of function. The resultant paralysis results in paraplegia, but this is known as a Cauda Equina Syndrome injury.

Level of Spinal Cord Injury (Lesion) The spinal cord injury level, otherwise known as a lesion, is the exact point in the spinal cord segment at which damage has occurred. The levels are determined by counting the nerves from the top of the spine downwards, and these nerves are grouped into four different areas. These are the Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar and Sacral parts of the spinal cord.

These areas are important in defining quadriplegia and paraplegia, as damage to the spinal cord as these points directly determines how groups of muscles, organs and sensations will be affected.

 

How the spinal cord has been damage is also a consideration when evaluating a spinal cord injury. There are two types of lesions; these are a complete injury and an incomplete injury. Someone with a complete injury will have complete loss of muscle control and sensation below their level of lesion. An incomplete injury is where maybe only the muscles have been paralyzed, or where there is impaired sensation.

Functionality after a Spinal Cord Injury The degree to which a person's body will work following a spinal cord injury resulting in quadriplegia or paraplegia will depend on the level of injury, and whether the injury was complete of incomplete. In order to show what functionality will be possible following a complete spinal cord injury, we have put together the most common abilities for varying degrees of paralysis.

  

Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries

 

Anterior Cord Syndrome: is when the damage is towards the front of the spinal cord, this can leave a person with the loss or impaired ability to sense pain, temperature and touch sensations below their level of injury. Pressure and joint sensation may be preserved. It is possible people with this injury to later recover some movement.

 

Central Cord Syndrome: is when the damage is in the centre of the spinal cord. This typically results in the loss of function in the arms, but some leg functions may be preserved. There may also be some control over the bowels and bladder. It is possible for some recovery from this type of injury, usually in the legs, gradually progressing upwards.

 

Posterior Cord Syndrome: is when the damage is towards the back of the spinal cord. This type of injury may leave the person with good muscle power, pain and temperature sensation; however they may experience difficulty in coordinating movement of their limbs.

 

Brown Sequard Syndrome: is when damage is towards one side of the spinal cord. These results in impaired or loss of movement to the injured side, but pain and temperature sensation may be preserved. The opposite side of injury will have normal movement, but pain and temperature sensation will be impaired or loss.

 

 

Resources:

* Apparelyzed ~ Spinal Cord Injury Peer Support

www.apparelyzed.com/paralysis.html

 

Family Network on Disabilities

2196 Main St, Suite K  

Dunedin, Florida 34698