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Symptoms
Symptoms vary depending on the severity and location of the SCI. At first, the patient may experience spinal shock, which causes loss of feeling, muscle movement, and reflexes below the level of injury. Spinal shock usually lasts from several hours to several weeks. As the period of shock subsides, other symptoms appear, depending on the location of the injury.
Generally, the higher up the level of the injury to the spinal cord, the more severe the symptoms. For example, an injury at C2 or C3 (the second and third vertebrae in the spinal column), affects the respiratory muscles and the ability to breathe. A lower injury, in the lumbar vertebrae, may affect nerve and muscle control to the bladder, bowel, and legs.
SCI is classified according to the person’s type of loss of motor and sensory function. The following are the main types of classifications:
- Quadriplegia (quad means four) — involves loss of movement and sensation in all four limbs (arms and legs). It usually occurs as a result of injury at T1 or above. Quadriplegia also affects the chest muscles and injuries at C4 or above require a mechanical breathing machine (ventilator).
- Paraplegia (para means two like parts) — involves loss of movement and sensation in the lower half of the body (right and left legs). It usually occurs as a result of injuries at T1 or below.
- Triplegia (tri means three) — involves the loss of movement and sensation in one arm and both legs and usually results from incomplete SCI.
- Quadriparesis and paraparesis refer to partial loss of function.
The following are the most common symptoms of acute spinal cord injuries. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
- Muscle weakness or paralysis in the trunk, arms or legs
- Loss of feeling in the trunk, arms, or legs
- Muscle spasticity
- Breathing problems
- Problems with heart rate and blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Loss of bowel and bladder function
- Sexual dysfunction
The symptoms of SCI may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
Diagnosis
The full extent of the SCI may not be completely understood immediately after the injury, but may be revealed with a comprehensive medical evaluation and diagnostic testing. The diagnosis of SCI is made with a physical examination and diagnostic tests. During the examination, the physician obtains a complete medical history and inquires as to how the injury occurred. Trauma to the spinal cord can cause neurological problems and requires further medical follow-up.
Diagnostic tests may include:
- Blood tests
- X-ray — a diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
- Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan) — a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general x-rays.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.
