Kansas City Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects over 10,000 people in this country every year. The medical profession defines SCI as any damage to the spinal cord causing loss or reduction of function, mobility, or sensation. SCI is most often caused by trauma (auto accidents are the leading cause), though disease can also be a factor.

Two types of SCI exist: complete and incomplete. The symptoms of a complete injury are total: no function below the level of the injury. All other injuries (in which some sensation or movement remains) are incomplete injuries.

Injuries are categorized according to the area of the spine affected. An injury to the spine at the lower back will affect the lumbar vertebrae – injury to the nerves at the fifth lumbar vertebra is called an L-5 injury, for instance. Above the lumbar vertebrae are the thoracic vertebrae (the upper back) and above the thoracic, the cervical (neck).

The higher on the spine the injury, the greater the potential for severe loss of function. Neck injuries can lead to paralysis of all four limbs (quadriplegia), while upper and lower back injuries can only cause paralysis of the lower limbs (paraplegia). The degree of dysfunction and loss of sensation and mobility will vary depending on the severity of the injury.

It is not uncommon for SCI to trigger swelling of the spinal cord, which often affects the entire body. This swelling is temporary, though it may linger for weeks or months. When it subsides, the patient will likely regain at least some degree of function, though it is extremely rare for all function to return.

Presently, there is no cure for SCI. Currently treatments minimize discomfort and pursue physical therapy to regain as much function as possible. Stem cell research shows promise for the future for curing SCI.