What is a Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury?
A research study on spinal cord injuries was recently published in the British Medical Journal, which focused on lumbar spinal cord injuries. These injuries can take many forms. One of the most common is a herniated disc, a painful injury that can cause individuals to miss a significant amount of time from work or school. Some of the relevant statistics from the research study include:
- A herniated lumbar disc is one of the most common spinal cord injuries that someone can suffer.
- The typical age range of individuals sustaining this injury is between 30 and 50 years.
- Herniated lumbar discs are twice as common in men as in women.
- Treatment options for a herniated disc include rest, muscle relaxants, NSAIDs, and immunologic medications.
- After six weeks, many individuals end up undergoing a surgical procedure to address their symptoms.
A herniated disc is only one of several different types of lumbar spinal cord injuries.
The Regions of the Spinal Cord
The spinal cord performs a number of important functions for the human body. Some of these include:
- Providing motor and sensory function for the entire body.
- Protecting the spinal cord and its nerve roots as it runs from the base of the skull to the pelvis.
- Helping to maintain the body’s posture.
- Providing some flexibility for the chest and torso.
The spinal cord is divided into multiple segments with different functions:
- The cervical spine is at the top
- The thoracic spine is next
- The lumbar region is second from the bottom
- Lastly, the sacrum is just above the level of the pelvis
The lumbar spinal region is one of the most vulnerable.
Types of Lumbar Spinal Cord Injuries
Like many other injuries that someone might sustain in an auto accident, the world of lumbar spinal cord injuries is diverse. The lumbar region of the spinal cord is toward the bottom. This is one of the most common locations for back and spine injuries. Some of the injuries that an individual might suffer include:
- Herniated Disc: In a herniated disc injury, the inside of the spinal cord disc ruptures. This causes intense back pain that often radiates down one or both legs. Many of these individuals require surgery.
- Muscle Strain or Sprain: It is also possible for people to suffer a sprained back. A strain of the lumbar paraspinal muscles creates pain to the right or left of the bone. This pain can create spasms which can make it hard to get out of bed. In many cases, these injuries are improved with rest, ice, and muscle relaxants.
- Spinal Cord Transection: This is one of the most severe injuries that someone can suffer. In this injury, the nerve roots themselves are severed. This often leads to permanent motor and sensory deficits, including paralysis. This can occur with either blunt or penetrating injuries of the spine.
Watch YouTube Video: Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms. This short animated video demonstrates the symptoms of a spinal cord injury.
Contacting an Injury Lawyer
The spinal cord is an important part of the body. Unfortunately, injuries of the spine are often permanent. This can include chronic pain, loss of sensory function, and loss of various motor functions. It is important for families to know that it is okay to ask for help. Under these circumstances, meeting with a personal injury attorney in Sacramento can help a family find answers to their questions. Some of the ways that an injury lawyer can help include:
- Working with accident reconstruction specialists to make sure that the mechanism of the accident is correct.
- Making sure that any liability for the accident has been assigned appropriately.
- Negotiating with insurance companies to help families receive larger benefits and payouts.
- Assisting families in pursuing damages related to their injuries, pain, and suffering.
Meeting with a Sacramento personal injury lawyer can be helpful. You and your family could be deserving of a financial award.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento. An injury of the lumbar spine can lead to permanent complications. If you or a member of your family have sustained a spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle collision, call me at your earliest convenience at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
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What is a Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury?: Autoaccident.com
Image Attribution: The image at the top of this post is seen in its unaltered form on Pixabay. The picture has been printed here with permission/ What is a Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury?.
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