What is the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury?

The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury can be categorized as acute impact or compression. Acute impact injury is a concussion of the spinal cord. This type of injury initiates a cascade of events focused in the gray matter, and results in hemorrhagic necrosis.

What are some assessment findings with a patient with a spinal cord injury?

Depending on the level of the lesion individuals with a spinal cord injury may present with either increased or decreased muscle tone.

Decreased Tone.
Increased Tone.
Deep Tendon Reflexes.
Plantar Reflex (Babinski’s Sign)
Hoffmanns Reflex (Finger Flexor Test)

How do you assess if the victim has spinal injury?

Look for:

pain in the neck or back at the site of injury.
irregular shape or twist in the normal curve of the spine.
tenderness and/or bruising in the skin over the spine.
movement of limbs may be weak or absent.
loss of sensation, or abnormal sensations, e.g. burning or tingling.
loss of bladder and/or bowel control.

What is the physical impact of a spinal cord injury?

Extreme back pain or pressure in your neck, head or back. Weakness, incoordination or paralysis in any part of your body. Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes. Loss of bladder or bowel control.

What assessment findings are associated with injuries of the spinal cord at the thoracic level?

The following may be associated with thoracic spine nerve damage:

Significant leg weakness or loss of sensation.
Loss of feeling in genitals or rectal region.
No control of urine or stool.
Fever and lower back pain.
A fall or injury that caused the pain.

What are two types of physical trauma that can damage the spinal cord?

Most cases can be divided into two types of spinal cord injury – complete spinal cord injury vs. incomplete: A complete spinal cord injury causes permanent damage to the area of the spinal cord that is affected. Paraplegia or tetraplegia are results of complete spinal cord injuries.

What is the most important step in an injury assessment?

Identifying the history of the injury can be the most important step of injury assessment. A com- plete history includes information regarding the primary complaint, cause or mechanism of the injury, characteristics of the symptoms, and any related medical history that may have a bearing on the specific condition.

Which physical findings are characteristic of autonomic dysfunction in spinal cord injury SCI )?

Goose bumps below the level of the lesion. Flushing of the skin above the level of the lesion – Especially in the face, neck, and shoulders; this is a frequent symptom. Blurred vision. Nasal congestion – A common symptom.

What is the initial step of assessment in a suspected spinal injury?

Perform an X-ray as the first-line investigation for people with suspected spinal column injury without abnormal neurological signs or symptoms in the thoracic or lumbosacral regions (T1–L3). Perform CT if the X-ray is abnormal or there are clinical signs or symptoms of a spinal column injury.

What are four things you should do if you suspect a spinal injury?

If you suspect someone has a spinal injury:

Get help. Call 911 or emergency medical help.
Keep the person still. Place heavy towels or rolled sheets on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent movement.
Avoid moving the head or neck.
Keep helmet on.
Don’t roll alone.

What is included in a comprehensive clinical assessment of spinal cord injuries?

The comprehensive clinical assessment of the individual with a spinal cord injury should both accurately describe the individual’s neurological function (motor and sensory examinations) and generally predict the future relative abilities and/or impairment given the neurological status.

Why do we assess spinal cord injury patients?

The assessment of an individual with a spinal cord injury is an important initial step in physiotherapy management. This step is not only important for setting realistic goals, but also for identifying key problems. We can use the ICF to articulate the goals and purpose of physiotherapy for individuals with a spinal cord injury.

How to write a nursing care plan for spinal cord injury?

Nursing Care Plan for Spinal Cord Injury 1 Pathophysiology. The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that comes off of the brain stem, runs down through the vertebral column, and branches out to innervate the entire body. 2 Etiology. 3 Desired Outcome. 4 Spinal Cord Injury Nursing Care Plan 5 Nursing Interventions and Rationales.

What is the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI)?

In SCI lesion, apoptosis primarily happens due to injury induced Ca2+influx, which activates caspases and calpain; enzymes involved in breakdown of cellular proteins (7).