Spinal injury does not necessarily entail injury to the spinal cord. It can describe any injury to the spine, such as a whiplash that can result in spinal injury that is temporary. When the spinal cord is involved, the resulting injuries are more serious and, in some cases, the damage is beyond repair.

Injuries to the spine can happen different ways. They can be from tumors, diseases or from developmental problems. Often, the injury is traumatic, resulting from work-related or automobile accidents. The trauma may be only to the vertebrae initially, which is why it is critical not to move a person with neck or back injuries. This movement itself can cause injury to the spinal cord.

Nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body travel through spinal cord. The effects of a spinal cord injury will be dependent upon where in the spinal column the injury has occurred. These types of injuries can be divided into those that are complete injuries and those that are incomplete.

If the injury is termed complete, it signifies that motor and sensory function has been lost below a specific level of the spine. People with injuries in this category rarely recover the ability to walk.

In incomplete injuries, some sensory and/or motor function is retained below the level of injury. Most people who retain some function will recover some ability to move themselves. This may or may not include the ability to walk unassisted.

Other bodily functions are affected by spinal cord injury besides mobility. The nerves coming off the spinal column travel to the different organs in the body. Injury to the spinal cord can affect organ function below the injury level.

For example, cervical level injuries can effect breathing, so much so that the person sometimes needs respiratory aids. Other level injuries may affect organs such as the kidneys, the gall bladder, bowels and bladder. Incontinence and infection are common after injuries to the spine, as is penile dysfunction.

Among the other effects of spinal injury can be pain, muscle atrophy and reflex spasticity. Motor function, such as mobility, is generally affects as previously discussed. Injuries to the spinal cord can result in the person becoming paraplegic or quadriplegic.

At the initial time of the injury, there will be inflammation present. Once the inflammation is reduced, a more accurate diagnosis and prognosis and be determined. Those patients with spinal injuries which are incomplete may regain partial mobility but, even with these, complete mobility is rare.

Especially with the potential severity of spinal injury effects on the body, it is vital to be thoroughly examined following any type of accident that affects the neck and/or back. You need to be sure that there are no more serious injuries than are immediately apparent. For example, injuries to the vertebrae can cause injury to the cord if not treated.