After suffering a spinal cord injury, your focus likely falls to the partial or total paralysis you experienced as a result of your accident. In addition to losing some or all of your feeling and mobility, a spinal cord injury may also cause secondary problems that lead to worsened medical conditions or death.
Understanding the possible complications that may result from your spinal cord injury may help you and your support care team catch them before they become serious problems.
Pressure injuries
According to MayoClinic.org, you may have increased susceptibility to pressure sores after suffering a spinal cord injury. Losing all or some of your skin sensations, the skin can no longer send messages to the brain when it suffers injury due to things like prolonged pressure.
Bladder and bowel problems
The location of your injury and other factors may impact your brain’s control of your bladder. Such changes may increase your risk of urinary tract infections, kidney infections, and kidney or bladder stones. Likewise, you may also have difficulty controlling your bowel movements.
Circulatory and respiratory issues
Spinal cord injuries often cause circulatory and respiratory problems. Due to changes in these systems, you may develop issues such as blood clots, dangerous changes in blood pressure, and pneumonia or other lung issues. Your injury may also make it more difficult for you to cough and breathe.
Suffering a spinal cord injury in an accident likely had a life-changing impact on you, as well as on your family. Options exist to help you recover compensation that may offer vital support as you focus on recovering, adjusting and moving forward.
