A spinal cord injury will impact your life and the life of each person in your family. It can also affect your friends. The changes that everyone has to deal with will depend on the severity of the injury and the way that is alters your abilities.
There are many things that you have to think about when you are dealing with a spinal cord injury. Whether you are the person who suffered the injury or a person living with the victim, you should make sure that you know some basic information about these injuries.
Things might seem worse than they are
When the injury first occurs, it might seem worse than what it will settle out to be. Spinal shock takes place in the initial days and hours after the accident. During this time, the body is essentially trying to fight the changes in the spinal cord, but the reaction is actually making the injury worse. A reaction causes toxic chemicals to be released into the space where the injury occurred. This destroys tissues that wouldn’t have been harmed otherwise. The spinal shock can also cause the area to suffer from an oxygen deficiency.
Therapy options can help
Physical therapy might help the victim to fare a little better than without the programs. The exact type of therapy that is necessary depends on the type of injury and the location of it. The therapist will have to take a host of factors into account and determine the best way to help. Often, there is more than one type of therapy that a person will need. This can get costly and time consuming.
Emotional assistance might be necessary
The emotional aspect of a spinal cord injury is another issue that often comes up. It can be very difficult for people to have to deal with being severely limited after they have gotten accustomed to living with full abilities.
The depression and mood swings that come with this type of injury can be difficult for the victim, but also for the family members. They might not be sure how to handle these situations, which can be stressful. The victim might feel like a burden and that can exacerbate the situation. Ultimately, it is going to take effort as a family to make things work after the accident. This comes up in every aspect of life, including family life, social situations and finances.
