Spinal Injury Treatments

Treatment of a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) starts at the scene of the accident. Immobilising a patient and providing immediate medical care within the first 8 hours following injury is imperative to a patient’s recovery. Incorrect immobilisation techniques when handling and moving a patient can have a huge, detrimental effect on the injury. The body’s first response to an SCI is swelling. Therefore, the first part of treatment is to administer steroid drugs. These can be administered at the scene or when in hospital.  Steroids reduce the inflammation and help to prevent any further damage to the cellular membranes. Reducing the damage and preventing nerves from dying is crucial in minimising the effects of the spinal cord injury. Every SCI is unique, some people may require surgery to correct misalignment or to stabilise the spine. Others may be placed in traction to allow the spin to heal naturally. Surgery is usually performed within 8 hours of injury. Surgery is usually considered if the spinal cord requires stabilization or if it’s compressed. Compression is usually caused by misaligned vertebrae or a herniated disc. An unstable spine usually requires fusion (bone grafts) and spinal instrumentation (rods, bards, screws) to provide permanent stability to the spinal column. Some SCI’s don’t require surgery. Repairing broken bones in the back and neck can be achieved through natural healing. The downside to this approach is that it can mean up to two months complete bed rest. Recovery Once the patient has been stabilised and had the necessary treatment, the next step is rehabilitation. This usually includes physical and occupational therapy along with counselling for emotional support. This part of the recovery process may initially start whilst the patient is in hospital, others may start their rehabilitation in a specialist facility designed to help those with SCI’s. Generally speaking, the majority of patients then move on to continue rehabilitation from home or as an outpatient. A physiotherapy program can help with increasing the patients’ mobility, flexibility and coordination through exercise. Massage and other alternative treatments may also be used to help relieve pain. Occupational therapy teaches the patient how to become independent again and how to cope with everyday life. Speech and language therapy may also be offered, this might include helping the patient to use different muscles to complete tasks like writing and typing on a computer. Counselling is also available and is a brilliant way to deal and cope with the trauma of having a SCI. There are numerous counselling services available from psychiatrist’s right through to group therapy.