Among the many injuries that people in Alabama may commonly associate with a motor vehicle accident are whiplash and headaches. Some people also experience back or hip problems. But have you heard of a spinal cord injury? Do you think that is the same thing as a back injury? According to WebMD, it is not the same thing despite the fact that the spinal cord runs down the spine or back. Just what is the spinal cord and what happens when it is injured in a car accident?
The spinal cord does indeed run along the length of the spine and is shielded by the vertebrae. Injury to the vertebrae or even nerves in the back does not necessarily injure the spinal cord. This cord is responsible for relaying messages back and forth from the brain to the rest of the body. Blunt trauma can damage it at any point from the neck to the base of the spine.
Injuries that are sustained in the lower region of the spinal cord tend to be less severe than those that are centered in the upper portion of the cord. This is because any messages sent from the brain are stopped at the point of injury. Therefore, the higher up the cord the injury, the greater portion of the body is affected. When the spinal cord is damaged, some paralysis may result. This may be complete or partial.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is meant to give Alabama residents an overview of what a spinal cord injury is.
