Diagnosis and treatment of a spinal cord injury

On Behalf of | Aug 7, 2018 | Uncategorized

There are many ways you can suffer a spinal cord injury, with a motor vehicle accident among the most common.

A spinal cord injury requires immediate medical treatment, as you want to do everything possible to prevent long-term issues in regard to your health.

The diagnosis and treatment of a spinal cord injury varies from one person to the next, however, there are some tests that are typically used to determine the extent:

  • X-ray. This is typically ordered if a person is believed to be suffering from a spinal cord injury as a result of trauma, such as a car accident or slip and fall.
  • CT scan. Much the same as an X-ray, the benefit of a CT scan is the ability for your medical team to get a more clear look at any abnormalities.
  • MRI. There are many benefits of an MRI, such as the ability to identify blood clots, herniated disks and any issues regarding spinal cord compression.

What’s the best treatment?

Since no two people and spinal cord injuries are identical, there is no way of knowing what type of treatment is best. There are several things your medical team may do:

  • Emergency treatment. This includes stabilizing the spinal cord to prevent additional injury.
  • Medication. There are many types of medication used to treat a spinal cord injury, some of which can help prevent additional ailments including pneumonia and blood clots.
  • Surgery. It’s not always required, but surgery may be necessary to remove bone fragments and/or repair any damage.
  • Experimental treatment. This depends largely on the effectiveness of mainstream treatment. There are many experimental treatments to consider, all of which are worth discussing with your medical team.

When you’re under the care of an experienced and knowledgeable medical team, you can feel good about the treatment you’re receiving and your ability to make a recovery.

Once your health is stabilized, learn more about the cause of your accident. For example, if you were part of a truck accident, find out what went wrong. This will help you when making an insurance claim, as well as when devising a strategy to protect your legal rights.

Your health always comes first, but you shouldn’t hesitate to hold the negligent party responsible for his or her actions.

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