Spinal Cord Injury Information

I sincerely hope the information presented will be useful and help you and yours cope with this devastating injury.

If you do not find a subject shown here, please let me know and I will certainly try to research the information and present it on this website in continuing updates.

SCI INFORMATION, Injury

This important section is devoted to spinal cord injury, and includes information about the actual spinal cord injury, the changes that take place in the body, the spinal cord and what it does, the spinal column, differences in the type of spinal cord injury, the recovery process and terminology used when discussing SCI.

Injury Terminology

  This section will cover the terms, abbreviations, slang or lingo that you may already be familiar with, maybe aware of, or for that matter, heard of. If one of your loved ones has the misfortune of receiving a severe injury similar to SCI, (spinal cord injury), the terms must be understood to grasp what is being talked about or going on in the hospital, rehabilitation center, or wherever the accident victim may be.

  The alphabet is listed below to assist in locating the word, phrase or definition you may be searching for:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M

N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

This glossary listing is not to be construed as all-inclusive, but will updated regularly.

GLOSSARY

A

Acute stage - the time right after your injury when you are in the hospital and may have many kinds of medical problems.

Adaptive equipment - equipment that is used to help adapt your environment to your personal needs. Examples include ramps, splints to hold pens or forks, and hand controls to drive vehicles.

ADL (activities of daily living) - self-care activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, grooming, etc.

Advocate - someone who goes to bat for you and represents your best interests in a given situation.

Airway management - helping you get the air you need from the outside into your lungs.

Anemia - a lack of red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues of the body.

Appliance - a device used to perform or help you perform a certain activity.

Atherosclerosis - thickening of artery walls, hardening of the arteries.

Atrophy - a condition in which muscles diminish in size due to lack of stimulation from nerves.

Attendant - an individual (family, friend, stranger, etc.) hired to assist with household tasks or personal care on a routine basis.

Automobile adaptive equipment - items or devices necessary to permit the safe operation of or the ability to get in and out of an automobile or other types of vehicle.   (top)

B

Bedridden - when you are confined to bed for medical treatment.

Braces - splints used to support, align, or hold parts of your body in correct position.   (top)

C

Carbohydrates - sugars and starches.

Caregiver - general term used to describe any person who gives you physical, emotional, psychological, or social care.

Cath - slang for Catheterization (see ICP).

Catheterization (Cath or ICP) - inserting a small special tube into your bladder to empty urine.

Cervical - refers to conditions or things associated with the levels of your spine at the neck.

Cholesterol - a waxy-like, non-fat substance found in blood that is made by your liver or taken in from food sources of animal origin.

Chronic pain - pain that has usually been present longer than six months and is out of proportion to physical and laboratory test results, for which pain medication does not work and that becomes central to the lifestyle of the sufferer.

Chux - absorbent pads used to protect a mattress. also known as "blue pads."

Cirrhosis of the liver - a disease aggravated by excessive alcohol consumption.

Contracture - permanent limitation of joint movement usually due to not doing range-of-motion exercises, poor positioning, and/or severe spasms.

Contraindicated - something that is bad for your health.

Crede - a method of emptying the bladder by firm pressure on the abdomen with the hands to push the urine out.   (top)

D

Decubitus ulcer - bed sore, pressure sore, pressure ulcer a reddened area or an open sore usually found on the skin over bony areas like your hip bone or tail bone. It is usually caused by too much pressure on those areas.

Dermis - the under layer of the skin, consists of thick fibrous tissue that gives strength and elasticity to the skin.

Distended - bloated and stretched due to overfilling.

Dosage - the amount of medication you should take and when to take it.

Drugs - this is a misleading word. It may mean medicines you take to get better, or it may mean substances that are abused.   (top)

E

Edema (swelling) - generally caused by fluid collecting in the given area that is swollen.

Eligibility - the determination of whether you qualify for certain entitlement programs. VA benefit payments are based on certain facts, among them being your period of service, whether you had an honorable or other discharge from the service, income guidelines, and/or a documented physical disability.

Embolus - a thrombus, or blood clot, that has broken loose and is passing freely through the bloodstream.

EMG (electromyogram) - a test to find out how your nerves and muscles are working, using electronic equipment.

Epidermis - the surface layer, consists of an outer part of dead cells and an inner part of living cells.

Evaluation - the careful study of something to determine its significance or value.

Extension - unbending of a joint, an example of which is straightening your arm.

Extremity - a medical term referring to your arm or leg. Upper extremity: includes your arm, forearm, and hand. Lower extremity: includes your thigh, lower leg, and foot.   (top)

F

Fabricate - to construct, assemble, or manufacture.

Flaccid - lack of muscle tone.

Flexion - bending of a joint, as in when you bend your leg at the knee.

Foley - short for a Foley catheter. Used to continuously drain urine from the bladder.   (top)

G

Gait - description of your individual style of walking.   (top)

H

Halo - a metal ring worn around your head used to treat broken necks. When used with a plastic vest, this keeps your neck and body straight.

HBHC (Hospital Based Home Care) - the service offered by the hospital that tends to the care of people in their own homes.

Health promotion - those activities and attitudes that help you live a healthy life.

Health risks - those things, such as living conditions, heredity, attitudes or activities, which increase your chances for poor health.

Hubbard tank - a tank of water used for exercise or treatment of pressure sores.

Hygiene - condition or practices leading to health.   (top)

I

ICP - see Intermittent Catheterization Program.

Impaction - something that gets lodged in and clogs a space, such as an impaction of the bowel.

Incentive spirometer - a device used to build up lung volume and control.

Incontinence - a bowel or bladder accident.

Independent living unit (ILU) - a full apartment on the SCI unit where patients can test new skills and be evaluated on what they have learned in therapy sessions.

Intermittent catheterization program (ICP or Cath) - a routine program by which the bladder is emptied at regular intervals by catheterization to prevent urinary accidents and infections.   (top)

L

LPN (licensed practical nurse) - this person is trained and licensed to provide routine nursing care.

Lumbar - refers to a condition or thing in the area of the mid to lower back.

Lung capacity - the volume of air you can breathe and your lungs can hold.   (top)

M

MD (doctor of medicine) - someone who has passed four years of medical school. May be an intern, resident, or staff doctor.

Medical history - the important information about your past and present health.

Medication (medicine) - a therapeutic substance you take that is prescribed by your doctor or purchased "over the counter."   (top)

N

NA (nursing assistant)

Neurogenic - refers to a condition or thing that is controlled by nerves.

Nutrition - the food you eat and how your body uses it to live, grow, keep healthy, and get the energy you need for work and recreation.   (top)

O

Occupational therapy (therapist) - the profession or professional that focuses on the range of motion: strength; and coordination of fine, or small, movement of muscles and joints, with or without adaptive devices. The end result is to perform ADL tasks or various vocational skills.

Oral - pertaining to your mouth.

Orthosis - a device applied to the exterior of the body to support, aid, and align the body and limbs or to influence motion by assisting, resisting, blocking, or unloading part of the body weight. These devices may include, but are not limited to, braces, binders, corsets, belts, and trusses.

OT (occupational therapy—therapist).   (top)

P

Para (paraplegic) - the condition of being completely paralyzed in such a way as to include the legs.

Paralysis - the inability to control movement of a part of your body.

Paraparesis - incomplete paralysis or weakness of the legs only.

Personality - thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are specific to an individual, often representing a particular pattern or style of life.

Physiotherapy (physical therapy—therapist) - the profession or professional that deals with the strength, coordination, and range of motion of gross movements of your muscles and joints.

Plasma - the clear fluid that keeps the cells floating. It allows them to flow through the blood vessels. Plasma also carries nutrients such as sugar, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to the tissues of the body.

Platelets - cells that aid in blood clotting.

Pressure reliefs - changing positions in wheelchair or bed to let your skin rest and increase circulation of blood flow in the buttocks or areas of pressure.

Primary care - the medical care of routine illness like colds, flu, etc.

Prone - lying flat on your stomach.

Prosthesis - an artificial substitute for a missing body part.

Prosthetic appliances - all aids, appliances, parts, or accessories that are required to replace, support, or substitute for a deformed, weakened, or missing anatomical portion of the body. Artificial limbs, terminal devices, stump socks, braces, hearing aids and batteries, cosmetic facial or body restorations, eyeglasses, mechanical or motorized wheelchairs, orthopedic shoes, and similar items are included under this broad term.

Psychological - related to mental and emotional factors that influence behavior (e.g.. motivation, awareness, personality, etc.).

PT (physical therapy—physical therapist) - see Physiotherapy.

Pulmonary - having to do with your lungs and breathing.   (top)

Q

Quad (quadriplegic or tetraplegic) - the condition of being completely paralyzed in a way that includes legs and part or all of the arm muscles.

Quadriparesis - weakness or incomplete paralysis involving the arms and legs.   (top)

R

Range of motion (ROM) - an arc of movement of a joint of your body.

RBCs (red blood cells) - carry oxygen to the tissues of the body.

Rehab (rehabilitation) - the process of doing away with, adapting to, or compensating for disabilities.

Residual - in the case of bladder voiding, it is the urine left remaining in the bladder after voiding as taken place.

Respiratory - having to do with your breathing.

RN (registered nurse) - a professional who plans and provides nursing care. Your primary care planner is usually an RN.

RT (respiratory therapy—therapist) - the profession or professional that centers on therapy of the lungs and breathing.   (top)

S

Sacral - refers to a condition or thing in the area at the lowest part of your spine around your tailbone.

SCI (spinal cord injury) - an injury to the back or neck causing damage to the spinal cord, leading to paralysis.

Sensation - physical feelings of vibration, touch, pain, hot and cold, or awareness of where a body part is in space.

Side effects - the effects of something, usually medication, that are different from the reason for which it was originally planned.

Smoker’s robot - a mechanical device that holds a cigarette safely away from the smoker. The cigarette can then be smoked through a piece of tubing.

Spasm - a sudden, often uncontrolled, contraction of a muscle, a muscle jerk.

Spasticity - movement in your arms and legs due to muscle spasm that may occur as a result of spinal cord injury. It may be somewhat controllable.

Spine immobilizers - braces or devices that keep you from moving your back or neck.

Spine stabilization - a brace or device that aids in supporting or stabilizing your back or neck.

Splint - a rigid or flexible appliance used for the fixation (holding in place) or support of a displaced or movable part of the body.

Stones - solid, hard masses that can become stuck in the urinary tract and block normal urine drainage from the kidney or bladder.

Suctioning - removal of mucous from the throat and/or lungs by a small tube attached to suction.

Support system - the people who are important to you because they strengthen your emotional, physical, and social well-being. They usually are your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or members of your church.   (top)

T

Tenodesis - the action of fingers and thumb pinching together when wrist is bent upwards.

Therapy - the treatment of diseases or disorders.

Thoracic - refers to a condition or thing in the region of the spine at the chest to mid-back levels.

Thrombus - a blood clot anchored somewhere in the bloodstream.

TRS (therapeutic recreation specialist) - the person responsible for your recreational therapy.   (top)

U

Urinalysis - a sampling test of urine to evaluate the contents of the urine and check for problems.

Urinary system - the body parts that turn wastes into urine, store it, and get rid of it. Kidneys filter blood to wash it clean and make the urine. Ureters are tubes to bring the urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The bladder is a dynamic storage tank for the urine. The urethra is a tube to bring the urine from the bladder to the outside.   (top)

V

VA (Department of Veterans Affairs.)

Ventilator - a piece of equipment that helps you to breathe when you cannot do it yourself.

Vocational - work or job-related activity (avocational = hobbies and recreation).

Voc Rehab (vocational rehabilitation) - developing skills to improve work habits or to increase employment potential.

Void - to empty the bladder.

VRS (vocational rehabilitation specialist) - the person who assists you in determining changes or improvements in your job or vocational status.   (top)

W

WBCs (white blood cells) - help fight infection and increase in number if a fever is presence.   (top)