Spinal Cord Injury Information

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

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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.

Spinal Cord Injury

  The spinal cord is round and flexible. It is about 18 inches long and extends from the brain down to about the first lumbar vertebra. The spinal cord is divided into cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral segments or levels. The cervical and lumbar levels of the spinal cord are larger due to the nerve supply to the muscles of the arms (cervical area) and legs (lumbar area).

  The spinal cord is a bundle of nerve pathways enclosed within the vertebral (spinal) column or the backbone. It is similar to a telephone cable because it carries messages between the brain and all other body parts including the muscles, skin and internal organs. Messages sent from the brain travel down the spinal cord on motor pathways and tell the muscles when, how far and how fast to move. Sensory messages (messages of sensation or feeling) travel up the spinal cord on sensory pathways going to the brain. Messages may include sensations of temperature, touch, pain or pressure. Bowel and bladder function are also controlled by the brain with messages of "fullness" or the need to empty traveling up to the brain through the spinal cord.

  An injury to the spinal cord results in an interruption of the nerve pathways that carry information to and from the brain. Similar to a damaged telephone cable, when the spinal cord is injured, messages are unable to get through (across) the injured area. As a result, when a spinal cord injury occurs, a person experiences changes in sensory (ability to feel) and motor (ability to move) function.

  The spinal cord is enclosed within the vertebral column which consists of 33 "protective" vertebrae. There are 7 cervical vertebrae located in the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae located in the upper back, 5 lumbar vertebrae located in the back and 5 sacral vertebrae located in the lower back. The coccyx or "tailbone" is actually 4 small vertebrae that are fused (joined) together making one small bone at the base of the vertebral column. Because the vertebral column is made up of separate bony pieces connected by strong, fibrous ligaments, it is actually quite strong and flexible. Cartilage discs separate each of the bony pieces and serve as cushions or "shock absorbers." The rib cage and many muscles in the back provide support to the vertebral column.

  Unfortunately, spinal cord injuries are becoming more commonplace. To view some sobering spinal cord injury statistics check this page, Statistics. fact.