Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Functions Affected & Recovery (2023)

FAQs

What functions can be lost if you have an injury to the cervical spine? ›

A chest (thoracic) or lower back (lumbar) injury can affect your torso, legs, bowel and bladder control, and sexual function. A neck (cervical) injury affects the same areas in addition to affecting movements of your arms and, possibly, your ability to breathe.

Unfortunately, there's no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord. But researchers are continually working on new treatments, including prostheses and medications, that might promote nerve cell regeneration or improve the function of the nerves that remain after a spinal cord injury.

Although most recovery occurs within the first 3-6 months following a spinal cord injury, recovery can continue well past that period. Consistently practicing affected movements/activities will help promote neuroplasticity.

Your cervical spine consists of the first seven vertebrae in your spine. It provides support for the weight of your head, surrounds and protects your spinal cord, and allows for a wide range of head motions.

In addition to supporting the head, the cervical spine allows for the neck's flexibility and head's range of motion. Facilitating flow of blood to the brain. Small holes (foramina in the transverse processes) in the cervical spine provide a passageway for vertebral arteries to carry blood to the brain.

Within the spinal column lies the spinal cord, a vital aspect of the central nervous system (CNS). The three primary roles of the spinal cord are to send motor commands from the brain to the body, send sensory information from the body to the brain, and coordinate reflexes.

Autonomic dysreflexia is a condition that emerges soon after a spinal cord injury, usually when the damage has occurred at or above the T6 level.

Can it be cured? Although there are several very good nonsurgical and surgical treatment options available to relieve the symptoms of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy, there is no cure, per se, for the degenerative changes in the cervical spine that caused the symptoms.

How long does it take to fully recover from a spinal cord injury? ›

With many spinal cord injuries, especially incomplete ones, the individual may recover some function as late as 18 months after the injury. In very rare cases, people with spinal cord injury will regain some functioning years after the injury.

Cervical spinal cord injuries are typically the most severe type of spinal cord injuries. They may result in quadriplegia or tetraplegia with associated loss of muscle strength in all four extremities. Based on the extent of the injury, cervical spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete.

The results are in line with the findings of a previous study showing that increasing daily walking steps by 1000 steps reduced the risk of neck pain by 14% in those with sedentary jobs.

Keep your head and neck in neutral position (Figure 1). With chest lifted, gently but firmly pull both shoulders backward while squeezing both shoulder blades backward and downward. Hold for 10 seconds and work up to 30 seconds. Perform one set of 5 repetitions, twice a day.

Cervical flexion: bending the head forward towards the chest. Cervical extension: bending the head backward with the face towards the sky. Cervical rotation: turning the head to the left or the right. Cervical side-bending: tipping the head to the side or touching an ear to the shoulder of the same side.

Trauma is the most common cause of cervical injury, and this can include motor vehicle accidents, falls, penetrating or blunt trauma, sports-related or diving injuries. [4][5] Nontraumatic causes can include compression fractures from osteoporosis, arthritis, or cancer and inflammation of the spinal cord.

The cervical spine's range of motion is approximately 80° to 90° of flexion, 70° of extension, 20° to 45° of lateral flexion, and up to 90° of rotation to both sides.

C5, as mentioned earlier, along with C3 and C4, contributes to the phrenic nerve that innervates the diaphragm. Roots C5, C6, and C7 produce the long thoracic nerve, responsible for controlling the serratus anterior.

A c5-c6 herniated disc can affect the nerves that control the muscles in the arms, neck, shoulders, hands as well as the head, eyes, ears, or thyroid gland. Symptoms in these areas in addition to pain in the neck is very common with c5-c6 disc herniations.

What are the symptoms of cervical nerve damage? ›

The pain caused by cervical radiculopathy can be described as burning or sharp, stemming from the neck and traveling to other parts of the body connected to the damaged nerve. Radiculopathy symptoms might include: Tingling or numbness in the fingers or hand. Weakness in arm, shoulder or hand.

It relays messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Spinal cord contains nerves which can transmit messages from brain to body parts and from body parts to brain. Spinal cord contains many nerve centres which control the reflex actions of the body.

The parasympathetic fibers, controlling the heart, exit the central nervous system at brain stem level, i.e. the vagal nerve (cranial nerve X). In contrast, the sympathetic control of the heart originates from the upper thoracic spinal cord segments (Th1–Th5).

At the base of the brain, the brain stem connects to the spinal cord and is made up of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Individuals with milder C6 SCIs typically have different recovery outlooks because they have more spared neural pathways. However, many other factors such as motivation, intensity of rehabilitation, and pre-existing health conditions can also influence recovery after C6 spinal cord injury.

Medication may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), gabapentin (Neurontin), muscle relaxants, anti-depressants, and painkillers.

A patient with a complete injury above C5 will typically have impaired diaphragm function and is likely to require a period of endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation [30]. A C5 injury level may also involve diaphragm weakness but is more likely to be associated with the ability to breathe independently.

In our study, and in all the cited studies, respiratory diseases were the leading cause of death after SCI, most strongly associated with the higher level of injury, and not showing improvement over time.

SCI typically affects the cervical level of the spinal cord (50%) with the single most common level affected being C5 (1). Other injuries include the thoracic level (35%) and lumbar region (11%).

Non-surgical treatment may include a combination of:

Relaxation techniques, breathing exercises and mindful meditation. The use of medications. Interventional techniques such as nerve blocks (spinal injections) Epidural injections in the lumbar and cervical spine.

Does cervical pain ever go away? ›

Neck pain caused by muscle tension or strain usually goes away on its own within a few days. Neck pain that continues longer than several weeks often responds to exercise, stretching, physical therapy and massage. Sometimes, you may need steroid injections or even surgery to relieve neck pain.

This study demonstrated that with intense rehabilitation, complete C5 spinal cord injury patients made significant improvements in self-care skills and mobility tasks, although many still required some degree of assistance with these functions.

Spinal cord injuries are catastrophic, leading to life-changing consequences that can last for decades. While there are some instances where a person can eventually recover fully after suffering damage to the spinal cord, the unfortunate truth is that, in most cases, this type of injury will be permanent.

Spinal cord compression can cause cauda equina syndrome, which needs medical attention right away. Call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if you have: Sudden loss of bowel or bladder control. Severe or increasing numbness between your legs, inner thighs, or back of your legs.

Cervical sprains and strains

Fractures and dislocations of the cervical spine account for half of all spinal column injuries that occur annually. Because of the cervical spine's mobility, it is the most vulnerable to injury during times of trauma.

Brain damage was more frequently associated with upper cervical injury. Those patients with upper cervical injury are at greater risk of suffering from skull base fractures and severe intracranial hematomas than those with mid to lower cervical injury.

What is the best sleeping position for neck pain? Two sleeping positions are easiest on the neck: on your side or on your back. If you sleep on your back, choose a rounded pillow to support the natural curve of your neck, with a flatter pillow cushioning your head.

Sit in a high-back, firm chair with arm rests. Sitting in a soft couch or chair will tend to make you round your back and won't support the curve of your back. At work, adjust your chair height and workstation so you can sit up close to your work and tilt it up at you. Don't hunch or lean over your work.

This can lead to increased compression and pain. Contact sports like basketball, football, soccer, and martial arts are exercises to avoid with spinal stenosis. These activities can involve sudden trauma to the spine, which may lead to further injury.

With proper treatment and rest, most patients will recover from a neck strain or sprain within four to six weeks. If the strain or sprain is severe, it can take three months or more to fully recover.

How long do cervical spine injuries take to heal? ›

Recovery, if it occurs, usually relates to the severity and level of the injury. The fastest rate of recovery is often seen in the first six months, but some people make small improvements for up to 1 to 2 years.

For many people, pain from a pinched nerve in the neck will resolve on its own within 4 weeks. However, it is common for the symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck to return over time. If the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy do not clear up, there are nonsurgical and surgical treatments available.

Cervical instability is a medical condition in which loose ligaments in your upper cervical spine may lead to neuronal damage and a large list of adverse symptoms. If you have cervical instability, you may be experiencing migraines, vertigo, or nausea. Fortunately, this condition is treatable, though not curable.

Cervical myelopathy can affect both the arms and the legs.

Common neck injury symptoms

Muscle spasms in neck and shoulders. Neck pain. Stiffness in the neck. Weakness in the legs, arms, hands or fingers.

Cervical spinal cord injuries are usually the most devastating and often irreversible and permanent. Cervical spinal cord injuries may result in quadriplegia or tetraplegia and loss of muscle strength in some or all extremities.

The simple answer is no. Spinal cord injury will affect motor and sensory functions relayed via the spinal cord, but it will not cause memory loss because this ability is housed in the brain. Memory is a cognitive function and cognitive functions are regulated by the brain, not the spinal cord.

Patients can suffer from things like bladder infections or kidney stones. Osteoporosis is another worry. Doctors also warn about muscle spasticity and syringomyelia, a numbness and weakness in the extremities, a common side effect in spinal cord injury patients.

Does spinal cord injury affect memory? ›

Many people who have had severe trauma to their neck and back may also have injuries to their brain. These can range from a mild concussion to more severe injuries. They can cause difficulty with memory, concentration, or communication, and can cause personality changes.

Injuries, disorders and conditions that affect the cervical spine (neck) can trigger symptoms that extend far beyond the first seven vertebra of the spine. Individuals sometimes complain about weakness in the arms, hands and even legs after a neck injury – even minor ones.

If the spine is out of alignment, the rest of the body needs to work that much harder to maintain proper posture. If nerves are pinched and muscles are tight, it is going to lead to a tremendous power drain. This is going to make the person feel fatigued or overly tired.

Cervical spondylosis usually doesn't lead to disability. But sometimes these changes in the spine can cause the spinal cord or nerve roots attached to it to become compressed. This can cause your legs or hands to feel weak or clumsy.

Neck Pain Can Negatively Affect Your Daily Life

Living with constant neck discomfort is debilitating, making working and enjoying life difficult. In addition, it can prevent you from doing necessary things like sleeping, being productive at work and spending quality time with loved ones.

The long-term course for neck pain is not good. Patients continue to suffer years later. One study looked at outcomes after five years and found that about 50% of patients continued to have pain and disability.

There are several different cervical spine disorders that qualify for disability benefits from the SSA. Among those conditions are cervical cancer, ankylosing spondylitis, cervicalgia, spinal stenosis, and others. You will need to provide hard medical evidence to support your claim and to confirm the diagnosis.

Can it be cured? Although there are several very good nonsurgical and surgical treatment options available to relieve the symptoms of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy, there is no cure, per se, for the degenerative changes in the cervical spine that caused the symptoms.

If you suspect someone has a spinal injury:

Call 911 or emergency medical help. Keep the person still. Place heavy towels or rolled sheets on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent movement. Avoid moving the head or neck.