Best Spinal Cord Injury Treatment In Delhi NCR.

Spinal cord injury pain treatment and cure
Book Appointment

What is Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord injury is a damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of
function such as mobility or feeling.
A spinal cord injury is a damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent
changes in its function. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation or
autonomic function in the parts of the body served by the spinal cord below the level of
injury

Causes of Spinal Cord Injury

Most spinal cord injuries result from a traumatic blow to the vertebrae. When these backbones fracture, they can damage the spinal cord and nerves housed underneath. In rare but extreme cases, a spinal cord injury can result in a completely severed spinal cord. The most common causes of these injuries include:

  • Falls
  • Sports injuries
  • Complications from surgeries
  • Road traffic accidents.
  • Bullet or stab wound.
  • Traumatic injury.
  • Electric shock.
  • Extreme twisting of the middle of the body.
  • Landing on the head during a sports injury.
  • Fall from a great height.
Signs And Symptoms
  • Loss of movements in the limbs.
  • Loss of control over bladder.
  • Reduced sexual function.
  • Numbness.
  • Weakness or paralysis.
  • Difficulty in walking.
  • Paralysis: Loss of muscle function (paresis to paraplegia/tetraplegia); 
  • Bowel/Bladder Control: Difficulty controlling functions
  • Chronic Pain: Pain in areas with loss of sensation
  • Respiratory Issues: Breathing problems from thoracic injuries
  • Spasticity: Increased muscle tone causing stiffness
  • Autonomic Dysreflexia: Sudden hypertension in injuries above T6.
Diagnosis of Spinal Cord Injury

An examination will help your doctor diagnose a spinal cord injury. First, they will check to see if the injury is impacting your breathing or heart rate. Then, your spinal cord specialist will assess how well your nerves are working with a physical examination of your motor and sensory function (how well you can move your muscles and feel sensations). Imaging tests will help your doctor diagnose an injury to your spinal cord. Your specialist may request diagnostic tests such as:

  • CT scan: reveals broken bones or damage to blood clots/ vessels
  • MRI: will reveal damage to the spinal cord or adjacent soft tissues
  • X-ray: reveals broken or dislocated vertebrae (backbones)
  • EMG (electromyogram): checks electrical activity between muscles and nerve cells, reveals nerve injuries.
Types Of Spinal Cord Injuries
  1. Complete Spinal Cord Injuries:
    • Tetraplegia (Quadriplegia):- Spinal cord injury above the 1st thoracic vertebra, or
      within the cervical sections of C1-C8; results in some degree of paralysis in all 4
      limbs- the legs and arms.
    • Paraplegia:- Spinal cord injury below the 1st thoracic spinal levels (T1-L5).
      Paraplegics are able to fully use their arms and hands, but the degree to which their
      legs are disabled depends on the injury.
    • Complete paraplegia:- It is described as permanent loss of motor and nerve function at
      T1 level or below , resulting in loss of sensation and movement in the legs, bowel,
      bladder and sexual regions.
  2. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries:-
    • Central cord syndrome:-
      Cause:- Injury or edema of the central cord, usually of the cervical area and cervical
      lesions.
      Characteristics:- Motor deficits (sensory loss varies in the upper extremities).
    • Anterior cord syndrome:-
      Cause:- Acute disc herniation associated with fracture-dislocation of vertebra and also
      occur injury to anterior spinal artery and lesion.
      Characteristics:- Loss of pain, temperature and motor function is noted below the
      level of the lesion or injury; light touch, position and vibration sensation remain
      intact.</li.
    • Posterior cord syndrome:-
      Cause:- An infarct in the posterior spinal artery and is caused by the lesions on the
      posterior portion of the spinal cord.
      Characteristics:- Loss of proprioceptive sensation, fine touch, pressure and vibration
      below the lesion; deep tendon areflexia.
    • Brown-Sequard syndrome:-
      Also known as Lateral cord syndrome
      Cause:- The lesion is caused by a transverse hemisection of the cord, as a result of a
      knife or missile injury, fracture-dislocation of a unilateral articular process.
      Characteristics:- Ipsilateral paralysis or paresis is noted, together with ipsilateral loss
      of touch, pressure and vibration and contra-lateral loss of pain and temperature.
    • Conus medullaris syndrome:-
      Known as Lateral cord syndrome.
      Cause:- Blow to the back such as Gunshot and spinal tumor.
      Characteristics:- Bowel and bladder dysfunction, flaccid lower extremities, sexual
      dysfunction.
    • Cauda equine syndrome:-
      Known as Horse tail syndrome.
      Cause:- Injury or lesion at the lumbosacral nerve root below the conus medullaris.
      Characteristics:- Areflexia; loss of reflexes (Lower extremities). Leg weakness,
      bladder/bowel dysfunction.
Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation focuses on optimizing mobility through exercise. Every spinal cord injury is unique, and a physiotherapist will assess an individual’s functional abilities following a spinal cord injury, create a personalized exercise regimen, and help patients work towards realistic recovery goals.

Physiotherapy Exercises for Spinal Cord Injury

Depending on the location and severity of the spinal cord injury, different physiotherapy exercises may be necessary. Here are six types of physiotherapy exercises that a patient might work on after a spinal cord injury:

1. Range of Motion Exercises

Range of motion (ROM) exercises involve moving the joints through their entire range of motion. These exercises are essential to promote circulation and prevent stiff joints.

  • Passive ROM: A caregiver or physiotherapist moves the patient’s body. This can be performed on patients with complete or severe spinal cord injuries.

  • Active ROM: The patient performs the movements independently, stimulating and strengthening neural pathways in the spinal cord.

ROM exercises will help reintroduce movement to the body, potentially reducing pain and stiffness.

2. Stretches

Patients often experience involuntary muscle contractions, known as spasticity, which result from impaired communication between the brain and muscles.

Stretching can help lengthen painful and tight muscles, reducing pain signals in the joints. The effects of stretching can last for hours and help prevent injuries during more strenuous exercise. Well-stretched muscles can bear more weight and achieve a fuller range of motion, making it easier to perform other exercises.

3. Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercise is crucial for patients recovering from spinal cord injuries. It boosts circulation and strengthens the cardiovascular system, which is particularly important if the injury has affected mobility. Weakened cardiac performance can slow pulse rates and decrease blood pressure if left unaddressed, leading to dysfunction in major organ systems.

4. Strengthening Exercises

Reduced physical activity due to weakened motor control is a significant outcome of spinal cord injury. Strengthening exercises are essential to combat muscle atrophy, which can lead to falls, fractures, poor circulation, and decreased metabolic rate.

Maintaining muscle mass through strengthening exercises aids in performing everyday activities, helping individuals regain independence after SCI.

5. Advanced Physiotherapy Techniques

Advanced techniques can further aid recovery, including:

  • Myofascial Release (MFR)
  • Instrumented Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
  • Manual therapy
  • Dry Needling
  • Kinesiology taping
  • Core muscle strengthening exercises

6. Spinal Cord Surgery

New surgical advancements allow spinal cord injury specialists to help patients regain varying degrees of functionality. Surgical options may include:

  • Decompression Surgery: Removing tissues or fluids that apply pressure on the spinal cord, using procedures like decompression laminectomy or nerve decompression surgery.

  • Nerve Reconstruction Surgery: Healthy nerves are transplanted or grafted onto non-functioning nerves to restore function and sensation.

Your spinal cord specialist will provide detailed instructions regarding expectations before, during, and after surgery. Some procedures may be outpatient, while others may require observation for days or weeks post-treatment.

Recovery recommendations may include restrictions on strenuous activity for the first 4-6 weeks, with limited activity for several months. Bone healing can take 3-4 months, and nerve regeneration is a slow process that may take months or even years.

Additional Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

While some patients may experience varying degrees of improvement post-injury, others might face complete paralysis. Treatments can enhance quality of life post-injury, including:

  • Ventilator Dependency: For those reliant on ventilators, a diaphragm pacemaker can help regain independent breathing. Electrodes are implanted around the phrenic nerves or directly into the diaphragm muscle to stimulate contractions for inhalation and exhalation.

  • Pressure Sore Management: Patients with paralysis are at risk of pressure sores from prolonged immobility. Surgical interventions can include flap surgery to close wounds and nerve grafting to restore sensation in the hip and buttock areas.

Spinal Cord Injury treatment in Delhi | Best treatment and cure for Spinal Cord Injury relief | Spinal Cord Injury solutions Delhi NCR | Spinal Cord Injury relief in New Delhi |  Spinal Cord Injury clinic Delhi | Spinal Cord Injury exercise and physiotherapy | Spinal Cord Injury specialist Delhi