Neurological Signs Of A Spinal Injury

28 June 2019
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If you are involved in a car accident, you may have suffered a spinal injury. Typical symptoms of a spinal injury include pain in the neck and back, limited mobility, and inability to bend at the waist. An auto injury expert such as a chiropractic physician can assess your injury and recommend effective treatment options such as spinal manipulation and massage.

In addition to the aforementioned typical symptoms of a spinal injury, you may experience neurological symptoms, which will need prompt medical attention. Here are some signs and symptoms of neurological involvement as a result of an auto accident-related spinal injury:

Incontinence 

While uncommon, spinal injuries can cause bladder and bowel incontinence. This happens when nerve signals are disrupted in the spinal cord that control bowel and bladder function. When this happens, it is referred to as neurogenic bowel or neurogenic bladder.

Signs of neurogenic bladder include urinary incontinence, dribbling urine or urine leakage, urinary retention, and frequent urinary tract infections. Symptoms of neurogenic bowel include fecal incontinence, constipation, abdominal pain, and either an increase or decrease in bowel movement frequency.

If you develop nerve-related bladder or bowel problems after your spinal injury, your physician may refer you to a neurologist, a doctor specializing in the diagnosis and management of neurological disorders.

Parasthesia

If you develop numbness or tingling sensations, or other abnormal sensations such as pricking sensations, burning, cold or hot sensations on your skin, excessive itching, or feeling as though something is crawling on your skin, you may have developed parasthesias as a result of your spinal injury. Auto accident injuries of all types can cause parasthesias; however, they are especially common in those who have sustained spinal injuries.

Parasthesias are often caused by nerve inflammation or damage, but once the inflammation subsides or the nerves have repaired themselves, the abnormal sensations will go away. Sometimes, however, depending upon the extent of your spinal injury, your parasthesias may be long-lasting and even permanent.

If your abnormal sensations fail to resolve after a week or so, see your physician for a comprehensive neurological examination. Chiropractic care, increasing your intake of magnesium and B vitamins, and physical therapy may help enhance nerve function and reduce the incidence of abnormal skin sensations.

If you are injured in an automobile accident, see a healthcare provider as soon as possible. When your injuries are treated in their earliest stages, you are less likely to experience complications such as neurological problems and permanent disability.

Contact a company like Physical Rehabilitation Centers for more information.