Spinal Injuries

The common types of spinal injuries are spinal cord injury and fractures of the vertebra.

1. Injuries to the spinal cord can cause transient, partial or complete damage of the motor function of other parts of the body (e.g. central cord syndrome and complete cord syndrome). This can cause permanent paralysis to a body region.
2. Fractures of the vertebra are commonly conservatively managed without any surgical treatment. Compression fracture of a vertebra body can cause mild or severe reduction to the height of the body.

Spinal injuries are diagnosed via:

• Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan

Spinal decompression surgery is recommended for spinal cord injuries to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. However, motor function will not be regained and further rehabilitation is required.