Recovering from any injury can be a long, arduous process. This is especially true in the case of those suffering from a spinal cord injury. A rehabilitation plan may put you on a path for months, even years, to help you regain strength and independence to live life like you once did. With an extensive need for care, you may be wondering if you can fully recover from a spinal cord injury. Certainly, you will wish to ensure that you are taking full advantage of all of the benefits available to you both government-funded (OHIP) and any private insurance benefits that may be available to cover some of the costs and possibly provide income replacement during your rehabilitation.
The Initial Signs of a Spinal Cord Injury
Your spinal cord can be harmed in several ways. For example, a spinal cord injury is one of the most common injuries in a car accident. Alternatively, a slip and fall could cause ongoing pain and back problems. After either of these impacts, you may feel numbness or weakness below a certain point in your body. Struggling to breathe and abnormal pain in the back, arms, or legs is also possible. If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. The doctor will confirm your injury through X-rays, CTs, and MRI scans.
Understanding Possible Diagnosis
Your spinal cord is a unique pathway of sorts from your brain to your nerves. As a result, an injury affecting it requires a complete look at your overall physicality before a doctor can determine a diagnosis. A combination of medications, surgeries, and physical and occupational therapy are all possible. Depending on your circumstances, psychological counselling may also be of benefit.
The International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injuries (ISNCSCI) is a scale to classify how limiting your specific injury might be. It ranges from Class A, which is the loss of mobility and sensation, to Class E, which is the fully normal function. A doctor may also use terms like a complete and incomplete injury. In the case of an incomplete injury, some sensation can still be felt in the area where nerves have been severed. A complete injury, however, completely cuts off nerve receptors to the brain and means a loss of mobility and feeling.
Navigating Recovery
Rehabilitation is an important step on the road to recovery. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be recommended to an in-patient therapy program. This process will provide you with exercises to help you regain strength in the parts of your body and adapt to any changes in your mobility. In some cases, physical therapy can help victims learn to walk again or gain more control over their movements. You will likely have to attend sessions and regular check-ups with your doctor for at least a year following your injury. Either way, ideally you, and where appropriate, your lawyer can seek out all funding options to ensure you receive the best care possible.
Psychological Counselling
Although spinal cord injuries mainly affect the body, they can also cause mental stress. Living life in an altered way to how you once did can feel taxing and emotionally draining. As a result, it is not uncommon to have feelings of depression or other ongoing mental health problems. Seeing a psychological therapist specializing in trauma can help you work through the emotional struggles that inevitably follow serious injury such as anxiety, depression or adjustment disorder.
Since there are so many possible complications regarding spinal cord injuries, it is not possible to say whether any person can fully recover from one. You may struggle further with mounting medical bills or other health issues that arise from your condition. In this case, you may consider hiring a personal injury lawyer. At David Hollingsworth, our team is highly experienced in these cases and can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
