What is spinal cord injury?As soon as you hear the term “spinal cord injury”, most of you would have imagined an unpleasant scene of car accident on the A12. You are not far; A spinal cord injury refers to any damage to the spinal cord. The damage could result from mechanical trauma; such as a road accident or even a fall or a lesser known source; infections or tumors. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Globally, this incurable disease affects 250,000 to 500,000 people each year, 15% of whom are estimated to be paralyzed from all 4 limbs , which would have consequences on their quality of life. However, this is the worst case scenario. 65% of those affected will retain some nerve function, whether in the arms or legs. Related Questions How can clinicians determine the level of damage in spinal cord injury victims? When a person is suspected of an immediate (acute) spinal cord injury, clinicians perform clinical examinations instantly. Among other things, a clinical test known as the American Spinal Injury Association Scale (ASIA) is performed to determine the level of neurological damage. This test looks at two important factors that might have been disrupted by a spinal cord injury: sensation and movement. Two forms of sensation are tested; Light touch using a cotton pad and pinprick sensation using a safety pin. The tests take place at 28 predetermined locations on the body. If a sensation is felt by the individual, it is rated on a scale of 0 to 2. As obvious as it may seem, a score of 0 is assigned when no sensation is felt by the individual but when the sensation is normal, then the highest score is given. a score of 2 is assigned. The motor part, on the other hand, involves testing ten key muscles. The strength of the muscle's movement is rated on a scale of 0 to 5 (0 meaning immobility and 5 being active movement). After sensory and motor testing, the information can be used to determine a single level of neurological damage. Individuals are classified into the following categories: Grade A, B, C, D or E. Individuals placed in Grade A have no sensory or motor function (paralysis). Even if the lucky few classified at grade E can function “normally”. Many of you may question the need for such a lengthy process to determine the level of damage, but there are benefits to the ASIA test nonetheless. For example, it helps determine where the injury is (if this cannot be confirmed by other methods, such as MRI). Additionally, by determining the extent to which the person has been affected, it helps clinicians establish the prognosis of the affected person. One of these treatments includes spinal cord rehabilitation. Spinal cord rehabilitation - “Hocus Pocus” or a scientific success? Our fascinating bodies have a natural way of improving over time, due to the property of the central nervous system known as plasticity. Plasticity refers to the rewiring of nerves after injury to adapt to functional demands. The objective of rehabilitation is not only to encourage this reorganization but also to enable individuals to reintegrate into society. A multidisciplinary team (a group of specialists) works to achieve this goal. A vital person on the team is the physical therapist, whose primary goal is to maximize the individual's movement. On the other hand, a.