Damage to the spinal cord can occur in any one of the following ways:
- concussion of the spinal cord which occurs when a sudden or violent jolt injures the tissues around the cord. This injury is usually temporary and goes
away within a few hours;
- a spinal contusion (bruise) which causes bleeding to occur in the spinal column. The pressure that the bleeding puts on the cord can kill neurons;
- spinal compression which occurs when an object (eg a tumour) puts pressure on the spinal cord;
- a tear in the spinal cord will also damage the neurons that it contains;
- the severance of the spinal cord will, depending on the level that it occurs, result in loss of sensation and motor function.
A spinal cord injury may be traumatic or non-traumatic. A traumatic injury is the result of a sudden blow to the spine that fractures, dislocates,
crushes or compresses one or more of the vertebrae. Traumatic injury may also result from a gunshot or knife wound that penetrates and cuts the spinal cord.
Non-traumatic spinal cord injury is the result of arthrtitis, cancer, blood vessel problems or bleeeding, inflamation or infections, or disk degeneration
of the spine.
The most common causes of spinal cord injury are:
- car and motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injury;
- falls, especially in people over the age of 65, are a major cause of spinal cord injury;
- acts of violence, usually involving gunshot and knife wounds, are also a cause of spinal cord injury;
- impact sports, such as rugby, and diving in shallow water also account for a number of spinal cord injuries;
- cancer, infections, arthritis and inflammation of the spinal cord also cause a number of injuries each year.
