Paraplegia/Quadriplegia

About Quadriplegia/Paraplegia

Quadriplegia and Paraplegia are caused by a variety of events/diseases. The most common causes are a stroke, or a spinal cord injury. According to The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, about 1.7% of the U.S. population or 5,357,970 people reported they were living with some form of paralysis, defined by the study as a central nervous system disorder resulting in difficulty or inability to move the upper and lower extremities. Understanding this injury is essential to planning what the future will look like.

Symptoms

Most symptoms of Paraplegia/quadriplegia are instant some however, may take some time to develop. When they are caused from direct damage to the spinal cord those are typically a result of a traumatic Car accident, slip and fall, or sporting accident. Awareness of the immediate warning signs of a paraplegic/quadriplegic injury can be important to receiving proper treatment. The symptoms include the following:

• Loss of sensation in the lower extremities.
• Pain in the lower body
• Inability to move the lower body
• Bowel function
• Bed sore/skin problems
• Autonomic Dysreflexia
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Chronic Pain
• Weight Gain
• Depression

Moving forward

Life after Paraplegia and Quadriplegia accident can be difficult but there are steps to moving forward to establish the independence you deserve. Your physical health is the most important step in the whole process, making sure you remain connected with your doctor is going to help with providing the best treatment options for any infections or pain that may occur. Mentally, overcoming a paraplegic injury is not for the faint of heart, there are support groups that can assist with the long journey ahead.