Symptoms of spinal cord injury may present as emergency symptoms or more generalized symptoms that mimic other disorders. A common misconception is that spinal cord injuries always involve paralysis, when in fact, they may only involve pain. Injuries may also be classified according to the location and affected areas of the body.
Breathing Difficulty
Shortness of breath and painful respiration after an injury may indicate an injury to the spinal cord. Breathing symptoms combined with numbness and tingling in the extremities and severe pain in the back or neck are highly indicative of spinal cord injury. In order to prevent further or more serious injury, no attempt should be made to transport the victim to the hospital by anyone other than emergency personnel. A long length of time between the injury and initialization of treatment can negatively impact recovery and extent of damage to the body.
Paralysis
Two classifications of paralysis define symptoms of a spinal cord injury. Tetraplegia or quadriplegia characterizes paralysis of the arms, trunk, legs and organs below the waist including the bladder, colon, kidneys and sex organs. In paraplegia, the individual experiences partial paralysis in the limbs and organs. Diagnostic tests determine the extent of the injuries and prognosis for recovery with therapy.
Bowel and Bladder Complications
Constipation, incontinence and bladder spasms may result from injury to any part of the spinal cord. In some cases, the bladder may not empty properly, causing urine to back up into the kidneys. Painful urination indicates irritated nerve endings. If urine becomes blood-tinged, the bladder and kidneys should also be checked for possible trauma.
