Common Causes Of A Spinal Cord Injury

Inflammation

Inflammation alone won't typically lead to a spinal cord injury if there hasn't been damage to the structures in the back, though it can make these injuries worse. Individuals who experience chronic inflammation are unlikely to develop a spinal cord injury unless they also have degenerative back issues or a traumatic injury. However, inflammation can make a spinal cord injury much worse following the initial trauma. Because of this, emergency medical intervention is vital. Even if individuals don't think the injury was significant enough to cause damage, they might notice an increased loss of function over hours as their body becomes swollen and inflamed. Inflammation is a natural reaction to a spinal cord injury. The inflammatory process can cause further destruction to the glial and neuronal cells within the spinal cord, which expands the damage. This can cause more severe paralysis, paralysis of more parts of the body, or loss of feeling where there previously was none. Immediately after the injury, doctors will typically take steps to control the inflammation and swelling to try to reduce overall damage.

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Disk Degeneration

As with other medical conditions that cause damage to the spine, disk degeneration (degenerative disk disease) can lead to a spinal cord injury. This occurs when natural changes within the spinal disks lead to pain. These disks function like shock absorbers that keep the vertebrae from rubbing against each other. They are vital to the flexibility of an individual's back, allowing them to twist and bend in multiple directions. During the aging process, the disks tend to wear down. They might start to break down and fail to work as well, leading to decreased mobility and increased pain. The disease can be caused by a few different changes to the spinal disks. After birth, the spinal disks are mainly made of water. During the aging process, they become thinner and lose water, which impairs the shock-absorbing ability and cushioning. The older an individual gets, the more issues they may experience. In addition, the outer shell of the disks might crack due to the stress from minor injuries and everyday movements built up over the years.

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