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Cervical spine injuries are the result of trauma that affects the vertebra or spinal cord in the cervical region of the spine. The cervical spine area is composed of the spinal cord, seven vertebras, ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissues. Cervical spine area extends from the base of the head to the thorax (trunk and shoulder area) and is responsible for supporting the head. Cervical spine injuries are commonly known as neck or back breaks which may or may not involve damage to the spinal cord. When the spinal cord is damaged in cervical spine injuries, a person can suffer from complete or incomplete loss of feeling and function in the lower and upper extremities and the truck area. Other damage that can result from cervical spine injuries include: fractured or sprained vertebra or injury to the ligaments and muscles in the area.
Forty percent of all spinal cord injuries are cervical spine injuries. Fifty percent of all vertebral fractures in traumatic accidents are also cervical spine injuries. Cervical spine injuries most commonly result in complete or incomplete quadriplegia. Quadriplegia is defined as paralysis from the neck down. Complete quadriplegia is when a person loses all feeling and functioning in the affected parts of the body. Incomplete quadriplegia is when a person retains or regains some feeling and functioning in the affected areas. People with cervical spine injuries in the fourth vertebrate may require a ventilator in order to breathe. Cervical spine injuries below this area may result in some limited functioning in the upper extremities.
In addition to possible paralysis from cervical spine injuries, these injuries to the spinal cord often result in loss of bladder and bowel control. Victims who suffer from cervical spine injuries involving the spinal cord often lose sexual functioning and may lose the ability to breathe independently. Other damage associated with spinal cord cervical spine injuries include: low blood pressure, loss of body temperature control, inability to sweat, chronic pain, and mental and psychological repercussions.
Approximately 450,000 people in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury. About twelve thousand people suffer cervical spine injuries each year. At least half of all cervical spine injuries are the result of a motor vehicle accident where the victim’s head violently impacts some non-yielding object. Traumatic falls, sports injuries, some medical conditions, and physical violence are other major causes of cervical spine injuries. The majority of victims suffering from cervical spine injuries are males between the ages of 16 and 30, though cervical spine injuries can affect anyone.
When cervical spine injuries do not damage the spinal cord, surgical options and other medical techniques may be employed for rehabilitative purposes. When cervical spine injuries involve the spinal cord there are also comprehensive rehabilitation programs available. Less than one percent of patients with spinal cord cervical spine injuries fully recover, though improvement is possible in many cases. When victims suffer cervical spine injuries as a result of an incident caused or contributed to by another party, the victims have the legal right to seek compensation for their losses including medical costs, loss of income, and psychological suffering.
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