Getting Back On Track: Helping Northern California Understand Different Treatment Options For Spinal Cord Injuries

Sustaining a spinal cord injury (SCI) is a catastrophic and life-changing occurrence. While some symptoms of SCI may never go away, excellent treatments and rehabilitation programs exist to ease pain and discomfort, improve mobility and increase independence for people living with SCI.

Immediate Treatment Options After A Spinal Cord Injury

Immediately after a serious accident, medical personnel can engage numerous tactics to ease the victim’s pain and prevent further injury from taking place in the body. For example, braces can be used to provide support and immobilize the spine. If administered within a few hours of the injury-causing accident, methylprednisolone (Medrol) can reduce inflammation and slow the progress of the SCI. However, Medrol is not a cure for SCI.

Surgery

Once the patient is stabilized and there is a clear diagnosis of SCI, doctors may perform surgery to remove any bone fragments or foreign objects lodged in the spinal region. Additionally, surgery may be helpful to extract fractured vertebrae that may be compressing the spine. In some cases, surgery is performed to stabilize the spine and prevent a deformity from developing.

Medication Options

Later, doctors can prescribe medications to control pain and muscle spasticity and to improve bladder control, bowel control and sexual function.

Rehabilitative Activities

As injured parties begin to recover, many different types of rehabilitative activities could be utilized to help individuals live independently and resume life. Typical recommendations include:

  • Physical, occupational or recreational therapy
  • Rehabilitative psychology
  • Dietitian assistance
  • Physiatrist assistance

The goal of these rehabilitative efforts is designed to help individuals:

  • Maintain and strengthen existing muscle function
  • Redevelop fine motor skills
  • Learn new techniques to accomplish your daily tasks
  • Learn more about their injury and effects on their bodies
  • Learn about ways to mitigate complications
  • Learn to rebuild their lives
  • Increase their quality of life

Legal Recourse For Spinal Cord Injuries Caused By Negligent Parties

If you or a loved one sustained a SCI due to the negligence or wrongful acts of another person, you may be entitled to compensation.

With the assistance of a qualified attorney, you can potentially recover monetary damages to compensate you for your physical, emotional and financial losses associated with the injury.

At the Law Offices of Robert G. Schock, we have significant expertise in assisting people with SCI in Oakland, San Francisco, the Bay Area and throughout Northern California.

To learn about how a personal injury lawyer at our team can help you, schedule a free consultation. Call 510-922-0887 or send an email.