Much of what people know about severe injuries comes from the media. The average person doesn’t have a close relationship with a spinal cord injury survivor. Therefore, what they know about spinal cord injuries may come from books, movies or television shows.
Frequently, injuries that put people in wheelchairs are used for dramatic character-building effect. Eventually, the people confined to wheelchairs regain their ability to walk. That common trope in popular media may give people unrealistic expectations as they adjust to life with a spinal cord injury.
Some people may have unrealistic expectations about their chances of recovering from their injuries. Is it possible for people to regain function after sustaining a spinal cord injury?
Incomplete injuries may improve with time
Spinal cord injuries vary in both their location and their severity. Typically, people lose motor control over their bodies below the injury point. They also lose physical sensation.
Incomplete spinal cord injuries do not always cause paralysis. Instead, they cause functional impairment. These injuries damage the spinal cord without actually severing it. With proper treatment, people’s conditions may improve.
Rehabilitative services can also help them regain lost functions as they heal from an incomplete spinal cord injury. The rehabilitation and treatment process can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years depending on the placement of the injury and other unique factors.
There have been significant advances
Spinal cord injuries are among the various catastrophic medical conditions that don’t respond well to traditional medical treatments. Doctors cannot reverse or cure the injury. However, cutting-edge advances have opened the doorway to new and potentially life-changing treatments.
Medical researchers have been able to use implanted electrostimulation devices to help people with complete spinal cord injuries begin walking again. While that technology is years away from being widely available, there are signs of hope for those adjusting to life with a spinal cord injury.
Affording the best treatment and replacing lost wages can be a challenge for those with spinal cord injuries. Seeking appropriate compensation may require litigation due to the costs associated with spinal cord injuries. Injured people and their family members may need help calculating the lifetime financial impact of the injury and exploring different options for injury compensation, and that’s okay.
