While any injury can be considered serious, damage to your spine can cause lifelong challenges. Your spine and spinal cord are broken into sections. Each of these sections helps control a different part of your body. Damage to each of these sections can impact you differently, and the higher your injury, the more obstacles you may experience.
Here are the four levels of your spine you should know about and what symptoms you may endure because of your injury.
Cervical Spine Injury
The highest level of the spine is the cervical vertebrae. It is the superior portion of the vertebral column and sits between the thoracic spine and your cranium. As such, an injury to this level can result in some of the most severe damages. Many of those who suffer a cervical spine injury can experience quadriplegia, which is the loss of functionality in all four limbs.
Thoracic Spine Injury
Just below the cervical spine sit the thoracic vertebra. It’s this level of the spine that, when damaged, can lead to paraplegia. When paraplegia occurs, it causes you to lose feeling and functionality below the injury location, typically impacting your lower limbs most.
Lumbar Spine Injury
While a lumbar spine injury can cause paraplegia, some of the more common damages you can sustain include:
- Trouble walking
- Bowel and bladder control problems
- Hip and groin function issues
Sacrum Spine Injury
Just above your tailbone is your sacrum. A sacral spine injury can be significant, but in many cases, you may still be able to walk with the help of specialized medical equipment. You can also experience bowel and bladder control issues.
If you suffer a spine injury, Mayerson Injury Law, P.C. will be there to help you. Our Pottstown spine injury attorneys work to help you obtain the compensation you need and deserve. It’s our goal to help you move forward with the most assistance possible, going above and beyond when you need us most.