What is Spinal Cord Injury? As soon as you hear the term 'spinal cord injury' most of you would have pictured a bad car accident scene on the A12. You are not far away; Spinal cord injury refers to any damage to the spinal cord. The damage could result from mechanical trauma; such as a car accident or even a fall or due to a lesser-known source; infections or tumors. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Globally, this incurable condition affects 250,000 to 500,000 people every year, of which 15% would be paralyzed in all 4 limbs, taking a toll on their quality of life. However, this is the worst case scenario. 65% of those affected will have some nerve function remaining, either in their arms or legs. Related Questions How can doctors determine the level of damage in spinal cord injury victims? When an individual is suspected of immediate (acute) spinal cord injury, doctors immediately perform clinical tests. To determine the level of neurological damage, among others, a clinical test called the American Spinal Injury Association Scale (ASIA) is carried out. This test examines two important factors that may have been disturbed by the spinal cord injury: sensation and movement. Two forms of sensation are tested; light touch using a cotton ball and pin prick sensation using a safety pin. The test takes place in 28 predetermined positions of the body. If the individual feels a sensation, it is rated on a scale of 0 to 2. As obvious as it may be, a score of 0 is given when the individual feels no sensation, but when the sensation is normal, then the score the higher the score is 2. The motor part, however, involves testing ten key muscles. The strength of muscle movement is rated on a scale of 0 to 5 (0 means immobility and 5 means active movement). After sensory and motor testing, the information can be used to determine a single level of neurological damage. Individuals are placed in the following categories: Grade A, B, C, D or E. Individuals placed in Grade A have no sensory or motor function (paralysis). Although the lucky few with a Grade E classification can function "normally". Many of you may question the need for such a lengthy process to determine the level of damage, however, the ASIA test has its advantages. For example, it helps determine where the lesion is (if this cannot be confirmed with other methods, such as MRI scans). Additionally, by determining how much the individual has been affected, it helps doctors with the prognosis of the affected individual. One of these treatments includes spinal cord rehabilitation. Spinal Cord Rehabilitation: 'Hocus Pocus' or a Scientific Success? Our charming bodies have a natural way of improving over time, thanks to a property of the central nervous system known as plasticity. Plasticity refers to the rewiring of nerves after injury to adapt to functional needs. The aim of rehabilitation is not only to encourage this rewiring, but also to enable individuals to reintegrate into society. A multidisciplinary team (a group of specialists) works towards this goal. A crucial individual on the team is the physical therapist, whose main goal is to maximize the individual's movement. On the other hand, an occupational therapist will focus on the difficulties of individuals' daily activities and provide them with alternative approaches to accomplish mundane tasks. Also, psychologists.