There are many diagnoses that people fear getting from their doctor. After a debilitating accident, for instance, the patient will be heartbroken to hear that the life they’ve known was all but over. This is the kind of physical and psychological pain that a spinal cord injury patient has to deal with.
Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) account for about 12,000 of confirmed disability cases in the United States alone. Sources of SCIs can occur due to motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds falls, and even medical malpractice. But, the methods of treatment and prevention of SCIs abound.
Victims and their loved ones can know that these ordeals do not represent an end. In order to begin your journey towards recovery, here are four ways to deal with spinal cord injury.
Prevention
The best way to regain control of a chaotic situation is by limiting the amount of dangerous factors in your life. Start by going through your home and determine which areas provide the most risk. Install extra hand railings for support, if necessary. Don’t forget to repair worn-out rugs and conceal loose appliance cords.
When it comes to seeking further treatment, it helps to do the extra homework. Never cease questioning the medical care you or your loved on is receiving. Keep a record of how often your symptoms are changing.
Relying on Help
A tough truth to letting go of your old life is putting your trust in others to get your through it. Many are lucky to have the support of family and friends, but SCI requires diligence and awareness about the scope of the condition.
Tasks such as bathing, dressing, and other daily rituals will need the assistance of trained nurses or caretakers. Social workers might need to be consulted about for financial, vocational, and emotional support. Consultation services such as these can be located through local advocacy and SCI support groups.
Engage in Treatments
Staying positive about the future will be the main objective of recovery. Whenever someone becomes ill, they start looking for that light at the end of their tunnel. Every day there are new advancements in medical science which can provide life improving benefits to people with SCI.
Experimental treatments using stem cell therapy have allowed paralytics to regain minor movement in their arms and hands after 3 months. Electrical stimulation and robotic exoskeletons can be used to help paraplegics move again. While these are still in the testing stages, they’re enough to shed some light onto your dark situation.
Know Your Rights
SCI patients are afforded protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Those protections will outline conduct for future medical treatment. Any form of mishandling by health care workers should be brought to the attention of a medical malpractice attorney.
If the SCI originated from, or was worsened by, medical malpractice, then you’ll need to take action. Acting immediately will give the attorney’s office enough time to request medical documents from the hospital. Just like recovery, time is of the essence.