Common Causes Of A Spinal Cord Injury

Inflammation

Inflammation alone won't typically lead to a spinal cord injury if there hasn't been damage to the structures in the back, though it can make these injuries worse. Individuals who experience chronic inflammation are unlikely to develop a spinal cord injury unless they also have degenerative back issues or a traumatic injury. However, inflammation can make a spinal cord injury much worse following the initial trauma. Because of this, emergency medical intervention is vital. Even if individuals don't think the injury was significant enough to cause damage, they might notice an increased loss of function over hours as their body becomes swollen and inflamed.

Inflammation is a natural reaction to a spinal cord injury. The inflammatory process can cause further destruction to the glial and neuronal cells within the spinal cord, which expands the damage. This can cause more severe paralysis, paralysis of more parts of the body, or loss of feeling where there previously was none. Immediately after the injury, doctors will typically take steps to control the inflammation and swelling to try to reduce overall damage.