Among the most devastating types of traumatic injuries is injury to the spinal cord. The major problem with spinal cord injury is the inability of the nerve cells to regenerate. It is thought that the cells do not regenerate for a couple of reasons. The network of nerve connections between the brain and the body is a complex network. If new cells and branches began to grow after injuries, there would be no telling what would be connected to what anymore. The other reason is there is a limited amount of room in the spinal column and growth of cells would be impossible. Since the cells do not grow, once the spinal cord is damaged or severed, the condition is permanent.
Acupuncture and spinal cord injury are an ideal therapeutic match. It is important to understand that Traditional Chinese Medicine is not a form of magic. The scientific facts about spinal cord regeneration do not change and acupuncture can not do what is impossible. What it can do is to bring improvements in the quality of life to the patient who has suffered a severe spinal cord injury.
Clinical studies on the effect of acupuncture on spinal cord injuries have shown results of increased sensation, reduction of muscle spasms, and improved bowel and bladder function. Other studies have shown that the sooner after the trauma that the treatments are begun, the more dramatic the improvements in the control of spasms and increased function and sensation. The studies have also shown that the best results come from continued treatment over a long period of time. Some of the treatments had a duration of almost five years with treatments given at least twice a week.
There have been some reports of treatments in Europe using laser acupuncture to treat spinal cord injuries. Some of them claim to have restored function where that would have been considered impossible through the use of lasers and acupuncture in a sort of combined alternative medicine approach. A complete evaluation of these reports was reported as not being possible due to the fact that the subjects spoke a foreign language.
This combined treatment approach is mentioned to point out an important fact about acupuncture treatments in general. Acupuncture is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been used successfully in the treatment of the ailments of mankind for centuries. It is not some type of New Age miracle cure. When you see claims that make it appear to be just that, it should send out red flags of warning. Spinal Cord injuries are terrible things, and the most serious ones lead to permanent disability. Acupuncture can be useful in controlling the symptoms and improving the quality of life, but it is not a miracle cure.
As we may all be aware of, the major cluster of nerves carrying our nerve impulses or inclinations to and from our brain, distributing it to other parts of our body is known as the spinal cord.
All of are body movements account for the existence and normal function of these vital nerve impulses. Daily activities you need to think about first, like touching or walking and others that occur automatically or unconsciously, like breathing all takes place due to our spinal cord.
The Central Nervous System is made up of our brain and spinal cord. The Peripheral Nervous system existing outside the Central Nervous System is composed of sensory and motor nerves. Meanwhile the other systems controlling our involuntary or automatic functions, like our body temperature and blood pressure are considered as the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems.
As such, any damage or harm affecting the spinal cord results to Spinal Cord Injury or SCI. This condition causes loss of our functions. It could be our feeling or mobility, or worst, both.
Spinal Cord Injury is frequently the result in traumatic occurrences like gunshot, falls, car accidents, etc. or from diseases like spina bifida, polio, etc. Being a fragile system of our body, the spinal cord need not be absolutely severed so much so that a loss of essential function can occur.
Most people that have SCI still have their spinal cords intact but it is vitally damaged.
Causes of Critical Spinal Cord Injury
-Paralysis – A condition experienced by a person wherein he fails to control his muscles and voluntary movements of his body. A paralyzed person also loses his reflexes and sensation from the point where the damage or injury in the spinal cord is situated.
The person may start to lose control over his autonomic activities like breathing, bladder and bowel control. He can also experience pain or acute sensitivity to several stimuli, spasms of the muscle and sexual dysfunction.
Furthermore, patients with SCI have great possibility of developing some secondary medical problems. Most cases involve infections in the lungs and bladder and acquiring bedsores.
As of now, there are still no known cure for injuries and damages in the spinal cord, although the researches have developed some advanced treatments.
Experimental drugs are also being introduced although the reason for their effect of reducing body function failures has not yet been wholly understood.
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