You had a great day out with friends and family, which is why you never would have imagined being rushed to the hospital after a car crash as the ending to your evening.
Unfortunately, another driver was looking away from the road and missed a stop sign at the intersection you were driving through. You didn’t have a chance to get out of the way; you ended up taking the brunt of the hit on your driver’s side door.
You knew there was a problem because your legs wouldn’t work. You could barely feel anything, and you couldn’t get out of your vehicle. By the time you reached the hospital, you knew that you were paralyzed. You hoped it would be reversible, but you knew it was unlikely.
There is no way to reverse spinal cord damage, but further damage can be prevented
You should know that there is no way to reverse the damage that has already been done to the spine except for in extremely rare circumstances. If the cord itself has been damaged, then you may be left with weakness, paralysis, pain or other side effects.
At the hospital, you’ll be taken to get X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography scans. These scans will tell the medical team what kinds of injuries you have and open up the options they have for treatment. They may use anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids or other treatments to try to reduce the swelling in the spine to preserve any function that currently remains.
A spinal injury is serious, and it’s often life-changing. If you are hurt, remember that the driver who struck you can be held responsible.
