Rehabilitation after Spinal Cord Injury

Treatment for spinal cord injury is given in two phases such as acute and rehabilitation. The acute stage starts at the time of injury and it lasts until the individual gets stabilized. Rehab phase starts as early as the individual gets stabilized and ready for working to become independent. During the acute stage, it is crucial that the individual get right medical care. The injured individual in many of the cases can be sent to the closest hospital for the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

During first few days the acute phase is accompanied by spinal shock in which the reflexes of the individual do not work. During such phase, a few other complications from the accident will even be present like broken bones and injury.

When the acute phase finishes, the individual has been stabilized. After the acute phase, the person enters the rehab stage of the treatment. Treatment during such phase has the major aim to return as much function as possible to the individual. As all of the spinal cord injuries are different, a perfect plan is made for helping the individual function as well as succeed in daily life is designed. The plan that has been designed includes helping individual in understanding injuries, helping individual in becoming independent in daily activities like grooming, bathing, eating, dressing, wheelchair use, helping individual in learning to accept a new lifestyle particularly pertaining to housing, sexual and recreational options, helping individual understand the details about his or her care, helping individual learning how he or she can instruct caregivers in how to help them and preparing the person for vocational rehab.

A specialized spinal cord injury rehab program offers person complete, patient-focused rehab services for transitional living and empowering people suffering from spinal cord injuries and families for accomplishing the best quality of life to live in the community again. Care is provided though a multidisciplinary team through organized regional referrals by specialists, health experts such as nurse specialists, occupational speech and recreational therapists.

Rehab process following a spinal cord injury generally starts in the acute care setting. Different experts like social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists and a few other experts work in a team and fix the aim with the patient and make a discharge plan suitable for the condition of the patient. Therapists also focus on respiratory status of the patient, how to maintain range of motion and how to prevent indirection complications. The works of physical therapist is to help immobilized patients with secretion clearance, stretching of thoracic wall and cough techniques and even advises support belts if essential. The level of spinal cord injury determines how much time a patient gets immobilized. Physical therapist also works for the patients for preventing the complications, which can occur because of the immobilization. Another major aim for people suffering from spinal cord injury is the improvement of locomotor. Several strategies are available for the improvement of this function. In rehabilitation, locomotor training is used after spinal cord injury. Health care experts also help to re-orient the patients, start developing aims with the patient and give support for both family and patient.

Another therapy that plays a crucial role in the management of spinal cord injury is occupational therapy. A few recent studies mainly focus on the significance of early occupational therapy that began quickly after the client is stable. In this therapy, the patient has been taught coping skills. Physical therapists try to make the most of functional independence if the patients get placed in inpatient rehab. Considering the spinal cord injury level, whatever sparing that patient has is optimized. Physical therapists help patient in many activities of everyday life that include mobility skills, bed mobility and transfers.