What it means
Most often from car crashes, falls, diving and violence. The higher the injury, the more of the body is affected: a neck (cervical) injury can affect all four limbs (tetraplegia) and breathing, while a lower injury affects the legs (paraplegia). Loss of movement and feeling may be complete or partial. Problems can include bladder and bowel control, low blood pressure, pressure injuries, and, with injuries at T6 or above, autonomic dysreflexia.
For the nurse
Keep the spine still and aligned until injury is ruled out, and log-roll the client. Watch breathing closely with neck injuries. For autonomic dysreflexia (sudden high blood pressure, pounding headache), sit the client up and look for the trigger, most often a full bladder.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | SCI |
|---|---|
| Spanish | lesión de la médula espinal |
| Also written | SCI, spinal cord injuries, spinal-cord-injury |
Related terms
central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord together.
spinal cord
The long bundle of nerves that runs down through the backbone and carries messages between the brain and the body.
paralysis
Loss of the ability to move a part of the body, and sometimes loss of feeling in it.
rehabilitation
Care that helps a person regain, keep or improve the skills and independence lost through illness, injury or surgery.