Paralysis

Incomplete Paraplegic

The injury has not completely severed your spinal cord and some neural circuits between the brain and body still exist! With incomplete paraplegia, you'll likely have some degree of sensation and/or movement control in the affected regions of your body.

Complete Paraplegic

The injury has led to being unable to use both legs and may experience other issues, such as a loss of bladder/bowel control. This is common with complete spinal cord injuries in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine.

Symptoms include:
• Loss of sensation
• Lots of motor control in lower regions
• Spasticity
• Chronic pain
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Autonomic dysreflexia
• Spinal shock
• Cold hands and feet
Treatments include:
1. Physical therapy
2. Occupational therapy
3. Mobility devices
4. Prescription medication's
5. Surgery

Incomplete Quadriplegic

An “incomplete quadriplegic” is different from a complete paraplegic in that they may still retain some function and/or sensation in their arms or legs. This may be the case with incomplete or "partial" SCI, some TBIs, and some inherited conditions that cause quadriplegia.

Complete Quadriplegic

This is characterized by a complete loss of control over the arms and legs. This is a near-total form of paralysis where a person is wholly unable to move their extremities aside from their head.

Symptoms include:
• Numbness/loss of feeling in the body, particularly in the arms and legs
• Paralysis of the arms and legs
• Urinary retention and bowel dysfunction
• Difficulty breathing/May require assisted breathing device
• Trouble sitting upright due to inability to balance
• Autonomic dysreflexia
Treatments include:
1. Physical therapy
2. Occupational therapy
3. Speech/language therapy
4. Medication to relax muscle spasms
5. Medical devices such as Power wheelchair