As quadriplegics, our cough may be very weak. Those of us with injuries below the C5 level typically have decent control of our diaphragms. Upper cervical injuries though, result in an inability to expel secretions from the lungs. Our cough is weak, at best, consequence of expiratory muscle paralysis. The cough reflex is preserved, but it’s not...
Remember, when something is occurring in the body which would cause pain if we had normal sensation, our autonomic nervous system is disrupted. Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency.
Many types of infections quadriplegics are prone to can cause sepsis: wounds, pneumonia, influenza, urinary tract infections.
Sometimes during transfers or repositions we may experience dizziness, ears ringing, and loss of vision. This is a drop in blood pressure known as orthostatic hypotension. The sudden decrease in blood pressure can cause you to faint because not enough oxygen reaches your brain cells. Sit up slowly. Lay back down and try again if it is too much.
Remember, prolonged pressure on the skin damages underlying tissue, especially on the bony parts of your body where you don't have a lot of skin: heels, ankles, elbows, hips, shoulder blades, and the tailbone.
A pressure ulcer shows up as a red mark on the skin. Red, unbroken skin can quickly become a deep injury involving muscle and bone...
To prevent blood clots you may wear tight elastic stockings like Thrombo-Embolus Deterrent (TED) hose, specially designed to help reduce the risk of developing DVT in the leg. Pneumatic boots or leggings which are connected to an air pump machine, can also be worn. The boots tighten and loosen to push the blood back up to the heart to...