That buzzing, burning, cutting pain you feel through the arms and legs you can't feel- that's neuropathy, or neurogenic pain. Neurogenic pain is the result of failed communication between the brain and body. Lack of sensory function typically would mean you don’t feel a thing, but for people with SCI the experience of pain is still present, and for...
In addition to daily range of motion exercise, you can try the following to help reduce contracture. The body should sit more normally and avoid deformation.
And that jerking and shaking of the arms and the legs? Muscle spasms are the result of yet another missed memo. The motor cells become easy to trigger after SCI, causing muscle twitching, jerking, or stiffening. Changes to muscle structure after injury contribute to muscle stiffness. Reflexes are hyperactive and sometimes the slightest touch,...
Our bodies cannot regulate our temperature following spinal cord injury. Sometimes we will feel cold although the climate is warm. Other times we feel hot and the climate is cold. Getting warm, or cooling off, can both be tricky.
Moving the muscles and joints through their normal range of motions will be a critical part of your daily care. Range of motion prevents contracture and spasticity. Upper level quadriplegics must practice passive range of motion daily if possible with a caregiver. For quadriplegics with some arm and hand function, a host of active range of motion...