What is the study about?
Survival within two years after spinal cord injury (SCI) has greatly improved over the past few decades, although long-term survival after the first two years has not shown significant improvement. However, people with SCI still have higher rates of mortality than people without SCI. To better ...
What do I need to know?
Ninety-five percent of all pressure sores are preventable!
After spinal cord injury, your skin requires daily care and a lot of attention.
You will need to spend time daily cleaning the skin, keeping it dry (from incontinence or perspiration), checking the skin for problems or changes, moving ...
Areas where bones are close to the surface (called "bony prominences") and areas that are under the most pressure are at greatest risk for developing pressure sores.
In bed, body parts can be padded with pillows or foam to keep bony prominences (areas where bones are close to the skin surface) ...
What is the study about?
This study’s aim was to describe the relationship between spasticity and perceived quality of life as well as the perceived value of spasticity management approaches for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
What did the study find?
This study found that spasms most often occurred in response to ...
Spasticity is the uncontrolled tightening or contracting of the muscles that is common in individuals with spinal cord injuries. About 65%–78% of the SCI population have some amount of spasticity, and it is more common in cervical (neck) than thoracic (chest) and lumbar (lower back) injuries.
What is the study about?
Infections are prevalent complications in SCI patients and are facilitated by a systemic spinal cord injury immune deficiency syndrome (SCI-IDS). This study looked at the effect of pneumonia or wound infection on hospitalized patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Pneumonia is an infection in one or ...
What is the study about?
This study examined neurological and functional outcomes for individuals with penetrating spinal cord injuries (PSCI) following surgical and nonsurgical treatment. Researchers looked at both complete and incomplete spinal cord injury. A complete injury is one in which there is a total lack of sensation and movement ...
What is a pressure injury?
Pressure injury is a newer term for what people might know as a pressure sore, pressure ulcer, decubitus ulcer, bedsore or skin breakdown. The term changed because not all stages of injuries caused by pressure are actually open “sores” or “ulcers.” However, the meaning is similar. ...
Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Evaluation Tool (SCI-SET) and Patient-Reported Impact of Spasticity Measure (PRISM) using Rasch analysis to optimize their validity and efficiency.
Design: Rasch analysis of the SCI-SET and PRISM represents a secondary analysis of data collected as part of a collaborative ...
A pressure sore (also called pressure ulcer, decubitus ulcer, decubiti (plural), bedsore or skin breakdown) is an area of the skin or underlying tissue (muscle, bone) that is damaged due to loss of blood flow to the area. Blood flow to the skin keeps it alive and healthy. If the ...
What do I need to know?
Individuals with SCI are at high risk for developing pressure sores.
Pressure sores can be life threatening.
Possible complications:
Infections can develop and spread to the blood, heart and bone.
Amputations
Prolonged bed rest necessary for healing can keep you out of work, school and social activities for months.
Because ...
What is the study about?
This study investigated the effectiveness of CareCall, an interactive, low-cost phone system developed for adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Callers to CareCall receive automated medical support and information. Researchers looked at how CareCall is used by and benefits people with SCI ...
The pressure relief technique you use will depend on your level of injury, the type of wheelchair you use and how much movement and strength you have in your arms and shoulders.
Tilting or reclining
If you are unable to perform independent pressure reliefs, you can use a power tilt wheelchair for ...
Opioids are drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. While some opioids like morphine are made from the plant directly, others such as fentanyl and tramadol are created in a lab. Opioids are often used as medicines because they can relieve pain. However, opioids can also make people feel ...
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center presents an audio factsheet on Opioids And Your Health. The factsheet was developed by Thomas N. Bryce, MD, Jan Schwab, MD, PhD, Philip Siddall MBBS,
PhD, and Tiffany Wong, MD in collaboration with the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center. The information in this factsheet is ...
Pain is a serious problem for many people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Pain after SCI can occur in parts of the body where there is normal sensation (feeling) as well as areas that have little or no feeling.