spinal cord shock

[Daryl-Carstens]

    
      Re: spinal cord shock
    


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Posted by ccfNeuro MD on June 19, 1997 at 17:11:42:

In Reply to: spinal cord shock posted by Daryl Carstens on June 11, 1997 at 15:20:45:

: What happens to the body at the exact time of injury
  eg:passout,go blind, deaf, high bloodprassure.
  Will blood tests [ alcohol, drugs ] be affected by
  chemicals released in the body at time of injury.
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Hello, Daryl. The spinal cord functions mainly by relaying information back and forth between the brain and different parts of the body.  It also has a few reflex functions such as control of “deep tendon reflexes” (what the doctor taps on during his physical examination), control of sweating, control of blood vessel tone.  When the spinal cord is severely injured or partially severed, there is paralysis and loss of sensation of the parts of the body below the level of the injury. In spinal SHOCK there is also temporary loss of the spinal reflex functions.  This results in a loss of the ability to sweat/perspire and loss of  bladder and bowel control.  The extremities become limp.  There is also loss of  control of the tone in blood vessels.  The vessels become dilated and because of this, blood pressure drops.  The duration of spinal shock varies  but usually begins to resolve within 1 to 6 weeks.  It is then followed by heightened spinal reflexes.  The limbs become “spastic” and stiff and the deep tendon reflexes become increased (For instance, testing the deep tendon reflex in the knee normally causes the lower leg to move, but in a patient with increased reflexes, tapping the knee may cause the whole leg to move)
In spinal shock, there is usually no loss of consciousness unless the blood pressure drops very low from the blood vessel dilation.  Patients who only have a spinal cord injury can think, talk and see normally; they just can’t control their body.  Many times, though, people who injure their spinal cord in car accidents or diving accidents will also injure their head, as well. In these instances, there may be other problems and at the time of injury they may black out.  I do not know of any blood tests which are altered by spinal shock.  Results of alcohol and drug tests should, I believe, be valid.  I hope this information is useful to you. If you would like to come to the Cleveland Clinic  for evaluation of a spinal cord injury, you can call [phone], which is the neurology appointment line.