FAQ Categories: Medical Emergencies

Medical Emergencies are a few conditions affecting spinal cord injured people that, require urgent treatment. They can happen anytime irrespective of the numbers of years that have passed after your injury. You should be aware of them and the first aid that is required just incase you are faced with them at home. They are as follows

• Autonomic Dysreflexia
• Pressure sore
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This is a warning system to let you know that something is wrong; and that your body is experiencing pain or discomfort. This is an acute emergency and if not treated quickly may lead to bleeding in the brain with serious consequences. It consists of a rapid increase in blood pressure caused by pain, irritation or over-stimulation in a paralyzed part of the body. Only if you have a spinal cord les ...

The Symptoms for autonomic dysreflexia are

• Pounding headache
• Goose pimples
• Profuse sweatingFlushed and blotched skin on face and upper trunk Those with a spinal cord lesion above T6 must be aware of autonomic dysreflexia or hyper-reflexia and so should their family and carers.
• High blood pressure

Note: You may already have ...

The symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia can be any one of the following or combination of the follows over-full bladder caused by a blocked catheter bladder stones. Urinary tract infection constipation anal fissure wind ingrown toenail burns or scalds pressure sore labor pain ejaculation during sexual intercourse menstrual cramps ...

• Remove the cause (if possible) you may have to contact your doctor to help you remove the cause.
• Sit up either yourself or with help
• If symptoms persist, give drugs to lower the blood pressure and contact your doctor
• Autonomic Dysreflexia is a serious condition and if immediate relief is not achieved you must call a doctor.

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Other emergencies that can arise are Pressure sores and problems related to the Bladder like Kidney infection and kidney stones. These are discussed at length in chapters given before. Apart from these you may be prone to Chest infections and low blood pressure. ...

If your spinal lesion is above T6 you have to, take extra care to avoid chest infections The potential problems that may occur in the are

• Decreased Lung Volume
• Congestion and/or Pneumonia

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Decreased lung volume is caused be either change in the function of the respiratory muscles or thick secretions in the lungs. You can identify this by shortness of breath. ...

Decreased lung volume can be prevented by regularly

• Doing deep breathing regularly
• Sitting in wheelchair daily
• Maintaining regular turning schedule in bed
• Doing regular assisted coughing as needed to bring up secretions
• Do respiratory treatment as prescribed by the doctor

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Assisted coughing is when someone else assists you in coughing out your secretions which you may be unable to do yourself. Coughing assists in cleaning thickened secretions from the respiratory system. If your spinal lesion is T6 and above then ask your physiotherapist to teach assisted coughing procedure to your family members, who can assist you at home. ...