A spinal cord injury involves damage to any part of the spinal cord. It also can include damage to nerves at the end of the spinal cord, known as the cauda equina. The spinal cord sends and receives signals between the brain and the rest of the body. A spinal cord injury often causes permanent changes in strength, feeling and other body functions below the site of the injury.

People who have had a spinal cord injury also may experience mental, emotional and social side effects.

Symptoms

The ability to control your arms or legs after a spinal cord injury depends on two factors. One factor is where the injury occurred on the spinal cord. The other factor is how bad the injury is.

The lowest part of the spinal cord not damaged after an injury is known as the neurological level of the injury. "The completeness" of the injury refers to how much feeling, known as sensation, is lost. Completeness is classified as:

• Complete - If all feeling and all ability to control movement are lost below the spinal cord injury, the injury is called complete.
• Incomplete - If some feeling and control of movement remain below the affected area, the injury is called incomplete. There are varying degrees of incomplete injury.

Loss of feeling and control of movement is known as paralysis. Paralysis from a spinal cord injury can be referred to as:

• Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia - This means that your arms, hands, trunk, legs and pelvic organs are all affected by your spinal cord injury.
• Paraplegia - This paralysis affects all or part of the trunk, legs and pelvic organs but not the arms.

Your healthcare team performs a series of tests to determine the neurological level and completeness of your injury.

Spinal cord injuries can cause the following symptoms:

• Loss of movement.
• Loss of or a change in sensation. This includes a change in the ability to feel heat, cold and touch.
• Loss of bowel or bladder control.
• Exaggerated reflex activities or spasms.
• Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity and fertility.
• Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord.
• Trouble breathing, coughing or clearing secretions from the lungs.

Stem Cells Facilitate Recovery

Stem cells possess a unique ability to regenerate tissues that have limited natural repair potential. For example, articular cartilage, which is found in joints like elbows and knees, cannot naturally heal and deteriorates over time. However, stem cells, acting as orchestrators of the body's natural healing processes, have successfully rejuvenated articular tissue within joints. This innovative approach bypasses the need for invasive joint replacement surgeries and significantly reduces recovery times.

Furthermore, stem cells can be harnessed to regenerate damaged tissues responsible for various bone, tendon, and ligament conditions. These transplanted cells naturally migrate to areas of damage within the body, replacing injured cells and facilitating the regeneration of lost or damaged tissue.

Protocol

Intrathecal transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells injected directly into the spinal canal. This minimally invasive procedure, taking approximately 45 minutes, involves minimal downtime. Patients typically return home just two days following their scheduled appointment.