The spine is divided into four sections. The top of the spine, in the region of the neck, is referred to as the cervical spine. The next section down from the neck through the chest area has four vertebrae referred to as the thoracic spine. Further down the back, the next five vertebrae are known as the lumber spine. Finally, the last five vertebrae extending down are referred to as the sacral vertebrae. The vertebrae are often referred to in short form by level, such as C-4, which refers to the fourth vertebra of the cervical spine.
The level of spinal cord injury is determined by which vertebrae of the spinal cord has been injured. The closer the injury is to the brain, the greater the loss of function and feeling will be. A person is said to have paraplegia when he or she has lost feeling and is not able to move the lower extremities. Someone with tetraplegia, (formally called quadriplegia) has lost movement and feeling in both the upper and lower extremities.
Spine injuries may also be referred to as complete or incomplete. In a complete injury, the neurological signals from the brain cannot pass beyond the damaged area. As such, there is a complete loss of feeling and function to the affected regions. Where the injury is referred to as incomplete, only some of the signals can pass. In an incomplete injury, the person may lose function, but still feel pain and some sensation.
The Toronto and York Region spinal cord injury lawyer at Iacobelli Law Firm can help victims of spinal cord injury obtain the compensation needed for medical care, pain and suffering, lost income, and other financial losses. For a free consultation with a Toronto spinal cord injury lawyer, call us at 416-900-1070 or toll free at 1-866-234-6093 or complete our online contact form here.
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