Vocal Cord Biopsy Tips

A spinal cord injury is a damage to the spinal cord. It’s an extremely serious type of physical trauma that’s likely to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life.

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. It also sends messages from the body to the brain. We are able to perceive pain and move our limbs because of messages sent through the spinal cord.

If the spinal cord sustains an injury, some or all of these impulses may not be able to ‘get through’. The result is a complete or total loss of sensation and mobility below the injury. A spinal cord injury closer to the neck will typically cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than one in the lower back area.

Causes-

A spinal cord injury is often the result of an unpredictable accident or violent event. The following can all result in damage to the spinal cord:

• a violent attack such as a stabbing or a gunshot
• diving into water that’s too shallow and hitting the bottom
• trauma during a car accident (specifically, trauma to the face, head and neck region, back, or chest area)
• falling from a significant height
• head or spinal injuries during sporting events
• electrical accidents
• severe twisting of the middle portion of the torso

Symptoms-

Some symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

1. problems walking
2. loss of control of the bladder or bowels
3. inability to move the arms or legs
4. feelings of spreading numbness or tingling in the extremities
5. unconsciousness
6. headache
7. pain, pressure, stiffness in the back or neck area
8. signs of shock
9. unnatural positioning of the head

If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don’t move the injured person – permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
• Call 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number
• Keep the person still
• Place heavy towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives
• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Prevention-

Because spinal cord injuries are often due to unpredictable events, the best you can do is reduce your risk.

 Some risk-reducing measures include:

1. always wearing a seatbelt while in a car
2. wearing proper protective gear while playing sports
3. never diving into water unless you’ve examined it first to make sure it’s deep enough and free of rocks. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Neurosurgeon.

A spinal cord injury is a damage to the spinal cord. It’s an extremely serious type of physical trauma that’s likely to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life.

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. It also sends messages from the body to the brain. We are able to perceive pain and move our limbs because of messages sent through the spinal cord.

If the spinal cord sustains an injury, some or all of these impulses may not be able to ‘get through’. The result is a complete or total loss of sensation and mobility below the injury. A spinal cord injury closer to the neck will typically cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than one in the lower back area.

Causes-

A spinal cord injury is often the result of an unpredictable accident or violent event. The following can all result in damage to the spinal cord:

• A violent attack such as a stabbing or a gunshot
• Diving into water that’s too shallow and hitting the bottom
• Trauma during a car accident (specifically, trauma to the face, head and neck region, back, or chest area)
• Falling from a significant height
• Head or spinal injuries during sporting events
• Electrical accidents
• Severe twisting of the middle portion of the torso

Symptoms-

Some symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

1. Problems walking
2. Loss of control of the bladder or bowels
3. Inability to move the arms or legs
4. Feelings of spreading numbness or tingling in the extremities
5. Unconsciousness
6. Headache
7. Pain, pressure, stiffness in the back or neck area
8. Signs of shock
9. Unnatural positioning of the head

If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don’t move the injured person – permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
• Call 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number
• Keep the person still
• Place heavy towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives
• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Prevention-

Because spinal cord injuries are often due to unpredictable events, the best you can do is reduce your risk.

 Some risk-reducing measures include:

1. Always wearing a seatbelt while in a car
2. Wearing proper protective gear while playing sports
3. Nver diving into water unless you’ve examined it first to make sure it’s deep enough and free of rocks

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord. It’s an extremely serious type of physical trauma that’s likely to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life.

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. It also sends messages from the body to the brain. We are able to perceive pain and move our limbs because of messages sent through the spinal cord.

If the spinal cord sustains an injury, some or all of these impulses may not be able to ‘get through’. The result is a complete or total loss of sensation and mobility below the injury. A spinal cord injury closer to the neck will typically cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than one in the lower back area.

Causes-

A spinal cord injury is often the result of an unpredictable accident or violent event. The following can all result in damage to the spinal cord:

• a violent attack such as a stabbing or a gunshot
• diving into water that’s too shallow and hitting the bottom
• trauma during a car accident (specifically trauma to the face, head and neck region, back, or chest area)
• falling from a significant height
• head or spinal injuries during sporting events
• electrical accidents
• severe twisting of the middle portion of the torso

Symptoms -

Some symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

1. problems walking
2. loss of control of the bladder or bowels
3. inability to move the arms or legs
4. feelings of spreading numbness or tingling in the extremities
5. unconsciousness
6. headache
7. pain, pressure, stiffness in the back or neck area
8. signs of shock
9. unnatural positioning of the head

If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don’t move the injured person – permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
• Call 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number
• Keep the person still
• Place heavy towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives
• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Treatment

Treatment should be focused upon that individual and tailored specifically to their condition. A treatment programme is formulated following a thorough physical assessment which might include:

1. Stretching activities to maintain muscle and tendon length and reduce or keep muscle spasms/spasticity to a minimum.
2. Flexibility and strengthening exercises for the whole body.
3. Breathing exercises to maximise lung function and prevent chest infection.
4. Balance and posture exercises which can help to reduce pain associated with poor posture and balance impairment and ensure correct transfer techniques (in/out of wheelchair, bed, toilet/bath, car etc.)
5. Functional activities to improve fundamental movement patterns such as rolling over and sitting up, and standing where appropriate.
6. Walking re-education, if there is sufficient muscle activity and power in the legs.

Your physiotherapist might also be able to advise an individual on use of appropriate equipment such as wheel-chairs and pressure releasing cushions, exercise equipment and electrical muscle stimulators.

Prevention

Because spinal cord injuries are often due to unpredictable events, the best you can do is reduce your risk.

 Some risk-reducing measures include:

1. Always wearing a seatbelt while in a car
2. Wearing proper protective gear while playing sports
3. Never diving into water unless you’ve examined it first to make sure it’s deep enough and free of rocks

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A spinal cord injury is a damage to the spinal cord. It’s an extremely serious type of physical trauma that’s likely to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life.

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. It also sends messages from the body to the brain. We are able to perceive pain and move our limbs because of messages sent through the spinal cord.

If the spinal cord sustains an injury, some or all of these impulses may not be able to ‘get through’. The result is a complete or total loss of sensation and mobility below the injury. A spinal cord injury closer to the neck will typically cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than one in the lower back area.

Causes

A spinal cord injury is often the result of an unpredictable accident or violent event. The following can all result in damage to the spinal cord:

• a violent attack such as a stabbing or a gunshot
• diving into water that’s too shallow and hitting the bottom
• trauma during a car accident (specifically, trauma to the face, head and neck region, back, or chest area)
• falling from a significant height
• head or spinal injuries during sporting events
• electrical accidents
• severe twisting of the middle portion of the torso

Symptoms

Some symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

1. problems walking
2. loss of control of the bladder or bowels
3. inability to move the arms or legs
4. feelings of spreading numbness or tingling in the extremities
5. unconsciousness
6. headache
7. pain, pressure, stiffness in the back or neck area
8. signs of shock
9. unnatural positioning of the head

If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don’t move the injured person – permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
• Call 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number
• Keep the person still
• Place heavy towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives
• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Prevention

Because spinal cord injuries are often due to unpredictable events, the best you can do is reduce your risk.

 Some risk-reducing measures include:

1. always wearing a seatbelt while in a car
2. wearing proper protective gear while playing sports
3. never diving into water unless you’ve examined it first to make sure it’s deep enough and free of rocks. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Neurosurgeon.

A spinal cord injury is a damage to the spinal cord. It’s an extremely serious type of physical trauma that’s likely to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life.

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. It also sends messages from the body to the brain. We are able to perceive pain and move our limbs because of messages sent through the spinal cord.

If the spinal cord sustains an injury, some or all of these impulses may not be able to ‘get through’. The result is a complete or total loss of sensation and mobility below the injury. A spinal cord injury closer to the neck will typically cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than one in the lower back area.

Causes-

A spinal cord injury is often the result of an unpredictable accident or violent event. The following can all result in damage to the spinal cord:

• a violent attack such as a stabbing or a gunshot
• diving into water that’s too shallow and hitting the bottom
• trauma during a car accident (specifically, trauma to the face, head and neck region, back, or chest area)
• falling from a significant height
• head or spinal injuries during sporting events
• electrical accidents
• severe twisting of the middle portion of the torso

Symptoms

Some symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

1. Problem in walking
2. Loss of control of the bladder or bowels
3. Inability to move the arms or legs
4. Feelings numbness or tingling in the extremities
5. Unconsciousness
6. Headache
7. Pain, pressure, stiffness in the back or neck area
8. Signs of shock
9. Unnatural positioning of the head

If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don’t move the injured person – permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
• Keep the person still
• Place heavy towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives
• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Prevention-

Because spinal cord injuries are often due to unpredictable events, the best you can do is reduce your risk.

 Some risk-reducing measures include:

1. always wearing a seatbelt while in a car
2. wearing proper protective gear while playing sports
3. never diving into water unless you’ve examined it first to make sure it’s deep enough and free of rocks

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord. It’s an extremely serious type of physical trauma that’s likely to have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life.

The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. It also sends messages from the body to the brain. We are able to perceive pain and move our limbs because of messages sent through the spinal cord.

If the spinal cord sustains an injury, some or all of these impulses may not be able to ‘get through’. The result is a complete or total loss of sensation and mobility below the injury. A spinal cord injury closer to the neck will typically cause paralysis throughout a larger part of the body than one in the lower back area.

Causes-

A spinal cord injury is often the result of an unpredictable accident or violent event. The following can all result in damage to the spinal cord:

• a violent attack such as a stabbing or a gunshot
• diving into water that’s too shallow and hitting the bottom
• trauma during a car accident (specifically trauma to the face, head and neck region, back, or chest area)
• falling from a significant height
• head or spinal injuries during sporting events
• electrical accidents
• severe twisting of the middle portion of the torso

Symptoms -

Some symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:

1. problems walking
2. loss of control of the bladder or bowels
3. inability to move the arms or legs
4. feelings of spreading numbness or tingling in the extremities
5. unconsciousness
6. headache
7. pain, pressure, stiffness in the back or neck area
8. signs of shock
9. unnatural positioning of the head

If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don’t move the injured person – permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
• Keep the person still
• Place heavy towels on both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives
• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Treatment

Treatment should be focused upon that individual and tailored specifically to their condition. A treatment programme is formulated following a thorough physical assessment which might include:

1. Stretching activities to maintain muscle and tendon length and reduce or keep muscle spasms/spasticity to a minimum.
2. Flexibility and strengthening exercises for the whole body.
3. Breathing exercises to maximise lung function and prevent chest infection.
4. Balance and posture exercises which can help to reduce pain associated with poor posture and balance impairment and ensure correct transfer techniques (in/out of wheelchair, bed, toilet/bath, car etc.)
5. Functional activities to improve fundamental movement patterns such as rolling over and sitting up, and standing where appropriate.
6. Walking re-education, if there is sufficient muscle activity and power in the legs.

Your physiotherapist might also be able to advise an individual on use of appropriate equipment such as wheel-chairs and pressure releasing cushions, exercise equipment and electrical muscle stimulators.

Prevention

Because spinal cord injuries are often due to unpredictable events, the best you can do is reduce your risk.

 Some risk-reducing measures include:

1. Always wearing a seatbelt while in a car
2. Wearing proper protective gear while playing sports
3. Never diving into water unless you’ve examined it first to make sure it’s deep enough and free of rocks

If oral medications are not proving helpful in managing pain for injuries related to the spinal cord, then one must try for pain management therapies as nowadays, they are highly recommended by the doctors. There are three different types of therapies that can reduce pain without the intervention of a surgery

• Spinal cord stimulation
• Pain pumps
• Peripheral nerve stimulation

These therapies are provided on a trial basis and if a person responds to any of the trials, then long-term treatment plan is decided by a physiotherapist along with a neurologist. While implantable pain management might not work for everyone, if it does, a person might experience a significant reduction in pain.

Peripheral nerve stimulation and spinal cord stimulation to counter the pain:
Both Peripheral nerve stimulation and spinal cord stimulation are types of electrical stimulation that can be deployed to treat chronic pain. This is a method wherein, insulated wires that have electrical contacts are inserted near the spinal cord. In case of the peripheral nerve stimulation therapy, the wires are placed beneath the skin. An implanted generator is attached to a wire, in order to send electrical pulses around the affected area of the spinal cord.

During the process of implantation, a patient is awakened, so as to understand whether the pulse is being directed to the right spot or not and also if there is any relief from pain or not. In some cases, patients may need both peripheral nerve field therapy and spinal cord stimulation at the same time. Stimulation does not necessarily eliminate the pain altogether, it, however, can reduce the pain to half, thereby leading to drastic improvement in performing daily activities.

Intrathecal Pain Pump
This is a procedure through which medication is directly delivered to the spinal cord by implanting an intrathecal pain pump. The medication is directly sent to the pain receptors, thereby ensuring that the brain doesn’t get the pain reception from the neuron. This helps in easing the perception of pain.

This is a procedure where a person is given a general anesthesia only to insert a thin catheter into the fluid-filled region of the spinal cord known as the intrathecal space. A doctor implants a small pump in the abdomen and the same is attached to a catheter. This is followed by injecting the medicine into the reservoir of the pump. In these cases, strong painkillers such as morphine are injected into the pumps, these are filled with painkillers once in a month. This mode of treatment is helpful owing to the act that the body has round-the-clock medication at its disposal. There is provision to administer multiple medicines in case of serious pain. Doctors try to target the exact location of the delivery so that small dosage of medicine can relieve the pain without side-effects.

A spinal cord injury involves damage to the spinal cord either from trauma, loss of the normal blood supply, or compression caused by a tumor or infection. These injuries can either be complete; wherein there is a complete loss of sensation and muscle function in the body, below the level of the injury or incomplete; wherein there is some remaining function below the level of the injury. In most cases, both sides of the body are affected equally.

Classification of the spinal cord injuries

• High-cervical: It involves the topmost vertebrae in the spinal column, which can result in partial or full paralysis if the spinal cord is severed.
• Low-cervical: Damage to this area can affect the function of the upper limbs.
• Thoracic: It involves the center of the spinal column; damage to this area can impact the muscles and nerves of the trunk.
• Lumbar: It is the commonest site of lower back pain; damage to this area can affect the lower back and limbs.
• Sacral: Any trauma to the tailbone can cause damage to the nerves in the sacral part of the spine.

Several cases of spinal cord injury are treated with surgery. The two major goals of surgery involve relieving the pressure on the spinal cord and stabilizing the spine.

Quick recovery from spinal cord injuries

Damage to the spinal cord often causes inflammation of the surrounding tissues. A smooth and quick recovery can be achieved by promptly addressing the inflammation post-injury. Following tips can help regain a normal range of motion, promote fast healing, and eliminate pain:

• Cold therapy: One of the best ways to treat inflammation is with cold application. The lower temperature causes constriction of blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood to the injured area and helps control swelling. Additionally, a reduced body temperature around an injury slows down cellular metabolism and cell death, minimizing the amount of tissue repair required. Also, pain reduction by a brief deadening of nerve endings and lessening sensation in the affected area is achieved with cold application.
• Ample rest: Overexertion has to be avoided during the recovery period to ensure that the body gets a lot of rest. Adequate rest needs to be supplemented with a healthy diet to provide the body with all the nutrients it needs for healing.
• Physical therapy: Physical therapy is an important component of fast recovery in a spinal cord injury. Gentle strengthening and stretching exercises will help an individual regain range of motion, improve flexibility, and build the surrounding muscles to support the spine. It is advised to work closely with a physical therapist and follow their instructions for better results.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Pain is a perception by the nervous system. When a painful stimulus is applied to a body part, the nerve endings of that part will send the sensation all the way to the brain where it is perceived as pain. If the pain is experienced by the legs or hands, then the sensation travels via the spinal cord to be perceived as pain. In case of people suffering from nerve problems, there could be cases of chronic pain, therefore conservative treatment measures may fail at times. In these people, though the pain source cannot be reduced, the perception can be reduced. This is exactly what a spinal cord stimulator does, it masks the signals that are reaching the brain, and thereby reduces the perception of pain. 

What is it and how does it work?

Spinal cord stimulator is implanted in patients with chronic intractable neuropathic pain when other conservative or surgical treatment has failed. Trial electrode/s are placed in the outer covering (epidural space) of the spinal cord, higher than the level of pain. Correct placement of electrode is confirmed by stimulating the electrodes through an external generator and different modes/intensity of current are tried to get best pain relief. Pain message is electrical in nature and reaches pain center in brain through multiple relays. Spinal cord stimulator converts electrical energy to a different feeling called neuromodulation and usually pleasant. Upon relief of atleast 60%, the device is implanted in the body like pacemaker for heart. An external remote device allows the device to be used when it is required. It is very safe and free from sideeffects of medications as no drug is used with this device.

Benefits of using stimulator 

• Useful for people with prolonged case of sciatica and chronic regional pain syndrome
• It reduces pain significantly
• Improves a person’s quality of life by reducing pain (especially back and legs) which can be debilitating
• Useful when other modalities of treatment have failed
• Useful when surgery is not possible (either no response to prior surgeries or patient’s overall health does not allow for surgery)
• Is a reversible option, the stimulator can be removed any time the patient feels it is not working
• Requires minimal surgery and can be done as an outpatient procedure
• Once trained, patients can manage the stimulator on their own
• Is not affected by devices such as cell phone, microwaves and other electronic gadgets
• Can be used on a trial basis before a patient opts for a permanent stimulator.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

One month, the injury is still healing, two months, just a little bit longer, three months? Well, you, believe it or not, it has probably become a chronic pain and is affecting every aspect of your life. Chronic pain may be a novel notion to accept but is now understood to be a disease and generally defined as pain persisting for longer than 12 weeks. Pain management in such cases is traditionally treated through prescription drugs, the other option being amputation.104968

This is a major cause of patients having qualms about these pills and a need for an alternative. In response to this, doctors have a new tool to help decrease the perception of pain which is a small implant placed in the back to help patients shake off the pain. This small device that could bring you back to your feet is the spinal cord stimulator.

What is spinal cord stimulation?

Theoretically, the spinal cord stimulation is a type of neurostimulation which produces an effect that interferes with the brain’s ability to interpret the signal as pain by using electrical pulses. The brain, instead, experiences it as a pleasant numbing sensation. The implant is placed which takes place in two parts i.e. placing the lead device in the spine and placing the pulse generator in abdomen or buttock.

For test stimulation, the several stimulation settings are tried so that the pulse generator can be programmed using these settings. The procedure typically takes 1-2 hours and post-procedure, patients are given a handy device to control the simulations which they are to use in their day-to-day lives.

It has been observed to reduce the pain by at least 50%. However, this too has its limitations. Typical candidates are people with chronic back and limb pain who may have a failed back or disc procedure. The most common risks associated are device-related, example, unintended movement of the leads. Serious effects include hemorrhage in the epidural space or injury to a spinal cord leading to neural damage, but these are highly uncommon.

Quick facts about it

• The best product which works for spinal cord stimulation is a long-lasting solution with a need to change the battery of the lead device every 9 years.
• The most recommended device today is the implant because of its compact size and the device costs is quite nominal.
• The quality of the product matters a lot as there are ample of cheap products available on the same lines. The same can be fitted within the body via a procedure.
• The procedure conducted is also called the pain pacemaker.
• Earlier, the procedure was used to conduct only in the international countries, but nowadays the implant can be done in India as well. If you are apprehensive about consuming painkillers for your chronic pain, you can explore this option with your Interventional Pain Specialist.

As it is said, lasting pain can lead to damage, hence don’t wait until the damage repair has a complete null chance, rather reach out to your doctor to understand more about the concept of SCS so that you can get treated in no time. Explore the option with your "Interventional Pain Specialist". In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!