Dorsal column stimulators, also called spinal cord stimulators, are useful to treat otherwise intractable pain syndromes. With the patient awake, the electrodes are placed on the dura - the covering of the spinal cord. Current is passed through the electrodes. With careful positioning of the electrodes using feedback from the patient, the pain signals can be disrupted. The patient reports a buzzing sensation over the portion of the body innervated by the spinal cord track being stimulated.

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function, such as mobility or feeling. The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur. In fact, most people with SCI have an intact spinal cord, but damage to it has resulted in loss of functioning.

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems: A diffuse system of nerves that control involuntary functions such as blood pressure and temperature regulation. Within the Central Nervous System, the spinal cord is the major nerve bundle that carries impulses to and from the brain to the rest of the body. It is surrounded by rings of bone called vertebra. Vertebra constitute the spinal column (back bones).

It is not always evident that a person has a SCI, especially if it is caused by the onset of an illness or growth of a tumor. Symptoms may include weakness, poor coordination, numbness or tingling, loss of sensation, loss of bowel or bladder control, paralysis and pain. An attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf and seek recovery for several types of damages, including for pain and suffering, lost past wages, lost future earning capacity, current and future medical expenses, among others.

Anyone who suffers a spinal cord injury as the result of the reckless or negligent actions of another party may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Whether you have sustained a spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle accident, construction accident, or as the result of a defective or unsafe product, you can bring a claim against the responsible party (or parties).

The symptoms of a spinal cord injury generally depend on two factors: the location of the injury and the severity of the injury. When a spinal cord injury occurs higher on the spinal column, the victim suffers more extensive paralysis. A victim with a "partial" spinal cord injury may retain some sensation or motor function below the affected area. "Complete" spinal cord injuries are defined by complete loss of motor function and sensation below the affected area.

The effects of SCI depend on the type of injury and the level of the injury. SCI can be divided into two types of injury - complete and incomplete. A complete injury means that there is no function below the level of the injury; no sensation and no voluntary movement. Both sides of the body are equally affected. An incomplete injury means that there is some functioning below the primary level of the injury.

Approximately 450,000 people live with SCI in the US. There are about 10,000 new SCI's every year; the majority of them (82%) involve males between the ages of 16-30. These injuries result from motor vehicle accidents (36%), violence (28.9%), or falls (21.2%).Quadriplegia is slightly more common than paraplegia.

Currently there is no cure for SCI. There are researchers attacking this problem, and there have been many advances in the lab (see research updates ). Many of the most exciting advances have resulted in a decrease in damage at the time of the injury. Steroid drugs such as methylprednisolone reduce swelling, which is a common cause of secondary damage at the time of injury. The experimental drug Sygen?appears to reduce loss of function, although the mechanism is not completely understood.

The spinal cord is about 18 inches long and extends from the base of the brain to about the waist. The spinal cord carries nerve impulses to and from the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal cord is surrounded by rings of bone called vertebrae. These bones constitute the spinal column. The vertebra are named according to their location. There are seven cervical vertebrae (neck), twelve thoracic (chest), five lumbar (waist), and five sacral (buttocks).

The most common cause of a spinal cord injury is a motor vehicle accident. Other common causes of spinal cord injuries include deliberate acts of violence (such as a stabbing or shooting), falls and sports-related injuries.

Of the 10,000-12,000 spinal cord injuries that occur in the United States every year, more than 80 percent of the injuries are suffered by young men between the ages of 16 and 30.

Depending on which segments of the spine were injured, people with spinal cord injuries face a number of other health problems because of the injury, including chronic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, irregular heart beats, low blood pressure, pressure sores, spasms and reproductive and sexual dysfunction. They are also at risk for heart and respiratory problems and blood clots, among other conditions.

At this time, no. If there is compression on the spinal cord or the spine needs to be stabilized, surgery can be performed in an attempt to correct these problems. After surgery, some function may be restored, but surgery is currently unable to restore all lost function from a spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries are devastating and have life-long consequences.

When a SCI occurs, there is usually swelling of the spinal cord. This may cause changes in virtually every system in the body. After days or weeks, the swelling begins to go down and people may regain some functioning. With many injuries, especially incomplete injuries, the individual may recover some functioning as late as 18 months after the injury. In very rare cases, people with SCI will regain some functioning years after the injury.

Before World War II, most people who sustained SCI died within weeks of their injury due to urinary dysfunction, respiratory infection or bedsores. With the advent of modern antibiotics, modern materials such as plastics and latex, and better procedures for dealing with the everyday issues of living with SCI, many people approach the lifespan of non-disabled individuals. Interestingly, other than level of injury, the type of rehab facility used is the greatest indicator of long-term survival.

Up until the last few years, there was the common belief that men and women with complete injuries were not capable of achieving a physiological orgasm. Instead, memories of the past, feelings of closeness and a sense of well-being were described as an “emotional orgasm” and were offered as a substitute to a physical orgasm. The research done by Marca Sipski, M.D. at Kessler Rehabilitation Center and at the University of Miami has clearly demonstrated otherwise.