Expert Tips To Speed Up Recovery From A Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are unfortunately quite common in car accidents. This type of injury is divided into two main types; complete and incomplete. And there are three main categories of complete spinal cord injuries; tetraplegia, paraplegia, and triplegia. The most severe type is tetraplegia spinal cord injuries, as it can cause total paralysis. However, incomplete spinal injuries refer to the category of injuries in which the patient has function located below the area of injury. Fortunately, incomplete spinal cord injuries are more common than complete injuries, and recovery is possible.
Suppose you have sustained a spinal cord injury during a car accident or another type of personal injury, such as a daunting slip and fall. In that case, you can contact Lamber Goodnow Injury Lawyers to file a compensation claim and cover your damages. With that said, your main priority will be to get back your life and recover from your injury as fast as possible. So we have listed some expert tips to make a faster recovery possible.
Understanding The General Recovery Time
While it is possible to boost the recovery period, it is essential to know and understand that spinal cord injuries generally take quite a while to heal. In most cases of spinal cord injuries, you should prepare for an estimated recovery period of about three to six months. The lengthy estimated recovery is based on the timeframe required for the neuroplasty, which is the central nervous system’s process of creating neurological adaptions to allow you to relearn functions that were affected by the spinal cord injury.
Damaged neurons in the spinal cord cannot regenerate, so functions must be relearned during the recovery period. The bulk of this recovery will take place during the first couple of months after the injury. However, depending on the specifics and severity of the spinal cord injury, some individuals can only recover years after the injury. Therefore, it is vital to have realistic expectations about your recovery; mental preparation is crucial.
Promoting Faster Recovery
While your recovery will depend on a few factors such as the completeness of the injury, the injury location, your physical activity levels, intensity of rehabilitation therapies, and the potential development of secondary complications, you can speed up recovery. The secret is to promote neuroplasticity through massed practice.
Massed practice refers to practicing movements weakened by the spinal cord injury to stimulate and reinforce the demand for the weakened functions. Therefore, the more you practice the specific exercises and activities recommended by your physiotherapist, the faster you will recover from the injury.
The Importance Of Early Intervention
Early Intervention is crucial for boosted recovery, as injuries left untreated will start to heal on their own, which can spark a whole heap of medical issues. The sooner you begin the rehabilitation process, the faster your recovery will be. Because compressed vertebrae cause spinal cord injuries, the longer the spinal cord injury is left untreated, the more damage the compression will cause. Immediate medical attention can shorten the recovery period significantly by reducing the possibility of secondary complications for this reason as well.
Intensive Rehabilitation Therapy
A personalized approach is required for every spinal cord injury, as each injury will be entirely unique. You will likely partake in a combination of physical therapy and occupational therapy to recover from the spinal cord injury, and the sooner your start these intensive rehabilitation therapies, the sooner you will recover. These therapies will help you build flexibility, strength, and balance using targeted exercises and movements determined by the specifics of your injury.
While physical therapy will target the factors mentioned above, occupational therapy will focus on ensuring your gain as much function as possible by encouraging you to practice everyday activities such as feeding, grooming, and even bathing. You will need to partake in both therapies for boosted recovery, and the more eager you are to endure the therapies, the higher your chances of recovery will be.
Practice Therapy Exercises At Home
Rehabilitation therapies are effective, although you will significantly boost your recovery by deciding to practice your specialized movements and exercises at home. So as soon as you are discharged from the hospital, you should practice the specialized techniques at home to further strengthen functions that were weakened by the injury. However, you must also be cautious not to over-exert yourself as this can cause complications. As a result, consulting your doctor is best to determine how often you can safely practice exercises and movements on your own at home.
Adopt A Healthy Diet
Nutrition plays a significant role in the healing process when it comes to any type of injury, as the body requires adequate nutrients to function as it should. Adopting a healthy and balanced diet can boost recovery significantly. What’s more, eating healthy will also ensure you can sleep better, enjoy an enhanced mood, avoid excessive fatigue, and keep your immune system healthy. There’s no doubt that healthy eating is beneficial for everyone, although it is essential when recovering from a spinal cord injury.
Be Proactive About Secondary Complications
It is pretty common for patients with spinal cord injuries to develop secondary complications. Ignoring these complications will set back your recovery period and lengthen your timeframe of recovery. Therefore, you should be proactive about developing any secondary complication, which can be as seemingly minor as pressure sores. Other complications to watch out for include bladder and bowel dysfunction, pain, spasticity, respiratory complication, and even anxiety and depression.
Early Intervention at the first sign of secondary complications will ensure you stay on track with a speedy recovery from your spinal cord injury. Instead of hoping complications will subside on their own, you should treat the sign of any complication as a severe concern and visit your doctor as soon as possible. Even though making a full recovery from a spinal cord injury can take time and leave you with lower-back pain, you can recover sooner with the guided assistance of dedicated healthcare practitioners, a healthy diet, and a proactive mindset.