NURS 530 Discussion impact of spinal cord injury
NURS 530 Discussion impact of spinal cord injury
DQ1 Select one of the following discussion prompts to address:
Consider the impact of spinal cord injury and the potential scope of lifetime disability and sequelae associated with spinal cord injury. The greatest challenge facing the neuroscience community involves developing therapy that will allow damaged nerve tissue to be regrown and regenerated. Reflect on this article and discuss the importance of Schwann cells and their impact on damaged axons.
Describe the genetic components, pathophysiology, and major neurologic features of neurofibromatosis, Cri du chat syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, and Parkinson disease (early onset).
Define dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and describe the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, evaluation and treatment.
DQ2Select one of the following discussion prompts to address:
Consider the following scenario: Your patient has suffered from schizophrenia for two decades and has received classic dopaminergic treatments since the onset of illness. The latest research supporting use of the glutamatergic model has not been tried on your patient, and there is an opportunity for your patient to enter clinical trials utilizing glutamate-based treatments. Your patient suffers significant executive function impairment and memory impairment. Do you recommend participation in the clinical trial? Why or why not?
Discuss the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs)—thrombotic, embolic, hemorrhagic, and lacunar—their incidence and prevalence, clinical manifestations, evaluation, and treatment.
Discuss the characteristics of common headaches—migraine, cluster, and tension—and describe their evaluation and treatment options. What prevention strategies would you advise?
Spinal Cord Injury: Basic Facts
Spinal cord injury occurs when there is any damage to the spinal cord that blocks communication between the brain and the body. After a spinal cord injury, a person’s sensory, motor and reflex messages are affected and may not be able to get past the damage in the spinal cord. In general, the higher on the spinal cord the injury occurs, the more dysfunction the person will experience. Injuries are referred to as complete or incomplete, based on whether any movement and sensation occurs at or below the level of injury.
The most important – and sometimes frustrating – thing to know is that each person’s recovery from spinal cord injury is different.
CAUSES
Traumatic injuries
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Football
- Falls
- Gymnastics
- Violence
- Diving into shallow water
Spinal cord injuries affect more men than women. The majority of people who sustain a spinal cord injury are young adults between the ages of 16 and 30 because of riskier behaviors.
Non-traumatic injuries/illnesses
- Cancer Osteoporosis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Inflammation of the spinal cord
- Arthritis
EFFECTS
The effects of spinal cord injury may include the following:
- Loss of movement
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of bowel and/or bladder control
- Exaggerated reflex actions or spasms
- Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity and fertility
- Pain or intense stinging sensation
