G. H. is a 26-year-old male who was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that fractured his vertebrae and compressed his spinal cord at the level of T8. Answer the following questions:  What is spinal shock? How long can it last? Why is it difficult to determine the degree of injury and impairment during this time frame?

/in /by

G. H. is a 26-year-old male who was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that fractured his vertebrae and compressed his spinal cord at the level of T8. Answer the following questions:

  1. What is spinal shock? How long can it last? Why is it difficult to determine the degree of injury and impairment during this time frame?
  2.  Immediately after this injury, what should you expect to occur for each of the following:
    1. Range of movement for his arms? For his legs? Why?
    2. Spastic or flaccid paralysis? Why?
    3. Bowel and/or bladder dysfunction? Why or why not?
    4. Breathing difficulties? Why or why not?
  3. After the period of spinal shock, what changes should you expect to see (if any) in the manifestations listed in #2 above?
  4. What type of rehabilitative treatments might G. H. need to promote his recovery and return to function?
  5. If G. H. has mild-to-moderate chronic back pain one year after his accident, explain the pain management medications you would suggest to improve his quality of life and why you selected those particular medications.