Spinal cord injuries are classified as complete or incomplete, with the latter having subcategories such as anterior, central, and posterior cord syndromes, Brown-Sequard syndrome, and cauda equina lesions. Damage to different sections of the spinal cord can result in paralysis, loss of function, or loss of sensation.
Many professionals classify an acute spinal cord injury into one of two categories: a complete spinal cord injury and an incomplete spinal cord injury. A complete spinal cord injury causes a total loss of sensation and movement below the site of the injury. If there is any sensation or movement underneath the injury, it is usually classified as an incomplete injury. Within the incomplete category there are often five other subcategories: anterior cord syndrome, central cord syndrome, posterior cord syndrome, Brown-Sequard syndrome, and cauda equina lesions.
If an injury causes bruising or lacerations of the spinal cord, a patient is said to have an acute spinal cord injury. Bending the cord is often more common than tearing it. With a complete spinal cord injury, a patient has no motor skills or sensation underneath the injury. Depending on where the injury occurs, paraplegia or tetraplegia, also called tetraplegia, can occur. An acute incomplete spinal cord injury is often more common than a complete injury and allows for some sensation or movement below the site of the injury.
An incomplete tear is often classified by which part of the cord is damaged. Anterior, posterior, and central cord syndromes refer to lesions of the anterior, posterior, and central portions of the spinal cord, respectively. Brown-Sequard syndrome refers to an injury to the left or right side. Finally, a cauda equina lesion is a lesion of the nerves between the first and second lumbar regions. Often, a doctor will need to wait until the initial discomfort of the injury has passed, usually six to eight weeks, to determine how much damage an incomplete spinal cord injury has caused.
A legion of cauda equina is damage to a set of nerve cells called the cauda equina. These cells are found in the lower back where the spinal cord ends. Damage to them can cause loss of functionality and sensitivity. On certain occasions, it is possible for this type of injury to heal. If the injury isn’t too devastating, cells can regrow and restore previously lost function to the affected area.
Damage to different sections of the spinal cord can also result in paralysis, loss of function, or loss of sensation. An injury to the back of the spinal cord, or posterior cord syndrome, may not involve a lack of sensation or movement, but instead a lack of coordination. Brown-Sequard syndrome is an acute spinal cord injury to the right or left of the spinal cord. A person with this type of injury may experience a lack of sensation and movement on the side of the body where the damage occurred, as well as a lack of pain and the ability to sense temperature on the other side.
Anterior cord syndrome, an acute spinal cord injury in the anterior part of the cord, is characterized by a lack of motion and sensation in the areas served by the damaged cord. The area supplied by the undamaged portions of the cable, however, may still have function and feel. Central cord syndrome, an acute spinal cord injury to the center of the cord, can result in loss of movement in the arms and legs. With this type of injury, it is usually the arms that are affected more than the legs.
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