Think safety before diving in

With summer in full swing and many families headed to the pool and beach, we’re reminded that diving accidents are a common cause of spinal cord injuries. Males between the ages of 15 and 25 are the most common victims of diving injuries, 90 percent of which result in paralysis. Dr. Cristina Sadowsky of the [...]

Doctors at AIIMS operate on spinal injury, boy walks

New Delhi: A 10-year-old boy from a village in Uttar Pradesh has gained a new lease of life after the doctors at AIIMS operated upon him. Premchand, a victim of a tractor-related accident had suffered massive injury to his spine. But a marathon 8-hour-lon operation by a team of doctors at AIIMS has ensured that he [...]

What is Cervical Myelopathy

Cervical myelopathy is a disorder most commonly seen in the elderly population due to spondylosis with resultant cord compression.1 There are many causes of myelopathy that include trauma, tumors, infection, vascular disease, degenerative conditions and demyelinating disorders.9 Myelopathy can be seen in younger patients when central disc herniations compress the spinal cord.1 Most typically, however, [...]

Spinal Cord Injury Patient Pins Hopes On Stem Cell Therapy

A 34 year old Bangladeshi electronic hardware engineer, resident in the Middle East, who is a paraplegic after tumor surgery, travelled to Bangkok in the hope of regaining some sensation and control. In July 2006 M.H. aged 34 experienced an unpleasant burning sensation in both legs. He lost the ability to walk and rapidly lost bladder [...]

What I should know about Physical Therapy?

Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, is a health related field that strives to enable individuals who were physically injured or whose bodies have degenerated due to aging or disease to function as much as they can without assistance. This often involves an interaction with the medical practitioner and patient that incorporates physical therapy equipment [...]

Andy’s mountain chair challenge

A SEVENOAKS man is tackling Snowdon for charity less than a year after being paralysed in an accident. Andy Adamson, 27, of Chipstead Lane, said he was lying in hospital after a mountain biking accident in the French Alps in August last year, wondering if he would ever be able to get out, let alone get [...]

Cord Blood Awareness Month- Understanding Still Low, Despite Medical Advancements

SAN BRUNO, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire/ — Despite rapid advances using a child’s own cord blood stem cells in regenerative therapies to repair damaged tissue due to injury or disease, most pregnant women today don’t learn about the ability to save their newborn’s cord blood. According to research published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, [...]

Soon, wheelchairs controlled by tongues

WASHINGTON – Scientists have developed a novel headset that makes it possible for a person suffering from spinal cord injury to precisely control a wheelchair or computer using the tongue. The “tongue drive”, being trialled at Georgia Tech University, Atlanta, could also give astronauts a third hand in difficult situations like spacewalks. Invented by electrical engineer Maysam [...]

XenoPort Reports Positive Results from Phase 2 Trial of Arbaclofen Placarbil in Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Spasticity

XenoPort Reports Positive Results from a Phase 2 Trial of Arbaclofen Placarbil in Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Spasticity SANTA CLARA, Calif.- XenoPort, Inc. announced today positive preliminary results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of arbaclofen placarbil (AP), also known as XP19986, for the treatment of patients with spasticity due to spinal cord injury (SCI). [...]

What Is ASIA Impairment Scale

The ASIA impairment scale describes a person’s functional impairment as a result of their spinal cord injury. A- Complete No motor or sensory function in the lowest sacral segment (S4-S5) B- Incomplete Sensory function below neurologic level and in S4-S5, no motor function below neurologic level C- Incomplete Motor function is preserved below neurologic level and more than half of the [...]