A spinal cord injury isn’t one that has a single impact on your life that will heal and get better over time. Instead, it produces complex responses and limitations in your body that can affect every area of your life in ways that you might not be prepared to deal with.
After you suffer a spinal cord injury, there are going to be some impacts that you might not realize are coming. These can vary depending on the specific points related to your injury.
What kind of pain comes with a spinal cord injury?
There are many different types of pain that can occur with a spinal cord injury. One is the pain from the injury itself and the inflammation that occurs in the area. This will be a deep pain that can seem like a bruise or much more severe. On top of this pain, you might experience neuropathic pain that can travel all over the body. This pain is a nerve pain that can seem like you are being stabbed with an ice pick. Managing the different types of pain will take a multifaceted approach that you will have to work with your medical care team to discover.
What kinds of emotions might I have to deal with?
Grief is possible after the spinal cord injury. You might mourn the life you used to have and feel trepidation about the life that you are going to live. The challenges that you are facing might seem unbearable to you, especially when you are still trying to determine what you are capable of doing. You might also feel angry at the person who caused the accident since you wouldn’t be injured if it didn’t happen.
Source: WebMD, “Living With a Spinal Cord Injury – Life With a Spinal Cord Injury,” accessed Dec. 28, 2017