Symptoms of SPINAL CORD INJURY

When the spinal cord undergoes severe injury three major symptoms develop. They include complete loss of movement below that level, loss of sensation below the level of injury and spinal shock. Spinal shock causes the complete loss of reflex activity below the level of injury of the spinal cord. Even though these reflex pathways are somewhat intact, they do not function. It usually takes weeks to months for these reflex activities to appear. At that time, they are often exaggerated. When injuries to the spinal cord are less severe, there is variable loss of strength, sensation, bowel, bladder and sexual function.