Name
|
Reg.No
|
Degree
Program
|
LILIAN JOSEPH
|
2017-04-10414
|
BSC EHS
|
DAUDI SAYENDA
|
2017-04-10767
|
BSC EHS
|
IMANI M RAJABU
|
2017-04-10735
|
BSC EHS
|
WANKEMBETA MUZUKI
|
2017-04-10655
|
BMLS
|
RESTITUTA E OLOMI
|
2017-04 -11379
|
BSC EHS
|
NEEMA BALIBUCHA
|
2017-04-10864
|
BSC EHS
|
IDRISA BOAZ KALELE
|
2017-04-11314
|
BSC RTT
|
MICHAEL SUBE
|
2017-04-10793
|
BMLS
|
EMMANUEL JOSHUA
|
2017-04-10416
|
BSCN
|
OLTHER WILLIAM
|
2017-04-11367
|
BSCEHS
|
EDMUND R MWAKABUMBE
|
2017-04-11283
|
BSC EHS
|
JUMA KAMKANDA
|
2017-04-11201
|
BSC EHS
|
HAPPY MWAKALOMBWE
|
2017-04-11308
|
BSC EHS
|
Overview
A spinal cord injury —
damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal
(cauda equina) — often causes permanent changes in strength, sensation and
other body functions below the site of the injury.
If you've recently
experienced a spinal cord injury, it might seem like every aspect of your life
has been affected. You might feel the effects of your injury mentally,
emotionally and socially.
Many scientists are
optimistic that advances in research will someday make the repair of spinal
cord injuries possible. Research studies are ongoing around the world. In the
meantime, treatments and rehabilitation allow many people with spinal cord
injuries to lead productive, independent lives.
Symptoms
·
Your ability to
control your limbs after a spinal cord injury depends on two factors: the place
of the injury along your spinal cord and the severity of injury to the spinal
cord.
The lowest normal part
of your spinal cord is referred to as the neurological level of your injury.
The severity of the injury is often called "the completeness" and is
classified as either of the following:
·
Complete. If all feeling (sensory) and all ability to control movement
(motor function) are lost below the spinal cord injury, your injury is called
complete.
·
Incomplete. If you have some motor or sensory function below the
affected area, your injury is called incomplete. There are varying degrees of
incomplete injury.
Additionally,
paralysis from a spinal cord injury may be referred to as:
·
Tetraplegia. Also known as quadriplegia, this means your arms, hands,
trunk, legs and pelvic organs are all affected by your spinal cord injury.
·
Paraplegia. This paralysis affects all or part of the trunk, legs and pelvic
organs.
Your health care team
will perform a series of tests to determine the neurological level and
completeness of your injury.
Spinal cord injuries
of any kind may result in one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
·
Loss of movement
·
Loss or altered
sensation, including the ability to feel heat, cold and touch
·
Loss of bowel or
bladder control
·
Exaggerated reflex
activities or spasms
·
Changes in sexual
function, sexual sensitivity and fertility
·
Pain or an intense
stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in your spinal cord
·
Difficulty breathing,
coughing or clearing secretions from your lungs
Emergency signs and
symptoms
Emergency signs and
symptoms of a spinal cord injury after an accident may include:
·
Extreme back pain or pressure
in your neck, head or back
·
Weakness,
incoordination or paralysis in any part of your body
·
Numbness, tingling or
loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes
·
Loss of bladder or
bowel control
·
Difficulty with
balance and walking
·
Impaired breathing
after injury
·
An oddly positioned or
twisted neck or back
When to see a doctor
Anyone who experiences
significant trauma to his or her head or neck needs immediate medical
evaluation for the possibility of a spinal injury. In fact, it's safest to
assume that trauma victims have a spinal injury until proved otherwise because:
·
A serious spinal
injury isn't always immediately obvious. If it isn't recognized, a more severe
injury may occur.
·
Numbness or paralysis
may occur immediately or come on gradually as bleeding or swelling occurs in or
around the spinal cord.
·
The time between
injury and treatment can be critical in determining the extent and severity of
complications and the possible extent of expected recovery.
If you suspect that
someone has a back or neck injury:
·
Don't move the injured
person — permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result
·
Call 911 or your local
emergency medical assistance number
·
Keep the person still
·
Place heavy towels on
both sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving
until emergency care arrives
·
Provide basic first
aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without
moving the head or neck
Causes
Spinal cord injuries
may result from damage to the vertebrae, ligaments or disks of the spinal
column or to the spinal cord itself.
A traumatic spinal
cord injury may stem from a sudden, traumatic blow to your spine that
fractures, dislocates, crushes or compresses one or more of your vertebrae. It
also may result from a gunshot or knife wound that penetrates and cuts your
spinal cord.
Additional damage
usually occurs over days or weeks because of bleeding, swelling, inflammation
and fluid accumulation in and around your spinal cord.
A nontraumatic spinal
cord injury may be caused by arthritis, cancer, inflammation, infections or
disk degeneration of the spine.
Your brain and central
nervous system
The central nervous
system comprises the brain and spinal cord. The spinal cord, made of soft
tissue and surrounded by bones (vertebrae), extends downward from the base of
your brain and is made up of nerve cells and groups of nerves called tracts,
which go to different parts of your body.
The lower end of your spinal
cord stops a little above your waist in the region called the conus medullaris.
Below this region is a group of nerve roots called the cauda equina.
Tracts in your spinal
cord carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Motor tracts carry
signals from the brain to control muscle movement. Sensory tracts carry signals
from body parts to the brain relating to heat, cold, pressure, pain and the
position of your limbs.
Damage to nerve fibers
Whether the cause is
traumatic or nontraumatic, the damage affects the nerve fibers passing through
the injured area and may impair part or all of your corresponding muscles and
nerves below the injury site.
A chest (thoracic) or
lower back (lumbar) injury can affect your torso, legs, bowel and bladder
control, and sexual function. A neck (cervical) injury affects the same areas
in addition to affecting movements of your arms and, possibly, your ability to
breathe.
Common causes of spinal
cord injuries
The most common causes
of spinal cord injuries in the United States are:
·
Motor
vehicle accidents. Auto and motorcycle accidents are the
leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for almost half of new spinal
cord injuries each year.
·
Falls. A spinal cord injury after age 65 is most often caused by a
fall. Overall, falls cause more than 15 percent of spinal cord injuries.
·
Acts
of violence. Around 12 percent of spinal cord injuries
result from violent encounters, often involving gunshot and knife wounds.
·
Sports
and recreation injuries. Athletic activities, such as impact sports and
diving in shallow water, cause about 10 percent of spinal cord injuries.
·
Alcohol. Alcohol use is a factor in about 1 out of every 4 spinal cord
injuries.
·
Diseases. Cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and inflammation of the spinal
cord also can cause spinal cord injuries.
Risk factors
Although a spinal cord
injury is usually the result of an accident and can happen to anyone, certain
factors may predispose you to a higher risk of sustaining a spinal cord injury,
including:
·
Being
male. Spinal cord
injuries affect a disproportionate amount of men. In fact, females account for
only about 20 percent of traumatic spinal cord injuries in the United States.
·
Being
between the ages of 16 and 30. You're most likely to
suffer a traumatic spinal cord injury if you're between the ages of 16 and 30.
·
Being
older than 65. Falls cause most
injuries in older adults.
·
Engaging
in risky behavior. Diving into
too-shallow water or playing sports without wearing the proper safety gear or
taking proper precautions can lead to spinal cord injuries. Motor vehicle
crashes are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries for people under 65.
·
Having
a bone or joint disorder. A
relatively minor injury can cause a spinal cord injury if you have another
disorder that affects your bones or joints, such as arthritis or osteoporosis.
Complications
At first, changes in
the way your body functions may be overwhelming. However, your rehabilitation
team will help you develop the tools you need to address the changes caused by
the spinal cord injury, in addition to recommending equipment and resources to
promote quality of life and independence. Areas often affected include:
·
Bladder
control. Your bladder
will continue to store urine from your kidneys. However, your brain may not be
able to control your bladder as well because the message carrier (the spinal
cord) has been injured.
The changes in bladder control increase your risk of urinary
tract infections. The changes also may cause kidney infections and kidney or
bladder stones. During rehabilitation, you'll learn new techniques to help
empty your bladder.
·
Bowel
control. Although your
stomach and intestines work much like they did before your injury, control of
your bowel movements is often altered. A high-fiber diet may help regulate your
bowels, and you'll learn techniques to optimize your bowel function during
rehabilitation.
·
Skin
sensation. Below the neurological level of your injury,
you may have lost part of or all skin sensations. Therefore, your skin can't
send a message to your brain when it's injured by certain things such as
prolonged pressure, heat or cold.
This can make you more susceptible to pressure sores, but
changing positions frequently — with help, if needed — can help prevent these
sores. You'll learn proper skin care during rehabilitation, which can help you
avoid these problems.
·
Circulatory
control. A spinal cord injury may cause
circulatory problems ranging from low blood pressure when you rise (orthostatic
hypotension) to swelling of your extremities. These circulation changes may
also increase your risk of developing blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis
or a pulmonary embolus.
Another problem with circulatory control is a potentially
life-threatening rise in blood pressure (autonomic hyperreflexia). Your
rehabilitation team will teach you how to address these problems if they affect
you.
·
Respiratory
system. Your injury may
make it more difficult to breathe and cough if your abdominal and chest muscles
are affected. These include the diaphragm and the muscles in your chest wall
and abdomen.
Your neurological level of injury will determine what kind of
breathing problems you may have. If you have a cervical and thoracic spinal
cord injury, you may have an increased risk of pneumonia or other lung
problems. Medications and therapy can help prevent and treat these problems.
·
Muscle
tone. Some people with spinal cord injuries
experience one of two types of muscle tone problems: uncontrolled tightening or
motion in the muscles (spasticity) or soft and limp muscles lacking muscle tone
(flaccidity).
·
Fitness
and wellness. Weight loss and muscle atrophy are
common soon after a spinal cord injury. Limited mobility may lead to a more
sedentary lifestyle, placing you at risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and
diabetes.
A dietitian can help you eat a nutritious diet to sustain an
adequate weight. Physical and occupational therapists can help you develop a
fitness and exercise program.
·
Sexual
health. Sexuality,
fertility and sexual function may be affected by a spinal cord injury. Men may
notice changes in erection and ejaculation; women may notice changes in lubrication.
Physicians specializing in urology or fertility can offer options for sexual
functioning and fertility.
·
Pain. Some people experience pain, such as
muscle or joint pain, from overuse of particular muscle groups. Nerve pain can
occur after a spinal cord injury, especially in someone with an incomplete
injury.
·
Depression.Coping with all the changes a spinal cord
injury brings and living with pain causes some people to experience depression.
Prevention
Following this advice
may reduce your risk of a spinal cord injury:
·
Drive
safely. Car crashes are
one of the most common causes of spinal cord injuries. Wear a seat belt every
time you drive or ride in a car.
Make sure that your children wear a seat belt or use an age- and
weight-appropriate child safety seat. To protect them from air bag injuries,
children under age 12 should always ride in the back seat.
·
Check
water depth before diving. To
make sure you don't dive into shallow water, don't dive into a pool unless it's
12 feet (about 3.7 meters) or deeper, don't dive into an aboveground pool, and
don't dive into any water of which you don't know the depth.
·
Prevent
falls. Use a step stool
with a grab bar to reach objects in high places. Add handrails along stairways.
Put nonslip mats on tile floors and in the tub or shower. For young children,
use safety gates to block stairs and consider installing window guards.
·
Take
precautions when playing sports. Always wear
recommended safety gear. Avoid leading with your head in sports. For example,
don't slide headfirst in baseball, and don't tackle using the top of your
helmet in football. Use a spotter for new moves in gymnastics.
·
Don't
drink and drive. Don't drive while intoxicated or under
the influence of drugs. Don't ride with a driver who's been drinking.
For more
information click Here