Question

2. Alan was diving off cliffs with his friends. He slipped as he jumped and landed his head first into the pool of water below. As he entered the water head first, he hit his head on a rock and sustained a spinal cord injury. Two vertebrae in his neck were fractured, and his spinal cord was permanently damaged.

d. What other things can Alan expect with this new adjustment he has to make with his body and lifestyle?

Answer 1

Ans) 2) 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. You might feel the effects of your injury mentally, emotionally and socially.

- An injury to the spinal column may cause the bones around the spinal cord to break and press against the spinal cord, causing damage to nerves. Damage to the spinal cord and nerves can happen without damage to the bones. .It is through these nerves that the brain tells the body to move.

- In addition to the emotional distress experienced, problems with adjustment can affect other areas of functioning. For example, it has been suggested that problems with adjustment are linked to self-neglect, which can in turn impact on the physical well-being and increase the likelihood of the onset of secondary complications.5 Difficulties have also been linked to substance abuse,6 which may contribute to further health problems.

- Adjustment has also been identified as important for achieving long-term goals; individuals with lower mood levels have been observed to experience more difficulties in gaining employment and engaging in leisure and community activities.

- ThisThis is therefore an important area of study to better understand the process of adjustment and identify possible interventions through which it may be facilitated.