My Aching Back
How many sections are in the human spine?
4
What is Bowel Care?
Assisted elimination of stool. Part of a plan for regaining control of your bowel function after SCI.
*designed to prevent/decrease accidents
create a (timely) regular elimination schedule
keep bowel related health issues to a minimum
What is a Decubitus Ulcer?
Lesion/wound or injury, usually caused by unrelieved pressure that results in damage of underlying tissue.Can also come from friction, a shear, and moisture.
Caused by a cut off of blood circulating to an area causing it to die.
(Pressure sore, pressure ulcer, bed sore)
What is Autonomic Dysreflexia? (AD)
An abnormal response to a problem in your body below your SCI.
Paraplegia vs Quadriplegia
paraplegia- lower level, thoracic, lumbar or sacral
quadriplegia- injury at cervical level
What are the names of the sections of the spine?
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
How much water should I drink per day?
64 oz. (Alcohol and caffeine do NOT count)
Unless otherwise specified by doctor.
True or False: Skin breakdown begins on the surface.
False.
Can begin deep inside the tissues call the fascia.
At what Level of Injury is Autonomic Dysreflexia a concern?
T6 and ABOVE.
What is Orthostatic Hypotension?
Low blood pressure that is a result of standing up from sitting or sitting up from laying down.
How many vertebrae are there in each section?
Cervical- 7
Thoracic-12
Lumbar- 5
Sacrum- 1
What methods are used to empty the bladder?
Spontaneous (emptying on your own)
Catheterization [ICP, Condom, Foley and Supra pubic, Ileal Conduit ]
How do you prevent skin breakdown?
Pressure reliefs, turning every 2 hours at night, and daily skin monitoring
Symptoms of Autonomic Dysreflexia (2)
High BP, slow HR Severe headache
blurry/spotty vision nasal stuffiness
goose (chill) bumps, flushed/sweaty skin above SCI
What is Thermal Dysregulation?
A condition in which exaggerated or abnormal changes in body temperature occur spontaneously or in response to environmental or internal stimuli.Functional Independence Measure
Two classifications of types of function below level of injury
Incomplete and complete
True of False: Bowel Care is only performed at night.
False
How often should a pressure relief be performed?
Every 15-20 minutes for 1-2 minutes.
Turning/ repositioning every 2 hours at night
Causes of Autonomic Dysreflexia (2)
Overfull bladder/bowel
infections, abdominal issues
pressure ulcer/ ingrown toenail
injury (cut, burn, broken bones,
hot/cold temps
What does the ASIA scale measure?
American Spinal Injury Association. ASIA describes a person's functional impairment as a result of a SCI.
A, B, C, D, E
How is "Level of Injury" determined?
A spinal cord injury is names for the lowest level of the spinal cord that still functions the way it did before the injury.
*the level of SCI is not always the same level as where the spine was injured. It is named after only 1 nerve, not all that were impacted by injury/disease.
What components make up a Bowel Management Program? (2)
Diet Medications
Exercise Bowel Care
Fluid Intake
How many stages of pressure ulcers are there?
4- deep to tendon, muscle, or bone
3- deep crater, goes into soft tissue
2- skin is broken, shallow crater- pink at base
1-area of redness, skin intact, different temp
Treatment for Autonomic Dysreflexia (2)
Reposition
Loosen tight clothing, including abd binder
Check bladder, then bowel, then skin
*if none of those, call 911. AD is a medical emergency and can cause stroke or death.
Who do you call to replace/ repair equipment after discharge?
The Prosthetics Department