Do people who were ASIA A, B, C at 24 hours after injury recover function 3 or more years after injury?

[bigbob]

Wondering why some people get function back after a long period of paralysis. Sometimes it might be readily explainable, but I just wonder if some people in addition to those that are explainable are actually regenerating their own nervous system. For instance they have said some people can fight off hiv, I wonder if some people can regenerate nerve tissue(maybe some form of mutation)

To be quite honest I don't think anyone knows how much you will recover and how long it will take. I met a man at Home Depot who was 60 when he was injured as a C4/C5 complete. 7 years later he got all of his function back. Same thing happened to a Sheriff I visited. He was paralyzed for two years and with extensive therapy he also regained all function. He didn't tell me his level just that he was told he would never walk again. I`would love to find a way to get all SCI's that did recover completely to let us know.

Deb

[Wise Young]

I am not sure what is going on but I recently updated the system software on the server that runs the CareCure Forums. For some reason, in this thread, I am not seeing some of the most recent posts, including spidergirls. Perhaps, it is taking tim for the server to update its cache. Sorry about this problem.

Wise.

[bradsgirl]

can i ask a stupid question? which injury is harder to recover from.c.T.L?

[Wise Young]

can i ask a stupid question? which injury is harder to recover from.c.T.L?

I assume that you are referring to complete thoracic spinal cord injury. There is a general impression (although it has not been confirmed with detailed studies) that patients with complete thoracic spinal cord injuries are less likely to recovery. The reason may be because high-speed accelerations with substantial forces are necessary to break the thoracic spine because it is so well protected and reinforced by the ribs. Likewise, the lumbar spine has heavy-duty bony protection. Therefore, when injuries occur in those regions and the injury is "complete", it is a result of a severe injury.

Motor recovery from mid-thoracic injuries may also be less likely because the lumbar cord is further away from the injury site. Finally, injuries to the lumbosacral spinal cord involves gray matter (neuronal) injuries whereas injuries to the thoracic spinal cord involve mostly white matter (axonal) injuries.

wise.

[bradsgirl]

I assume that you are referring to complete thoracic spinal cord injury. There is a general impression (although it has not been confirmed with detailed studies) that patients with complete thoracic spinal cord injuries are less likely to recovery. The reason may be because high-speed accelerations with substantial forces are necessary to break the thoracic spine because it is so well protected and reinforced by the ribs. Likewise, the lumbar spine has heavy-duty bony protection. Therefore, when injuries occur in those regions and the injury is "complete", it is a result of a severe injury.

Motor recovery from mid-thoracic injuries may also be less likely because the lumbar cord is further away from the injury site. Finally, injuries to the lumbosacral spinal cord involves gray matter (neuronal) injuries whereas injuries to the thoracic spinal cord involve mostly white matter (axonal) injuries.

wise.

thank you for your response mr.wise..Yeah he says he thinks they told him he was complete,but we will find out more when we send for his medical records.Those should tell us what we all want to know right about his injuries? Anyway we still wont give up hope,cause seems to be if few weeks back he claimed he had sensation of feeling coming back in legs.something must be happening right? .Thanks so much..god bless you all .Tracy and Brad

[antiquity]

Wondering why some people get function back after a long period of paralysis. Sometimes it might be readily explainable, but I just wonder if some people in addition to those that are explainable are actually regenerating their own nervous system. For instance they have said some people can fight off hiv, I wonder if some people can regenerate nerve tissue(maybe some form of mutation)

Based on what I've read over the years, the degree to which one recovers could be gender and hormone related, progesterone is neuroprotective, there are fewer severe spinal cord injuries among females than males; genetic, see this article, or related to the medication the person was on at the time of injury. Some medications have neuroprotective and regenerative properties. Prior to the advent of Methylprednisone most SCI's were complete, now most recover to incomplete status.

[hp]

My daughter continues getting improvement 3 years & 8 mos after her spinal cord injury. Her injury is from a blood compression (epidural hematoma, C7-T-1, ASIA B after decompression surgery. She's 15.5 years old.
In the past several months she gained ability to get up from her wheelchair (with no assistance) just holding a walker, her knees have to slightly lean against a padded board that we attached to the walker. Her balance is perfect while she is standing, she can remain standing up to 3 mins each time. In the last 4-5 months she has learned to pedal a stationary bike with pretty good resistance. And recently, she got noticeable control over her bladder. In the past two years she has been using FES bike and 4x laserpuncture therapy in France. Ever since her injury we've been doing a lot physical and aquatic therapy.

[cass]

i know a lotta sci ppl. i don't know any who recovered function after a yr, let alone 3. i think the stats are skewed by folks who weren't permanently injured in the first place.

[Wise Young]

i know a lotta sci ppl. i don't know any who recovered function after a yr, let alone 3. i think the stats are skewed by folks who weren't permanently injured in the first place.

Cass,

Maybe some of the people who posted here can tell of their experiences. I don't understand what you mean by "permanently injured". That term alone becomes self-defining. Don't forget that this includes people who are "incomplete" or ASIA B or C. Admittedly, the number of people who have ASIA A and who recovered some function more than three years after injury are rare (perhaps 1 out of 10). Christopher Reeve, for example, is one of those. He recovered function more than three years after injury. I know several more.

Wise.

[kenf]

Dr. Young , in response to your repley to bradsgirl question. reading thoracic SCI diagnosis and treatment you have better things to say. regenerative therapies alone should be sufficent to restore substantial function to many people with thoracic SCI. thoracic SCI are likely to be amongst the first to benefit from experimental regenerative therapies of the spinal cord. so there is no hope for us or what. my cord was only bruised , with no cut to durmatter at all. my hope of someday a treatment will end this nightmare , was just shattered buy reading your repley to bradsgirl. what gives. thank you