A major accident in a car or at work can leave you struggling to sit down or stand up without noticeable discomfort. Although you may assume nothing major is wrong at first, issues with your spine can affect your life in many ways.
Noticing the specific signs of a spinal cord injury can help you determine what to do next.
Bladder issues
According to the Mayo Clinic, noticing a change in sensation in your bladder is often one of the biggest signs of spinal trauma. Not only can this make it hard to determine when you need to urinate, but it can also lead to a loss of bowel control in some cases.
If this continues for a while, you may get bladder infections or kidney stones.
Skin sensation problems
Not being able to tell the difference between hot and cold surfaces is another complication that can come from spinal trauma. This lack of skin sensation can also make it hard to notice injuries such as cuts or bruises.
This can leave you at risk for more health complications as time goes on. You may even end up severely burning your skin if you cannot tell how hot a surface or stove is.
Trouble with breathing
This injury can also harm your respiratory system, which can cause shortness of breath. Your breathing issues can range from mild irritation to a serious risk of pneumonia over time.
Continual coughing and secretions in your lungs are other signs that you could be dealing with a serious health concern. Problems that arise from a spinal cord injury may not always appear obvious first.