Question

When a patient experiences a severe spinal injury, he or she:

a) often loses motor function on one side of the body.
b) most commonly has a palpable spinal deformity.
c) may lose sensation below the level of the injury.
d) will likely be paralyzed from the neck down.

Answer 1

When a patient has a severe spinal injury, they may experience paralysis, losing sensation and motor function below the level of the injury, with the specific effects depending on the injury's location and severity.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient experiences a severe spinal injury, the impact on their body depends on the location and severity of the injury. One potential outcome is paralysis, which means the person loses the ability to feel or move parts of their body that are below the level of the injury. Therefore, option c) 'may lose sensation below the level of the injury' is the most accurate. This is because the spinal cord functions as the main conduit for messages to travel between the brain and the body, and when it is damaged, these messages can be disrupted, leading to loss of sensation and motor function. In the case of quadriplegia, arms, hands, trunk, legs, and pelvic organs are affected, while paraplegia affects the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs but the individual retains the use of their arms and hands. It's crucial to understand that paralysis can vary significantly based on the injury's specific details.