Question

A patient with a spinal injury may still be able to use his or her diaphragm to breath, but would lose control of the intercostal muscles, if the spinal cord is injured:

Answer 1

A spinal cord injury can result in paralysis, affecting sensation and movement below the injury. While a patient may still be able to use their diaphragm to breathe, they would lose control of the intercostal muscles.

Step-by-step explanation:

A spinal cord injury can result in paralysis, which is a loss of sensation and movement in parts of the body below the level of the injury. In the case of a spinal injury, a patient may still be able to use their diaphragm to breathe because the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm, is connected to the spinal cord at cervical levels 3 to 5. However, control over the intercostal muscles, which are responsible for breathing in and out, would be lost due to the injury.