Spinal Cord/Nerve Injury and Pain
What are Spinal Cord and Nerve Injuries?
Spinal cord and nerve injuries are often a consequence of accident or illness and therefore difficult to predict or prevent. These types of injuries often come with associated pain and complications. The spinal cord/nerve injury and pain (SCNIP) team at HBI is focused on managing chronic pain, accelerating rehabilitation and translating discoveries into treatments.
Individuals living with spinal cord and nerve injury often suffer permanent changes in strength, sensation and other body functions below the site of the injury. Mental and emotional health can often suffer in individuals living with spinal cord and nerve injury conditions.
If you would like to contribute to further research on causes and treatments of spinal cord and nerve injuries, and their associated pain and complications, please visit our donation page.
Research Impact
Study leads to dramatic quality of life improvement for man
Blood pressure instability can lead to many complications in spinal cord injury. HBI and Swiss researchers show that the use of a spinal cord stimulator improves blood pressure management in spinal cord injury. An international clinical trial is being explored.
Sleep and sleepiness 'a huge problem' for people with spinal cord injury
People with spinal cord injury suffer high rates of stroke. Researchers discovered that disturbed breathing during sleep due to spinal cord injury, affects the flow of oxygen to the brain, and may increase the risk of stroke.
Research may lead to better treatment for peripheral nerve damage
HBI researchers identify specific neurochemicals emitted by immune cells, called macrophages, that help the specialized glial cells, called Schwann cells, to regenerate myelin around nerve fibers.
Quick Facts
Understanding Spine and Nerve Injury
Causes of Injury
Physical trauma is the leading cause of spinal cord and nerve injury, such as car accidents or sports injuries. Other causes include diseases causing tumors or cysts on the spine, as well as some viral or bacterial infections. Sometimes congenital disorders are also a cause, such as spina bifida.
There is No Cure
There have been many advancements to maximize neuroprotection, rehabilitation, and development of assistive devices, but there is no cure for spinal cord and nerve injury. Studies are underway exploring exoskeletons and spine stimulation to mitigate spinal cord injury and pain.
Symptoms and Implications
Many people think of injuries only in terms of paralysis. Additional challenges in spinal cord injury include altered sensation to heat or cold, and touch, loss of bowel or bladder control, difficulty breathing, and problems with blood pressure management.
Quality of Life
Spinal cord injury affects more than just the capability of movement. Research furthers the discovery of new ways to improve quality of life for those living with spinal cord injury.
Research Highlights
- Macrophages regulate schwann cell maturation after nerve injury
The study demonstrates that after injury, macrophages function to clear debris and persist within the nerve microenvironment, showing a role for macrophages in regulating Schwann cell function during nerve regeneration. Read the full study in Cell Reports here. - Neuroprosthetic baroreflex controls haemodynamics after spinal cord injury
Epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of the spinal cord has been shown to compensate for interrupted supraspinal commands, including haemodynamics. Neuroprosthetic baroreflex’ controlled haemodynamics for extended periods of time in rodents, non-human primates and humans, after both acute and chronic spinal cord injury. Read the full article in Nature here. - Diverse cognitive impairment after spinal cord injury is associated with orthostatic hypotension symptom burden
This study showed that spinal cord injury impairs cognitive function. The team evaluated the associations between blood pressure instability and cognition, showing impaired cognition is associated with symptoms of low blood pressure. Read the full study in Science Direct Physiology and Behavior here.