Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury in Miami or another city often face a long, expensive, and difficult road to recovery. They may need rehabilitation to regain some motor function and may require home assistance or surgery in order to regain some mobility. In many cases, patients who have sustained this type of injury in a car accident in Miami or through some other means face a lifetime of reduced ability.
There is now an exciting new study that could offer hope to these patients. The study, published in the journal, Neurology, examined patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries. About two-thirds of serious spinal cord injuries fall into this category, where some nerve endings remain attached but patients are unable to regain full mobility or function. Patients who have this type of injury may regain some mobility, but may be frustrated by slow progress and by lack of endurance or stability as they recover. They may have to rely on canes, wheelchairs, or other devices.
Researchers found that patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries who were treating with low levels of oxygen through breathing treatments were able to walk faster and further when compared with patients given placebos. Patients receiving the treatment could increase how long they could walk in six minutes by approximately 328 feet. They could also walk about four seconds faster and 33 feet farther than the control group.
According to the researchers, the oxygen treatment releases a brain chemical known as serotonin, which helps the body transmit messages between nerve cells. Oxygen may also release substances that help improve how well nerves function and heal. These changes may be key as to why patients receiving the treatment were able to walk further and faster.
Researchers looked at nineteen patients with spinal cord injuries who had already recovered enough to walk at least one step unaided. However, researchers noted that more research needs to be done. For example, research needs to be done to determine how long the effects of the treatment last and how often the treatment can be safely administered for optimum results. Finally, the study did not consider whether the treatment could help patients with more severe spinal cord injuries – something that the researchers hope to see explored in the future.
While research like this is promising for patients, new treatments take some time to develop and newer treatments are also very expensive. Many patients find that the first year of a serious spinal cord injury can cost tens of thousands of dollars or even more than a hundred thousand dollars. In addition, many patients need to replace lost income, find money for at home-care and handle additional costs related to their injury. As a result, many patients turn to personal injury attorneys in Miami or their communities in order to seek compensation so that they can pay for care. In addition to research, many advocacy groups also say that more needs to be done to make quality care accessible for back injury and spinal cord injury patients.
Have you sustained a spinal cord injury? Are you concerned about your future or facing financial problems due to the costs of your injury? If your injury was caused by someone’s negligence, you may have a legal claim that lets you seek compensation so that you can pay for medical costs and other expenses related to your injury. To get more details, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation with a personal injury attorney.