Spinal cord injuries are serious matters. Not only do you have to think about how your physical abilities have changed, you will need to consider how those changes are impacting your family members. This means that there will be emotional aspects to address on top of the physical ones.
One of the most important things that you can do when you suffer from a spinal cord injury is to learn all you can about the injury. Here is some essential information about spinal cord injuries:
The first days are challenging
The first days after a spinal cord injury can be the most challenging. There is a chance that the injury will seem worse than it truly is in these early days. This is because of spinal shock. In the first hours and days, the body will begin to react to the injury. Inflammation in the area and the release of a toxic substance due to the chemical reaction that occurs can enhance the impacts. This means that you might start to regain function once the inflammation and destructive toxins abate.
Addressing challenges head-on
You will need to shore up your resolve in the early days and far into the future. You have to be willing to address challenges as they come up. It might not be possible to remain positive all the time but you should do your best to stay upbeat. This might help you to fare better since you won’t be limited by a negative attitude. Staying positive can also help you as you go through physical therapy to address the physical limitations of your injury.
Helping your family members
There is a good chance that you will begin to feel depressed about how your family dynamics will change because of the injury. Addressing these changes and coming up with a plan that helps to meet your needs and doesn’t put too much stress on your loved ones might help you to feel better.
One thing that you can do is try to avoid lashing out at them when you are frustrated. This can be difficult because you might not even realize that you are being cranky with the people around you. If possible, take a few minutes to calm down if you feel frustrated with your current situation. This might help you to avoid acting in a mean manner to those people who are trying to help out of love for you.
