Johnny was in a freak traumatic accident where he suffered b

Johnny was in a freak traumatic accident where he suffered bilateral transection of the spinal cord at C7. Discuss the impact of this injury on the sensory and motor branches of the nervous system.

Solution

C6 and C7 are the lowest level of cervical spine, near the base of the neck. Injuries to the spinal cord at these regions of the spine have the potential to impact everything below the top of the ribcage resulting in quadriplegia.

Though they have often have better outcomes than higher ceervical injuries, they are still considered incredibly severe becasue more damage is caused to the central nervous system, the higher up in the spine the injury occurs.

It can directly affect the control of the muscles in the forearm and wrists.

The portions of the spical cord of C7 communicates with tricep muscles. A survivor of C7 sical cord injury will likely have ful neck movement but may sense tingling and numbness in the hands and fingers as well as pain in the shoulder blade.

Symptoms include:

1. Burning pain in the shoulder blade and back of the arms, tricep muscle

2.some ability to extend shoulder, arms and fingers , but dextirity may be compromised inthe hands and fingers.

3.lack of control of the bowl and bladder

4.breathing may be taxed though the pateint may not need the ventilator