There are approximately 18,000 new spinal injuries in the United States every year. From car accidents to tragic falls, there are various ways to sustain spinal cord injuries.
A spinal cord injury can affect movement, sensation, breathing, bladder and bowel function, and other essential body functions. The effects depend on where the injury occurs and how much damage has occurred to the spinal cord.
Spinal specialists commonly describe spinal cord injuries by whether they are complete or incomplete, as well as by the pattern of nerve damage. Let’s look at four major types of spinal cord injuries, common symptoms, and what to do when a spinal injury is suspected.
What Are the 4 Types of Spinal Cord Injuries?
The spinal cord is a column of nerves that runs through the spine and carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When it is damaged, those signals can be disrupted, affecting movement, sensation, strength, and muscle control.
The location and severity of the injury are two of the most important factors in determining how someone is affected. The cervical spine is in the neck and contains eight vertebrae. The thoracic spine is in the middle back and contains twelve vertebrae, while the lumbar spine contains five vertebrae in the lower back. The sacral region is the lowest part of the spine and is primarily made up of nerve roots rather than the spinal cord itself.
Spinal cord injuries are commonly described as complete or incomplete, while specific injury patterns include central cord syndrome and Brown Sequard syndrome.
1. Complete Spinal Cord Injury
A complete spinal cord injury occurs when nerve communication is lost below the injury site. This can result in a loss of movement, sensation, and muscle control below the affected area.
Where the injury occurs matters. A complete injury in the cervical spine may affect the arms, hands, trunk, and legs. An injury lower down may primarily affect the legs and lower body while preserving more upper body function.
For example, an injury high in the neck can affect much more of the body than an injury in the lower spine. However, a complete injury does not mean every person will have the same symptoms or recovery. Rehabilitation needs can vary considerably.
2. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
With an incomplete spinal cord injury, some nerve signals can still pass between the brain and the body below the injury. A person may retain some movement, sensation, or muscle control, but the pattern can be very different from one person to another.
Someone might have more strength in one arm than the other, for example, or be able to move their legs while experiencing reduced sensation. Treatment and rehabilitation may focus on preserving function, improving mobility, and supporting independence.
An incomplete injury is still a serious injury. The amount of function that remains does not necessarily indicate how straightforward recovery will be.
3. Central Cord Syndrome
Central cord syndrome occurs when the central part of the spinal cord is damaged. It often causes greater weakness in the arms and hands than in the legs, although sensation and other functions can also be affected.
This can happen after a fall or another injury that forces the neck backwards, particularly in older adults with narrowing of the spinal canal. Imagine someone falling and hitting their chin, forcing their neck backwards. They may notice significant difficulty using their hands even though they can still move their legs.
Symptoms and recovery vary, so the cause and extent of the damage need to be properly evaluated.
4. Brown Sequard Syndrome
Brown Sequard syndrome occurs when damage affects one side of the spinal cord more than the other. It can cause weakness or loss of movement on one side of the body, along with changes in pain and temperature sensation on the opposite side.
This pattern is less common and can result from penetrating trauma, tumours, infection, or other conditions affecting one side of the spinal cord.
Because the symptoms can be quite specific, identifying the underlying cause is an important part of deciding what treatment and rehabilitation may be appropriate. If you or someone you know develops new weakness, loss of sensation, or difficulty moving after an injury, it is worth seeking medical attention promptly.
How Injury Location Affects Symptoms
The spine has four main regions. The location of an injury can influence which areas of the body are affected.
Cervical spinal cord injuries
Cervical injuries occur in the neck. They can affect the arms, hands, trunk, legs, breathing, and bladder or bowel function.
Thoracic spinal cord injuries
Thoracic injuries occur in the upper and middle back. They may affect the trunk and legs while leaving arm and hand function intact.
Lumbar spinal cord injuries
Lumbar injuries occur in the lower back. They may affect the hips, legs, and bladder or bowel function.
Sacral spinal cord injuries
Sacral injuries affect the lowest part of the spine and may affect the hips, buttocks, bladder, bowel, sexual function, and parts of the legs.
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are life-threatening, so it’s important to avoid using Google as your medical professional.
It’s impossible to diagnose the type of spinal cord injury you are experiencing by yourself. It’s equally impossible to make a prognosis based on your symptoms.
Symptoms and recovery are incredibly unique. Some people will make significant progress through physical therapy, and others will not. Here are some factors that typically affect the outcome:
- The type of injury
- Your physical health pre-accident
- Your psychological health
- The medical care available to you
- The effort you put into your own recovery
- Luck
- And so much more
There is a lot that goes into a spinal cord injury. That’s why there are so many symptoms connected to it.
You will probably experience some paralysis. This will often come with breathing issues.
You may require feeding or breathing tubes. This can produce an issue with frequent infections. Problems with bladder and bowel function will likely surface as well.
Because of a lack of motion, you may experience bedsores, loss of libido, and chronic pain. Other symptoms often include muscle and nerve pain, headaches, overall chronic pain, and pneumonia.
Dealing with spinal cord injuries is incredibly taxing for both patients and their families.
Common Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Men sustain more spinal cord injuries than women. And most times, auto accidents are primarily responsible.
Falls also account for a majority of spinal cord injuries. Falling from a ladder, a cliff, or other high places can cause extensive spinal cord injury.
Gunshot wounds also account for spinal cord injuries.
Diving injuries are especially dangerous. This is partly because of the head-first nature of the sport. It’s also because of the difficulty of saving yourself and getting out of the water, particularly if you’re diving alone.
Motorcycle accidents are also a primary cause of injury, because of the lack of external protection. While helmets and protective gear often serve as lifesavers, riders and passengers can still experience devastating spinal cord injuries.
Workplace injuries, often because of unexpected falling objects, are also a leading cause of spinal cord injuries. This can cause lawsuits and claims of negligence, depending on the situation.
Unfortunately, some spinal cord injuries are medically induced. Sometimes, mistakes are made, and this can cause issues later on.
The final two primary causes are pedestrian injuries and bicycle incidents. Helmet laws have played a primary role in reducing bicycle injuries. Many researchers suggest that a reduction in distracted walking (walking while looking down at a device), would also help prevent similar injuries among pedestrians.
When to Seek Spine Care
Spinal cord injuries can have lasting effects on movement, sensation, strength, and mobility. After the initial injury has been evaluated and stabilized, ongoing symptoms may need assessment to understand what is causing them and what treatment options may help.
If you are experiencing persistent pain, weakness, numbness, changes in sensation, or difficulty with movement after an injury, a spine specialist can assess your symptoms and discuss appropriate treatment and rehabilitation options.
Advanced Spine Center provides spine evaluations and treatment at locations across New Jersey, including Morristown, Bridgewater, and Rockaway. Request an appointment at a location near you to discuss your symptoms and next steps.
Updated Aug 26, 2026.