Spinal Injury

Complete SCI: This occurs when the spinal cord is fully severed or severely damaged, resulting in the total loss of both sensory and motor functions below the level of the injury. This means that the brain is no longer able to send signals past the point of the injury, and as a result, the affected individual experiences a complete loss of movement and sensation in areas of the body below the injury site. There is no ability to feel touch, pain, temperature, or other sensations, and voluntary muscle control is entirely lost. This type of injury is often permanent and may result in paralysis, either affecting just the lower half of the body (paraplegia) or, in more severe cases, the entire body from the neck down (tetraplegia or quadriplegia), depending on the location of the injury.

Incomplete SCI: This occurs when the spinal cord is only partially damaged, meaning that some degree of motor or sensory function remains below the level of the injury. Unlike a complete SCI, where there is a total loss of movement and sensation, an incomplete injury allows for the possibility of retaining varying levels of sensation, movement, or function in the affected areas. The extent of these retained functions can differ greatly from person to person, depending on the severity and location of the damage to the spinal cord.