When you were involved in the car crash that changed your life, you were doing everything right. The other driver blew through a stop sign and hit you. The next thing you knew, you were waking up with unusual sensations throughout your body. You couldn’t move well and were weak. At the hospital, you found out you had a spinal cord injury.
If you damage your spinal cord during a collision, one unusual and rare syndrome that you may end up with is Brown-Séquard syndrome. This syndrome is extremely rare, but it can happen if one side of the spinal cord is damaged but not totally severed.
In some cases, something as simple as a puncture wound to the neck could lead to Brown-Séquard syndrome. Any injury to one side of the neck or back could lead to this condition, though. It is most common in situations where a knife, gun or another direct impact to the spine or neck occurs. Falls and auto accidents have been linked to some cases of this syndrome.
Someone who develops Brown-Séquard syndrome may have symptoms such as:
- A loss of sensation (particularly pain and temperature)
- Bladder and bowel issues (loss of control is common)
- Atrophy of muscles in the affected area
- Paralysis on the same side as the wound
Who is most likely to be affected by Brown-Séquard syndrome?
Males and females develop this disease in equal numbers. Today, just over 500 cases have been reported. It’s extremely rare, happening in only around 2% of all traumatic spinal cord injuries.
Brown-Séquard syndrome has no immediate treatment options other than to use medications to control muscular symptoms. Sometimes, steroids are administered to help reduce inflammation. People with this condition may need hand splints, limb supports, wheelchairs, braces or other aids. Treatments are usually based on the patient’s symptoms and are designed to be supportive, not curative.
Because of the lifelong complications posed by this condition, victims of another party’s negligence should consider pursuing a claim for fair compensation. An experienced attorney can help.
