Common Injury from Car Accidents: Myelopathy

Myelopathy: In the last blog entry, we discussed spinal cord compression, where a herniated disc pushes into the spinal cord and the cord pressed against the back of the spinal canal. This pincer action on the spinal cord can cause serious neurological consequences as a result of trauma.

Should you have neurological deficits as a result of a disc herniation distal to the level of lesion, this is called a myelopathy. A myelopathic finding is one of the most significant insults to the spinal cord resulting in an immediate surgical consultation and often surgery is the only solution to the injury. Distal to the level of lesion means that if the herniation is in the neck, the problem can be in the arms or legs (below the herniation), however, if the herniation is in the mid to lower back, the problem in the arms cannot be from a myelopathy because the symptoms are above the problem area. This cannot happen in the lumbar spine because there is no spinal cord in the lumbar region.

Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. of Saile & Saile LLP, Attorneys-at-Law focuses his practice on fighting for plaintiffs’ personal injury victim’s rights in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We handle all serious injuries, car accidents (both limited and full tort), wrongful death, slip & fall downs, construction accidents, Septa, NJ Transit, and other cases other cases. We are located just outside of Philadelphia in lower Bucks County. Please visit our personal injury only website at www.pa-nj-injurylawyer.com for more injury information.