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How is spinal cord injury diagnosed?

Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.


If you or a loved one has sustained a spinal cord injury from an accident, contact Mike Agruss Law for a free consultation so we can help you recover from this experience and get fairly compensated.

A spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when there is any damage to the spinal cord resulting in a loss of motor and/or sensory function of some part or parts of the body. These result from high-energy trauma such as a motor vehicle collision, a harsh fall, or a contact sports injury. Since the spinal cord aids in the central nervous system’s (CNS) function, any damage here can cause an immense change in the affected person’s life.

The most common symptoms associated with SCIs include swelling and/or redness, pain at the injury site, difficulty breathing and coughing, loss of motor and/or sensory function, sexual dysfunction, and loss of bladder and/or bowel control. It is absolutely imperative that you seek medical attention immediately in order to avoid complications or further damage and get early treatment. If you arrive in the emergency room conscious and fully awake, the doctor will first conduct a physical examination to test motor and sensory functions to see if they can rule out an SCI.

If you are in the emergency room not fully awake, unconscious, or visibly in great pain/distress, then the doctor will likely have to run diagnostic tests, such as an X-ray, CT scan, or an MRI. An X-ray will show issues in the spinal column, while a CT scan and MRI scan can enhance the findings of the X-ray by observing deep inside the body’s bones or tissues. A neurological exam could also be conducted to assess your competence and muscle functioning that was affected by this injury. After examining each test, doctors will be able to determine whether your injury is an SCI or not, and how you can proceed for the best and safest outcome for treatment.

Each injury will likely take months of treatment and recovery time, however, we aim to help you and ease this sudden financial burden by recovering the damages that you have experienced. Our attorneys are here to serve and fight for you by consulting experts, conducting investigations into the accident, and gathering all necessary evidence. We will make sure that you get justice for this sudden spinal cord injury.

Helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people, not the powerful, we will take care of the insurance adjusters, your medical bills, your property damage, and your lost wages, and monitor your treatment so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal. Our unique formula has earned us over 1,000 outstanding client reviews on our website, an A+ BBB rating, and over 135 five-star reviews on Google. Call 888-572-0176, e-mail us at [email protected] or schedule a meeting with us here. We’re here 24/7.

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