What is Paraplegia?
Paraplegia is a form of paralysis in which body control is lost below the waist. It is also called partial paralysis. In most cases, paraplegics have perfectly healthy legs, but they cannot control them due to an injury to the brain or spinal cord, which cannot transmit or receive signals to the lower body. The degree of paraplegia varies from person to person. Physical therapy, along with treatment, can help paraplegics to live an independent life. Though, in most cases, a cure for paraplegia is not possible, therapy can enhance the quality of life. At HPFY, find paraplegia medical devices/paralysis equipment that will ease daily activities and help in attaining a certain degree of independence in life.
Types of Paralysis
There are a variety of paraplegic equipment to help individuals with lower body paralysis.
1. Monoplegia
Monoplegia is a paralysis that impacts one limb, such as an arm or leg, on one side of your body.
2. Hemiplegia
Hemiplegia affects one arm and one leg on the same side of your body. Several vascular conditions may cause hemiplegia, injuries, infections, and congenital disorders.
3. Paraplegia
Paraplegia affects both of your legs. This usually happens because of injuries to your nervous system, especially your spinal cord, but it can also happen with various medical conditions and diseases.
4. Quadriplegia
Quadriplegia refers to paralysis from the neck down, including the trunk, legs, and arms. It is also known as tetraplegia and affects your arms and legs.
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Paraplegia Medical Devices
- Wheelchairs: Wheelchairs are mobility aids that allow individuals with paraplegia to move around independently. They come in different types, including manual and power wheelchairs.
- Standing frames: These devices are designed to help individuals with paraplegia stand upright and bear weight on their legs, which can help maintain bone density and prevent complications.
- Walkers and crutches: These assistive devices can help individuals with paraplegia to walk short distances with the support of their upper body.
- Transfer aids: Transfer aids, such as transfer boards, swivel seats, and transfer poles, can help individuals with paraplegia to transfer from their wheelchair to a car or bed with greater ease and safety.
- Pressure relief cushions and mattresses: These devices are designed to reduce pressure on the skin and prevent pressure sores, which are common complications for individuals with paraplegia.
- Bowel and bladder management devices: These devices, such as catheters or bowel stimulators, can help individuals with paraplegia manage their bowel and bladder functions.
- Adaptive equipment: There are many different types of adaptive paraplegic equipment available, including devices to assist with dressing, grooming, and eating.
Causes of Paraplegia
- Car and bike accidents Falls
- Sports injuries like diving accidents
- Medical or surgical injuries
- Diseases or genetic anomalies
- Strokes
- Genetic disorders like hereditary spastic paraplegia
- Oxygen deprivation to the brain or spinal cord as a consequence of choking, pregnancy complications, and etc
- Autoimmune disorders
- Infections
- Brain or Spinal Cord Tumors, Lesions, or Cancer
- Spinal Cord disorders like Syrinx
What are the Effects of Paraplegia?
- Loss of control and sensation in the lower body below the site of injury.
- The higher the injury site, the greater the loss of sensation
- Pain, electrical sensations, and other intermittent feelings, also called phantom sensations, may cause loss of sexual function, libido, or fertility
- Incontinence or Constipation due to the decreased bladder and bowel control
- Depression and mood swings
- Weight gain due to reduced activity level
- Pressure sores
- Skin irritations
- Infections or lesions on the site of injury
Treatment of Paraplegia
- Spinal cord injuries are not curable, but surgery can reduce the swelling, lesions, and pain at the site of injury.
- Also, it is necessary to remove foreign objects, if any.
- Your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the risk of infection, clotting, and other issues.
- Physical therapy can help regain some function if possible.
- Occupational therapy can help you develop new skills to live an independent life.
FAQs
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Can paraplegia be cured?
Paraplegia is generally the result of an injury, but it can also be caused by conditions that damage your spinal cord or brain. Proper treatment can help paraplegic patients in managing their condition.
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How to care for a paraplegic person?
There are a lot of ways that can help you to care for a paraplegic patient. Health Products for You brings you a wide range of paraplegic medical devices for paraplegic patients, including reachers, leg lifters, catheters, and many more.
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What is the difference between paraplegic and quadriplegic?
Paraplegia and Quadriplegia are two types of paralysis that have some differences:
- Paraplegia is the paralysis of the legs and lower body, typically caused by spinal injury or disease.
- Quadriplegia: Quadriplegia refers to paralysis from the neck down, including the trunk, legs, and arms. An injury typically causes the condition of the spinal cord, which contains the nerves that transmit messages of movement and sensation from the brain to parts of the body.
Where to buy Paraplegia Medical Devices online?
HPFY offers you a range of products that ease the day-to-day functions of people with paraplegia. Shop today from our top manufacturers and avail great discounts!
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FAQ's
Frequently asked questions
Paraplegia can result from an injury to the spinal cord that may damage the nerve fibers found within the spinal cord. Primarily, such type of injuries result from car or motorcycle accidents, but may also result from slip and fall accidents as well as sporting injuries.
There are two types of paraplegia - complete and incomplete. In Complete paraplegia a person loses both feeling and movement below his or her injury, while in case of incomplete paraplegia a person maintains some movement or feeling below the injury.
Paraplegia may result in symptoms like persisting pain, a loss of sensation, paralysis, loss of bowel control, spasms, difficulty breathing, and a loss of sexual function.
Paraplegia can be defined as losing control i.e. movement and sensation from the waist down while the term tetraplegia includes loss of function in the upper body, arms and hands.
Products like patient transfer systems, catheter systems, disposable underpads, reachers, wheelchair desk etc. are designed to help paaraplegics with their daily tasks.