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Common types of paralysis linked to workplace injuries

On Behalf of | Feb 9, 2022 | Spinal Cord Injury |

When you leave home for work each morning, you hope to have a fruitful day, collect your wage and return home to your loved ones safe and sound. Unfortunately, workplace accidents happen.

From minor slips to catastrophic incidents, a workplace accident can turn an otherwise bright day into a gloomy and sometimes uncertain future. One of the most devastating potential outcomes of workplace accidents is paralysis. This means you lose the function of your muscle or a group of muscles as a result of injury to the central nervous system.

Workplace-related paralysis can be divided into any of these categories:

Monoplegia

As the name suggests, this type of paralysis affects one limb. This type of paralysis occurs when a worker suffers nerve damage above the limb resulting in the loss of sensation or the ability to move the affected arm or leg. Monoplegia can be caused by head and spinal cord injuries or infections of the brain.

Hemiplegia

Hemiplegia happens when damage to the brain or the spinal cord results in paralysis on one side of the body. For instance, if you sustain an injury on the left side of the brain, you may lose control over the right side of your body. Hemiplegia often results in difficulty with muscle control, memory problems, speech difficulty, general body weakness, change in behavior and muscle stiffness.

Paraplegia

Paraplegia refers to an injury to the spinal cord that results in the paralysis of the body’s lower limbs. Sometimes, an individual suffering from paraplegia may lose control of their bowel and bladder as well. An accident victim who is suffering from paraplegia may have to spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair.

Quadriplegia

Finally, quadriplegia is a condition that characterizes a temporary or permanent weakness of all four limbs. Symptoms of quadriplegia may include numbness of the limbs, bowel and urinary retention dysfunction and breathing difficulty.

Paralysis can be a life-altering condition. If you have been paralyzed due to injuries sustained at work, it is in your best interest that you pursue a workers’ compensation claim.

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