S14.11: Complete traumatic injury to cervical spinal cord

You have injured your spinal cord at neck level.

The spinal cord is located in the spinal column. The spinal cord is made up of nerve fibers. The brain uses the nerve fibers to exchange information with the organs, skin and muscles. In the neck area, the spinal cord is divided into 8 sections. The first section is located at the top, where it meets the head. The eighth section is located where it meets the torso.

Symptoms may occur in different parts of the body, depending on which section of the spinal cord is injured. The spinal cord may be completely or partly damaged at the level of any section. Your spinal cord in your neck is completely damaged at a specific level. If the entire spinal cord is injured at a specific level, the spinal cord below the injury is then no longer able to carry out its function. The brain is then no longer able to share information with parts of the body below the injury. As a result, you may no longer be able to move your arms and legs properly, for example. You may no longer feel touch, heat or pain in the parts of the body affected. Certain bodily functions, such as passing water and emptying your bowels, may also be affected. You may also no longer be able to breathe properly on your own.