Quadriplegia is a form of cerebral palsy in which a patient has paralysis from the neck down, including the trunk, legs and arms. The condition is typically caused by an injury to the spinal cord that contains the nerves that transmit messages of movement and sensation from the brain to parts of the body. Quadriplegia is most likely to occur from a spinal cord injury to the neck at C5 (cervical 5) to C7 (cervical 7). The spinal cord cannot transmit messages below the damaged area, resulting in the loss of mobility in the arms and legs and the loss of function in breathing, bowel and bladder control.
Not all quadriplegia is caused by a severe traumatic force. Quadriplegia can be the result of certain illnesses, including:
- Tumor growth within spinal cord and vertebrae
- Glioma – a brain tumor that is created within the glial cells
- Metastatic tumors – Cancers that spread from bone to bone
- Multiple Myeloma – A cancer of the white blood cells
- Osteoporosis – A disease of the bone that induces fractures
- Spina Bifida – A birth defect that leaves the spinal cord exposed
- Multiple Sclerosis – A disease of the immune system that attacks the spinal cord
- Infections
- Syphilis – A sexually transmitted disease that attacks the brain and heart, among other organs
- Tuberculosis – A deadly disease caused by mycobacteria that attacks the immune system, bones, and joints
- AIDS
- Hypotension – Critically low blood pressure
- Epidural and subdural hematomas – Traumatic brain injuries
- Brainstem lesion
Clinical Information Related to Quadriplegia and Medical Marijuana
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