User:MCaldwell123/sandbox

The Correlation Between Spinal Injuries and Mental Health
The correlation between spinal conditions and mental health is a relatively new medical discovery that surgeons and phycologists are looking further into to determine the causal relationship between the two. A persons physical health is directly linked to their mental health and when one changes, the other becomes vulnerable. One's mental health can become compromised after facing a spinal injury because of the nerves that are intertwined in the spine leading into our brains and affecting how someone thinks or feels. Certain medical treatments that are given to patients with spinal injuries have also had side effects which change their mental states.

Those who have had a spinal cord injury can lead to feeling sad, angry, worried or frightened. However, the most common mental health problems that arise from spinal cord injuries are depression and anxiety which can occur directly after the injury or during treatment or rehabilitation. Other mental health issues are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, Substance Abuse disorders, Eating disorders, and mood disorders. These conditions are more severe but nonetheless just as prevalent depending on what type of spinal cord issue one is facing.

This correlation that directly links the physical body with the mind is not something people haven't heard of before. There are cases where people end up in the hospital because of anxiety or depression with no underlying problems, but the stress makes the physical body react and can make someone become unhealthy. Vice versa, a physical injury can have the same affect on the brain and both need to be taken into consideration and treated properly to avoid further issues.

In scientific terms, "Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system. This complex system is part of everything we do. It controls the things we choose to do -- like walk and talk -- and the things our body does automatically -- like breathe and digest food. The central nervous system is also involved with our senses -- seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling -- as well as our emotions, thoughts, and memory.

The peripheral nervous system consists of more than 100 billion nerve cells (neurons) that run throughout the body like strings, making connections with the brain, other parts of the body, and often with each other. The somatic nervous system consists of nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord with muscles controlled by conscious effort (voluntary or skeletal muscles) and with sensory receptors in the skin. Sensory receptors are specialized endings of nerve fibers that detect information in and around the body.

Spinal nerves connect the brain with the nerves in most parts of the body. Other nerves go directly from the brain to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the head. This network of nerves carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body."

Types of Spinal Issues

There are various types of spinal issues that a patient can have, some due to genetic history while others are from an unexpected trauma or unfortunate circumstance. Nonetheless, each spinal condition should be treated adequately in order for it to heal properly. Spinal injuries are taken very seriously as the spine contains nerves that connect the whole body and can lead to serious damage if treated the wrong way.

Types of Spinal/Mental Health Conditions
Types of spinal issues/conditions can range from minor problems to major problems such as:


 * Lower back pain
 * Scoliosis
 * Lordosis
 * Kyphosis
 * Herniated Disc
 * Spinal Stenosis
 * Paraplegia
 * Tetraplegia

Types of Mental Health Issues (common with spinal conditions)


 * Anxiety
 * Depression
 * Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
 * Mood Disorders
 * Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
 * Eating Disorders

Treatments
Treatments for spinal cord injuries or spinal conditions are unique to the specific case and person who possesses the injury/condition. Depending on the severity of the condition, certain treatments will be recommended by doctors based on what they feel will work best. For instance, common issue such as lower back pain, which over 40% of adults currently have, may be treated with over the counter pain medication or prescription pain medication provided by a physician. However, in many instances, substance abuse or addiction can occur from using too much pain medication. This in turn rewires the nerves in the brain and can lead to further mental health issues. Something such as chronic back pain can leave people unable to do certain activities or take part in things they normally would, which can lead to depression or anxiety.

In more severe cases, such as paraplegia or tetraplegia, many treatments are unavailable due to the severity of the damage done to the spinal cord and nerves surrounding the spine. If a person is in an accident that results in one of these two conditions, their normal motor functions such as walking, moving arms and legs, or simply standing up, is not possible, which has an adverse affect on the brain and can lead to mental health issues as well.

Various treatment options are available for spinal conditions, such as surgery, rehabilitation, medication, and supportive care such as hydrotherapy or medical ventilation. For instance, someone who has severe scoliosis or a herniated disc on their spine will require an operation in order to correct the issue. When an operation takes place in order to fix the patients condition, the spinal nerves become compromised and the structure of the nerves can be changed. When these nerves are damaged or touched, it will send different signals to the brain which can lead the mental state to further change