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Spinal Cord Injury Day: Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries & Insurance

Team AckoJan 17, 2024

The spinal cord plays a vital role in supporting the human body. It connects the brain and the body, thus enabling several crucial functions including movement and bladder control. In case the spinal cord is damaged, the connection between the brain and the body is hampered. Therefore, it is important to take precautionary measures regarding the spine and receive the best treatment in case of injury.

Usually, spinal cord injuries result from accident, disease, or deterioration. Such injuries can have disastrous consequences on the patient and consequently on the entire family. Spinal cord injuries can cause severe mental trauma along with physical pain. If the injury is severe, the person might not be able to work, resulting in a loss of income. On one hand, there will be no income and on the other hand, there will be a constant stream of expenses. Such a situation can be demotivating and depressing. This is where health insurance might offer some financial respite. Read ahead to know more about spinal cord injuries, health insurance and Spinal Cord Injury Day.

Contents

Spinal Cord Injury Day
Common Reasons for Spinal Cord Injury:
Expenses Related to Managing Spinal Cord Injury:
Basic Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Tips
Significance of Health Insurance

Spinal Cord Injury Day

The International Spinal Cord Society has declared 5th September as Spinal Cord Injury Day. This day is observed to spread awareness about spinal cord injuries, preventive measures, and guidance regarding living a satisfying life even if one has faced such medical issues. Thus, the objective is two-fold, it focuses on prevention as well as treatment.

Common Reasons for Spinal Cord Injury:

A spinal cord injury can occur directly due to a major accident or indirectly due to some kind of disease. Here’s a list of common reasons that can cause a spinal cord injury.

Being involved in a road accident
Falling from a significant height
Being a victim in a violent act
Facing assault
Injuries faced while playing recreational sports
Injuries due to other factors such as arthritis

Treating severe spinal cord injuries is an expensive affair. Leading a life after overcoming a such an injury can also take a toll on your finances. Here’s a list of expenses that one might need to cater to in case of a spinal cord injury. The extent of expenses will be based on the complexity of the injury.

Admission in hospital and surgery
Post-surgery hospitalization
Visit to rehabilitation centers
Antibiotics and pain-relief medicine
Physiotherapy sessions
Psychotherapy sessions
Assisting equipment such as a wheelchair, crutches, etc.
Making changes to one’s home to aid movement. For example – installing handle-bars
Getting help from a nurse or medical attendant at home

Basic Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Tips

No one can predict accidents. For example, you might follow all traffic rules and drive your vehicle properly but if someone else drives recklessly, it can cause a road accident and you might have to face the consequences. Here are some basic prevention tips that you can follow to avoid spine-related issues.

Wear a seat belt in a car, wear a helmet on a bike, and don’t drink and drive.
Maintain home hygiene. Clean your home to avoid slipping – ensure flow is dry – especially in the case of elderly family members.
Stay attentive and alert in all situations to avoid accidents
Be watchful while playing a sport
Maintain the right posture while exercising
Follow safety rules around swimming pools

Significance of Health Insurance

Apart from an Individual Health plan, you should consider opting for Critical Illness Insurance and Accident Insurance as well to have an extensive insurance cover in case of spinal cord injuries. Creating a portfolio of suitable health insurance plans is always beneficial. If you want to buy dedicated plans such as Critical Illness Insurance and Accident Insurance, you should check if the policies provide a cover against major issues. For example, check if the policy covers spine-related medical issues before purchasing.

Take precautionary measures to avoid spine injuries, and make an informed decision before purchasing a suitable insurance policy.

Also, Read: Top 5 Do’s and Don’ts in Road Accidents

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on industry experience and several secondary sources on the internet; and is subject to changes. Please go through the applicable policy wordings for updated ACKO-centric content and before making any insurance-related decisions.