Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day 2023: Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day is observed annually on May 14 to promote awareness of people with spinal cord injuries in the United Kingdom and to educate the public about the injury’s impact, effect, and treatment. Did you know that spinal cord injuries have been documented since 3000 B.C.? A spinal cord injury (SCI) is any impairment to the nerves or spinal cord. Typically, this injury results in permanent loss of strength, sensation, and autonomic function below the site of injury. Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day is a collaboration between the Spinal Injuries Association, Aspire, Back Up, and Spinal Research.
DAY OF HISTORY OF SPINAL CORD INJURY CONSCIOUSNESS
Edwin Smith’s papyrus from 2,500 B.C. contains the earliest record of spinal cord injuries. The ancient Egyptian physicians deemed the injury “untreatable.” In ancient India, Hindu physicians utilised traction techniques to align the spine as the first treatment for spinal cord injuries. The Greeks utilised the same strategy as the Hindus. For instance, Hippocrates, who was born in the fifth century B.C., invented traction devices that enabled patients’ spines to become straight. Galen, a Greek physician, did not identify the connection between spinal cord injuries and loss of autonomic function and sensation until the second century A.D.
Paul of Aegina, who was born in 625 A.D., was the first physician to pioneer spinal cord injury surgical techniques. He recommended using a windlass to diminish the dislocation and performed laminectomy to relieve pressure on the spine. Physicians continued to believe that spinal cord injuries were intractable until the latter half of the 20th century; the prevailing belief was that spinal cord injuries were incurable. Although during the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius made contributions to S.C.I. through their accurate depictions of the human spine and nerves, no other Renaissance artists made significant contributions to the field.
In 1981, Albert Aguayo and Sam David of Canada disproved the centuries-old notion that S.C.I. is incurable. Experiments on rats demonstrated that, in the proper environment, axons can regenerate in the central nervous system. The introduction of imaging, surgery, medical care, and rehabilitation medicine during the middle of the 20th century aided in the improvement of spinal cord injury care and increased the life expectancy of those with the condition. In addition, the development of emergency medical transport services in the 1970s contributed to these SCI treatment advancements.
HOW TO CELEBRATE SPINAL CORD INJURY CONSCIOUSNESS DAY
Programme of community awareness planning
An organisation can contribute to Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day by organising a programme that discusses the effects and consequences of SCI. This event may take place at a local community centre or on online platforms like Twitter Space or Facebook Live. The guest speakers should include medical professionals and individuals with SCI, and the audience must be diverse. You can also organise activities, fairs, and competitions and invite the entire community to participate.
Support SCI rehabilitation and research programmes
Donate to SCI research organisations, paraplegia rehabilitation centres, and organisations that assist people with SCI live more fulfilling lives. You can donate to the Spinal Injuries Association, Aspire, Back Up, and Spinal Research, among others. If you have the time, you can also volunteer with a local paraplegia organisation.
Even share information about S.C.I.
This Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Day, you can inspire someone to take action for S.C.I. with just facts about spinal cord injuries in the United Kingdom. Check out the section on intriguing facts to get started. If you know someone with SCI, you can share their story with other paraplegics to inspire them.
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Five IMPORTANT FACTS Concerning Spinal Cord Injuries
You can’t perspire
Injuries to the spinal cord disrupt the connection between the spine and the sweat gland, resulting in abnormal perspiration.
Some urinate via the belly region.
Some individuals with paraplegia have urinary conduits connected to catheters that are inserted through holes in their belly buttons.
The majority are males
About 82% of spinal cord injury patients worldwide are male.
They may continue to have offspring
Despite their condition, people with spinal cord injuries can become parents; however, males must use artificial means to inseminate their partners.
Life span has increased.
Compared to the beginning of the 20th century, the life expectancy of individuals with S.C.I. has increased approximately 2,000%.
WHY SPINAL CORD INJURY DAY IS SO IMPORTANT
It raises money.
Emotionally and monetarily, spinal cord injuries have taken a hefty toll on those living with them and their families. Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day can be used to raise funds to assist SCI survivors and their families with their expenses. Additionally, they can raise funds to contribute to SCI research.
It honours individuals with spinal cord injuries
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day demonstrates solidarity with SCI survivors. It sends a powerful message to patients that their community – and the entire human community – is on their side.
It decreases the number of spinal cord injuries.
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day raises public awareness of the causes of SCI and educates individuals on how to prevent the condition. This includes taking the necessary safety precautions in a vehicle, at the pool, while participating in sports, and in all other situations.
SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 14 | Sunday |
| 2024 | May 14 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | May 14 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | May 14 | Thursday |
| 2027 | May 14 | Friday |
