After a spinal cord injury, it's important that you are aware of your vulnerability to certain medical conditions. Your medical team may have informed you of common dangers such as burns, pressure sores, and muscle spasms. However, there is a lesser-known medical problem unique to many people with a spinal cord injury that is serious and can be life-threatening. It's called autonomic dysreflexia.
Autonomic dysreflexia can occur for some people with a spinal cord injury with dire consequences—stroke, seizure, or cardiac arrest. It can happen when autonomic dysreflexia triggers cause your body to overreact to many different types of stimuli below your spinal cord injury. One complication is your autonomic nervous system can send your blood pressure spiking to dangerous levels.
It can be difficult to ask for help, especially from your adult children. As parents, many of us are used to being the ones offering support, not the ones receiving it. That shift can feel uncomfortable, even emotional.
Waking up to an ostomy leak at night is frustrating, stressful, and exhausting. Sleep is vital for healing—no one wants to spend it worrying about their pouch.
Running out of medical supplies is one of the biggest concerns we hear from customers—and for good reason. Having what you need, when you need it, is essential to maintaining your health, independence, and peace of mind.
Living with an ostomy is a highly individualized experience. What feels essential to one person may not be necessary for another, especially when it comes to accessories like ostomy support belts. While not everyone with an ostomy needs a belt, many people find that the right support belt improves comfort, confidence, and overall quality of life.
Living with arthritis, hand weakness, or limited mobility can make everyday routines more challenging. For people who use intermittent catheters, reduced grip strength or finger mobility can bring frustration and even discomfort into your daily catheterization routine.
As a new ostomy user, you might wonder whether the activities that bring you joy, connection, and a sense of normalcy will still be possible. Adjusting takes time, but many new ostomy users discover that with the right preparation and support, the things they love are absolutely within reach.
There is no question driving has the ability to offer us a freedom unlike any other we enjoy. Whether traveling to pursue everyday activities or hitting the open road, driving is a privilege full of possibilities and, quite often, adventure.
After your spinal cord injury, adaptive driving offers the opportunity to feel a little closer to some normalcy. Behind the wheel, there’s an obvious sense of freedom and independence. Those feelings of blending in and normality are invigorating for many drivers with paralysis.
