Complete vs Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Explained | Quadriplegic (C5,C6,C7)

[@tjanderson0709]

I want to do appreciate that explanation. I have a c4 and C5 spinal cord injury. I am my fourth month of recovery walking with a walker so far. Your video taught me a lot thank you very much

[@masonx54]

That's great you are still able to walk. I wish you the best with your recovery! Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@ryanr9299]

@@masonx54 Where are you at now I am A C7 complete with no feeling below my chest... i'm worried I'll never be able to walk again but if you are a complete and odds are you probably alone isn't it? How are you along with your spinal cord injury?

[@masonx54]

I'm not sure what you are asking about being alone, but I am almost 10 years post injury and am used to being paralyzed. Walking isn't what I want back. I'd rather have bladder and bowel function, finger function, and tricep function. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@endtimeawakening5557]

I don't know how I avoided a "C-level" injury in my motorcycle accident other than it was a miracle. My motorcycle's front tire hit the right-front tire of the car I made contact with. I hit at ~ 50mph and instantly decelerated. Somehow my head and helmet shattered the rear windshield of the car which was several feet away from the initial impact. My neck must have been doing some strange movements during that short span of time. My T6 vertebrae took the brunt of the impact. Thanks so much for these educational videos Mason. I didn't find this one until 5 years after you made it. Goes to show how valuable your channel really is! ❤

[@masonx54]

Thanks for sharing a little bit about your story! That's why I started making videos. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

​@@masonx54i sent u a message

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

I have 6 and c7 fracures and some d5 caused by and accident my symtoms are bladder and bowel i can control them but when its time is time i have double vision and ear noises just in the right pretty much. All the right is fuked up resulted in trouble walking and swallowing openning my full mouth my right jaw and speatch are slured prolem with contration i hope u can answer looking forward now its been 2 months nd half of the injery hopefulluly those sumptoms goes away im just texting you with the left hand hopefully i didnt make any .istakes also problems with erection my doc says just do u collar of the neck and back for 6 months and ull be fine but im not sure...

[@masonx54]

Where?

[@masonx54]

I remember replying to that message but can't remember where you sent it to me.

[@elizabethwinterod6104]

This was so helpful and you are so inspiring keep educating people!!!

[@masonx54]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Kakast2007]

Thanks to explain the differences from both. How have u been ? Recently I had a relative that suffered a injury

[@masonx54]

You're welcome! I have been doing well. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@robray7106]

Thank you for sharing! God bless!😁😎

[@masonx54]

You're welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@kennethsummers07]

There is no C8 vertebrae, but there is a C8 nerve root which sits between the C7 and T1 vertebrae. Nonetheless, thank you so much for the info!

[@masonx54]

That explains why I was confused. Thanks.

[@morgancalvi6675]

@@masonx54 we all learn Mason. I too was confused until I asked someone. I was watching a wheelstowalking YT video one day and he described complete vs incomplete as a banana being your spinal cord. Whack it with a knife and it's severed...no messages can get by...hence a complete injury. Smash it and bruise it or damage it, but leave it intact...incomplete...some messages do get through. If messages get through, you will have movement or sensation (depending on what side of the vertebrate injured...there is a movement nerve on one side and a movement nerve on the other side). Your doctor explained the C3 diaphragm right. Can you feel when you stick your stomach out...because that would be huge in bowel management. My first injury left me an incomplete C4...but when I was lucky enough (not) to get a second spinal cord injury, it was C4-C6 incomplete. They say 2 vertebrates up and 2 vertebrates down will also be affected, so they are watching my breathing because that's C3 (and the nerve bundle at L4 and L5). I don't think I use my diaphragm a lot to breathe.

[@aaronbligh3619]

Inspiration

[@masonx54]

Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@ramiromaldonadojr]

My son 22 year old son was just in ATV accident 2 wks ago just got out of ICU damage c5,C6,C7 spinal cord injuries paralyzed for now not sure how spinal cord is going to heal

[@masonx54]

I'm sorry to hear about that. The first year or two are the most difficult. If you or him need any advice or have questions, feel free to message me. My social media is linked in the description of my videos. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@ramiromaldonadojr]

Thank you Appreciate everything means a lot @@masonx54

[@Ggs-player]

How is he now ?

[@redphantom451]

so, you dont have sensation on your chest?

[@masonx54]

I only have sensation on the upper half of my chest. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@denisepaulsenful]

Hey there I am a textbook incomplete C5/6 I still have feeling in my legs and feet I can move them all … I even have full bowel and bladder control so that’s good for me and I can pivot into my shower so I’m good but of course I don’t think I will ever walk again. Best of luck!

[@masonx54]

Wow, that's good! Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@denisepaulsenful]

@@masonx54 I hope you’re doing good. Greetings from Toronto!

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

​@@denisepaulsenful how you feel now? 😊

[@ryanr9299]

Hey man C7 complete here.. I think I've commented on your videos before but if you ever heard of epidermal stimulation?

[@masonx54]

Yes, I have heard of epidural stimulation. That is what is involved with The Big Idea through the Christopher Reeves Foundation. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@ryanr9299]

@@masonx54 So do you have any interest in trying it? From what I seen it can help people walk again that can't walk for a very very long time

[@masonx54]

I signed up for The Big Idea back when I found out about it. However, I am more interested in the other things it does besides being able to walk. I want my bladder, bowel, and finger function back.

[@ryanr9299]

@@masonx54 So did you have surgery then for it? do you now have any feeling below your chest? Not sure if that's for your feeling cuts off mine's right at my nipple line

[@masonx54]

No surgery. I take bladder spasm medication called Myrbetriq (in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZ28haqmo5eilaM) and VESIcare. No, I have a complete spinal cord injury meaning I don't have feeling or function below my level of injury. Yeah, that's where my feeling stops as well. What level of spinal cord injury do you have?

[@AwePoquita]

Inspiration

[@masonx54]

I'm thankful to hear I can inspire. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@rollycorpinroll7428]

I'm so very depressed until now ..how the doctors can't do there job knowing its a matter between life and death I watch many videos on Internet to gain knowledge about this kind of injury..I see there's many survivors ..so why they said its hopeless 😔..my question is that a complete or incomplete spinal injury

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

How you feel now

[@rollycorpinroll7428]

My husband died a month ago 😢 he has c5 c6 spinal injury.. I'm from Philippines the doctors said its hopeless 😔 even we go through a surgery how can they say that ?

[@masonx54]

I'm sorry to hear that. Every spinal cord injury is different.

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

I have 6 and c7 fracures and some d5 caused by and accident my symtoms are bladder and bowel i can control them but when its time is time i have double vision and ear noises just in the right pretty much. All the right is fuked up resulted in trouble walking and swallowing openning my full mouth my right jaw and speatch are slured prolem with contration i hope u can answer looking forward now its been 2 months nd half of the injery hopefulluly those sumptoms goes away im just texting you with the left hand hopefully i didnt make any .istakes also problems with erection my doc says just do u collar of the neck and back for 6 months and ull be fine but im not sure...

[@masonx54]

Since you just have fractures and some function below your level of injury, you are more likely to get more function returned. Just keep doing physical therapy and put in the work. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

@@masonx54 you welcone well do (;

[@aliwissfr]

nice , for the comment; complete can recovery! but noot too much! so if he s like end c6 begin c7 that possible!

[@masonx54]

For sure! All spinal cord injuries are different.

[@morgancalvi6675]

If you are incomplete, the spinal cord will allow messages to the brain...then after the spinal shock is over...you can get stuff back. I learned the hard way though...you never recover. Thirty-eight years later, my spinal cord injury still shows up.

[@carolinesarahthompson9690]

This is a bit misleading. I'm a c5 c6 incomplete quadraplegic/ tetraplegic. Your movement sensation and paralysis are governed by the highest injury level. I think your doc has explained things very incorrectly. Sorry I don't mean to offend. It's great that you are out there educating folks.

[@masonx54]

How is it misleading? I was diagnosed as a complete C5 quadriplegic even though I have function more like a C7 three years later.

[@morgancalvi6675]

@ Caroline SARAH Thompson: you have two nerves coming out each vertebrate (one on each side) and one nerve controls movement and one nerve controls sensation. Depending on which side of the spinal cord is injured (incomplete) determines whether you move more or feel more. That controls your amount of movement or sensation.

[@morgancalvi6675]

However, I agree with his wrist and stomach movement, it doesn't sound like a complete-complete spinal cord injury. It sounds almost as if they diagnosed him during a pretty bad spinal shock and when things calmed down some...he regained some function. He must have worked REALLY hard. I know he was in a manual chair at one point.

[@jkohler7876]

You might be an incomplete because you have arm movement too. Thanks for video

[@masonx54]

That's not true. I have arm movement because I am injured at C5.

[@jkohler7876]

@@masonx54 I understand that My husband is C4, incomplete. Every injury is unique. But usually complete cervical injuries take away arm function as well as hand. That’s what they taught me anyway. You are doing great , keep up the videos. Gotta teach the whole world about SCI cuz if they don’t live it, they don’t get it.

[@masonx54]

Yes, you are correct that every spinal cord injury is unique. However, complete cervical injuries do not usually take away arm function. It depends what vertebrae is injured. Different vertebrae levels of the spinal cord control different parts of the body.

[@morgancalvi6675]

@@jkohler7876 not really true. I'm C4-C6 incomplete (really bad sensation though) and I have arm movement. I don't have triceps...and my wrist extensions and finger extensions are weak....C1-C4 are the arm movement vertebrates. You have 2 vertebrates above what you broke and 2 vertebrates below what you broke that make your movement shaky, so my arms are weak...but I still can use them.

[@Hoodnasty0]

you're a c6 quad. c5's don't have wrist extension

[@ShadeMiller]

It was explained to me that you can have function at a different level than the injury?

[@masonx54]

I assume that's correct.

[@morgancalvi6675]

@@masonx54 I think in your case it is because after the spinal shock wore off, you got some function back. Some doctors jump the gun and diagnose right away during the spinal shock.

[@John-hg5pw]

Jesus loves you.

[@masonx54]

He loves you too!

[@John-hg5pw]

Thanks, brother.

[@John-hg5pw]

I have been an incomplete SCI since 1996. I get automatic dysrefexia, so I am not sure if complete SCI is bad or better? I feel I am breaking fast, so I need to do less non-movement activities. I am praying. Nothing seems more important than knowledge and knowing the second coming of Christ Jesus. It is not easy being not in control of anything when everyone is losing it, but knowing by prayer God does answer and watches us. Medicine and money complicates the Gospel because everyone seems self-propelled, making God non factor of every breath. I hope you are well. Please pray for me as I pray for you. You might walk before God returns, because many are scared to go against the laws that prohibits preaching the Gospel. Nonetheless we both shall see God! Maranatha!

[@masonx54]

Complete and incomplete SCI each have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, I would say that an incomplete injury is more preferable. I agree!

[@reginereyes1787]

My boyfriend has suffered a complete spinal cord injury, but he has some senses to his lower body and he's also moving a little because of the spasm, he can feel some electricity to his lower body when it is touch, what can u say about my boyfriend condition? We're not going to give up, his doctor said that he has a small amount of chance to walk again, but we're not believing it only god knows everything 🤍

[@masonx54]

If he has any function or sensation below his level of injury, it is an incomplete injury. Being a quadriplegic for over eight years now, walking is low on my list of things I want back. I am a much better person sitting down than I ever thought about being standing up. Even if he does not get the0 ability to walk again, he should live life just like he would've able-bodied. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@reginereyes1787]

@@masonx54 Thankyou, and keep fighting 🙏

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

​@@masonx54how feel now? I have c6 nd c7 frqctures trouble with walking ear and double and bladdder nd bowel movement when i have to go to the bath room quikly its been 2 month and half now of accident what do think?

[@masonx54]

@@TarikRom-hu3jj I'm not sure what you are asking.

[@TarikRom-hu3jj]

@@masonx54 I have 6 and c7 fracures and some d5 caused by and accident my symtoms are bladder and bowel i can control them but when its time is time i have double vision and ear noises just in the right pretty much. All the right is fuked up resulted in trouble walking and swallowing openning my full mouth my right jaw and speatch are slured prolem with contration i hope u can answer looking forward now its been 2 months nd half of the injery hopefulluly those sumptoms goes away im just texting you with the left hand hopefully i didnt make any .istakes also problems with erection my doc says just do u collar of the neck and back for 6 months and ull be fine but im not sure...