Finally, a benefit from those love handles, pot bellies and beer stomachs! Scientists found that fat taken from the inner thigh and lower abdomen was rich in stem cells. This study, reported in August’s Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal, is the first of its kind to pinpoint a variation between stem cell concentrations in different portions of the body’s fat stores.

We already know that stem cells have huge potential for repairing injuries, but we also know that there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the use of embryo stem cells, the ones with the most plasticity. With the discovery of a plentiful source of adult stem cells, there is an increased potential for studying how these valuable resources can be applied to healing spine injuries, repairing bones, eradicating diseases such as cancer…all without the censor of those against embryonic stem cell research.

Of course, this journal is more concerned with the ways in which these cells can be used to benefit the plastic surgery industry. They would like to find ways to erase wrinkles and generate new tissue for their procedures, and who are we to argue? If the search for eternal youth unearths valuable resources that will help those who are trying to recover from a spinal cord injury, then we are all for it!

Scientists are exploring the ways in which your body’s sugars can be used to “create stem cell treatments for heart disease and nerve damage” according to a recent University of Manchester study.

As those with a spinal cord injury know well, nerve damage is hard if not impossible to completely recover from. This avenue of exploration may come up with some beneficial applications, making it easier for the body to repair that damage.

The sugars that our bodies produce instruct cells on “who” and what they are - what their function is in relation to the cells around them. Dr. Catherine Merry from The School of Materials in Manchester has been given a grant to figure out how cells make sugar and how that sugar influences cell behavior.

If Merry can determine how to make certain cells produce specific sugars, she can then train them to mend nerve damage along with other helpful applications. Keep an eye out for more research from the Materials Science Centre at the University of Manchester. With a major laboratory upgrade, this center is prepared to lead the way in cutting edge research covering everything from stem cells to molecular biology.

Q: Since my spinal cord injury, I have been living with chronic pain and my doctors have been unable to figure out what’s causing it. Why is it so hard to pinpoint?

A: Chronic pain is often difficult to find one specific cause for due to a combination of factors. First, patients who suffer from chronic pain, no matter what the initial injury was, often also experience anxiety and depression. These two strong emotions not only interfere with a proper diagnosis, but contribute to the pain.

One theory is that an injury causes increased nervous activity that transmits pain from the spinal cord to the brain, damaging the nerve circuits it passes through. These circuits amplify the pain beyond what the physical injury would seem to suggest.

The idea being considered by researchers is that these “pain amplifying circuits” have become self-sustaining. If this is the case, the next step is to figure out if they can be turned off or at least dialed down. We don’t have the answers yet, but at least there is some comfort in the knowledge that scientists are working on a solution.

The time following a brain or spinal cord injury can be confusing, overwhelming, and extremely difficult to navigate. Quite commonly, a patient and his or her family are uncertain when it comes to what to expect or how to move forward. However, taking three simple steps will ensure that the patient and his or her friend and family deal with the situation as effectively as possible.

Step 1: Educate Yourself

Whether you are the patient or the friends and family of the patient, it’s extremely important to learn as much as possible about the injury, as well as potential treatment options and long-term outcomes. The medical team that is overseeing the patient’s care is an ideal resource, and should be able to give you the answers you need. They will also be able to steer you toward additional resources and support groups that will have all the information you need pertaining to the injury.

Step 2: Focus on the Present

While it’s tempting to think about the future, focusing on the present is very important during the initial time following the injury. It’s not uncommon for a patient to take one step back for every step her or she takes forward. It’s important, during this time, to understand that recovery will take place at its own pace. Patience and support are two things the survivor will need much of at this time. While the survivor should try to be as independent as possible, he or she should not be afraid to ask for help when it’s needed.

Step 3: Prepare for the Future

Life following a brain or spinal cord injury will be significantly different than life before the injury. Focusing on the future and what it holds is a very important part of the healing process. This stage should include goal setting, determining long-term care needs, researching treatment and clinical trials, and finding support groups.

Physical activity can benefit paralysis…truly! With a combination of electrical stimulation, breathing exercises and aquatherapy, Christopher Reeve was able to regain a degree of motion.

The doctor who treated him, Dr. John McDonald, believes that the increased control Reeve gained over his limbs was due to dormant nerves being awakened with exercise. Said McDonald, “Although we cannon conclude that the activity-based recovery program produced the functional benefits, we believe it was responsible for the physical benefits.”

The fact is, exercise benefits so much more than just your physical health - it is great for your mental wellbeing. While you may not enjoy exercise, either now or before you sustained the paralyzing injury, the multitude of positive results are worth the effort. Exercise increases your cardiovascular health, your bone density and muscle tone.

Our fact for this week is that exercise does a body good… pass it on!

It’s impossible for those who have never experienced a life altering and debilitating injury to imagine what it’s like to go through the grief of losing your ability to walk, stand or even utilize the hands that you never gave a thought to before. For the thousands who sustain a paralyzing injury every year, this reality is one that is all too real.

Making it through this trying period can often seem like a insurmountable challenge, but with time and support, those with paralysids are able to reorganize and readjust to their changed lives. Jobs, relationships and everyday activities now require new maps to be drawn in order to navigate what used to be familiar territory.

The steps immediately following are familiar to anyone who has experienced a significant loss in their lives: denial, isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. Often the person who is newly injured will try to ignore what has happened and try to pretend that their paralysis isn’t now a fact of life. They will attempt to isolate themselves in order to keep their injury from being brought to their attention. Then, when there is no choice but to acknowledge the paralysis, anger sets in.

The loss of one’s limbs often seems unfair, creating a sense of injustice and anger. This is then followed by bargaining with doctors and with an individual’s representation of God, with depression close on its heels. Finally comes acceptance. At this point, the person finally accepts the reality of their loss.

This pattern varies depending on the individual, but becoming familiar with these stages will help either you realize that these feelings are normal and others have not only dealt with them but gotten through to the other side intact.

Regaining control of your life is important, and through self-education you can find a means to do it. Find out all you can about the injury and the options that are available to help make your environment more conducive to your needs. There are modifications that can be made to your car, your house and everything within it that will make things a great deal more accessible.

With time, you will adjust to your disability and gain a thorough understanding of how to educate others about it, what to ask for to have your needs met and how to properly take care of yourself physically and emotionally.

This is not an easy condition to get used to, but in time, you will be able to have a life as full and engrossing in a way that you never imagined before becoming paralyzed - and with the constant advances being made in science, the chance for a treatment grows with every day that passes.

Choosing the right rehabilitation facility is one of the most important decisions a survivor of a brain or spinal cord injury will make. That’s because the type and quality of care will have a significant impact on the patient’s long-term outcome.

A good rehabilitation center should offer the survivor of a brain or spinal cord injury a combination of specialized medical care needed to return to the highest level of function, as well as the inspiration and strength needed to cope with difficult injuries.

Ranking the Facilities

Each year, US News & World Report ranks nearly 200 hospitals in 17 specialties. Included in this list is the top ten rehabilitation hospitals in the USA for the year 2007. Rankings are obtained through a nationwide survey of board-certified physicians. In order, this year’s top ten rehabilitation facilities are:
The Rehabilitation Center of Chicago in Illinois.
The Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation, with three locations throughout New Jersey.
The University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
Memorial Hermann-TIRR, Houston, Texas.
The Mayo Clinic’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, Rochester, Minnesota.
Craig Hospital, Denver, Colorado
Rusk Institute, NYU Medical Center, New York, New York
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
National Rehabilitation Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.

Choosing a rehabilitation facility with an excellent track record of success, such as the ones listed above, will contribute to the success of the patient’s long-term outlook.

Electronic Aids for Daily Living (EADL):

EADLs are devices and systems that help individuals with a disability gain better control over their environment. These devices are created to meet a variety of needs such as providing voice activation and tongue touch for people with spinal cord injuries.

Products such as ActiveHome, which works with your computer to control your home’s lighting and appliances, can make everyday living a good deal easier. Speaker telephones provide hands-free access to your phone, and products like ERICA give you the ability to control your computer with just your eyes.

For a good resource Website, visit ATRC.

Late last week the Allen Institute for Brain Science revealed its Allen Spinal Cord Atlas. The atlas is the world’s first genome-wide map of the mouse spinal cord. This information will give researchers immediate access to a wealth of free online data that can be applied to spinal cord injury treatment.

According to their press release, there is close to one-quarter of a million Americans who have suffered from a spinal cord injury. With this new map, researchers are able to study diseases and disorders in humans as we share 90 percent of the same genes as mice.

When complete, this atlas will contain an estimated 20,000 genes from both youth and adults. For more information, you can read the press release here.

Q: What can you do immediately after an accident to minimize the long-term effects from a spinal cord injury (SCI)?

A: While there is still no way to completely reverse the damage done by a SCI, there are certain steps you can take to prevent further damage and to minimize the long-term effects.

After someone is discharged from the treatment facility, medical staff will focus on treating the initial injury, making sure it doesn’t develop into a worsening condition. Medications, immobilization and surgery will address the initial issues that arise from the accident, be it paraplegia or quadriplegia.

Once the patient is on his or her own, it becomes important to focus on the issues that can develop from being immobilized. Muscles will need to be stretched and maintained, bedsores watched for and treated and the urinary tract will have to be closely monitored to prevent infections. Paying attention to these aspects of care early on will help to prevent them from creating irreversible damage.

Rehabilitation therapy will be structured around the particular injuries each patient has suffered, and will attempt to help with the family and patient’s adjustment to their new situation. Sticking with the suggested program, exercises and all, is very important to the patient’s overall chance of recovery and regaining any degree of functioning.

During the difficult period after an injury is sustained, it is typically hard for people to maintain a positive and gung-ho attitude, but that the best chance to regain the ability to participate actively in life is to dive right into their rehabilitation program can’t be stressed enough.