People who suffer a lack of movement or feeling in their lower body have a condition called paraplegia; this condition is caused by genetic factors and severe trauma to the spinal column. Until now, there has been no treatment for the condition, but electrical impulses work like magic.
Cause of Paralysis
Paralysis is a condition in which a person cannot move some or all of their body parts; there are many known causes of paralysis and some unknown genetic causes. The majority of paralysis is caused by accidents of some kind and damage to the spinal column affecting the lower back.
One of the leading causes of paralysis is car accidents. An impactful car accident can leave people with trauma, injury, or worse. If you have been involved in a car accident, contact a car crash lawyer, as it’s important you receive the compensation you deserve from the event.
Lower Body Paralysis
Lower back paralysis is extremely common, especially following a car accident. Paralysis of the lower back that affects both legs is called paraplegia, and there is no known cure for the condition – until now. A recent experiment with electrical signals helped nine people to walk.
Sending electrical signals to the spinal column is nothing new in spinal injuries; it is used to relieve pain, but in the most recent studies, the practice was used for another reason, to help stimulate movement in the legs. It works in people with enough functioning neurons in the legs.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical devices placed in key areas of the body to restore functionality are nothing new either; pacemakers are the obvious example. Now, cutting-edge science is starting to experiment with electrical devices in other areas of the body, such as the spinal cord, in people with paraplegia.
For suitable candidates, electrical devices are placed in key areas of the spinal cord, and electric signals mimic those sent by the brain and sent to the spinal column. The results are astonishing; so far, nine people have regained the ability to walk thanks to electrical implants.
Successful Results
The nine participants who took part in the experiment experienced different degrees of sensation and movement in their lower half. Nine of the participants had some feeling in their legs but not enough to move them, and the other three had no feeling or movement in their legs.
During the experiment, the participants were asked to walk a short distance for a period of six minutes; this way increased during the five-month study. All of the participants achieved some ability to walk, and some of them could even walk again with electrical stimulation of the spine.
Final Thoughts
People involved in serious accidents like car crashes might suffer from long-term disabilities and lose the ability to walk in severe cases. Until now, their options were limited, but through medical experimentation, there is some new hope of curing paraplegia in some people. Current science has found that electrical devices implanted in the spinal cord can restore movement and motion.