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Peripheral Nerves & Functions At every vertebra in the spine, nerves branch out in pairs. In the neck there are more nerve pairs (8) than there are vertebrae (7). In the centre of each vertebra is a hole and when the vertebrae are stacked together they form a tunnel called the vertebral canal. This canal completely surrounds and protects the spinal cord. Pairs of peripheral nerves extend out from the spinal cord through gaps between each vertebrae. Each pair of peripheral nerves links the brain with various parts of the body. The diagram to the right gives an indication of what areas of the body each pair of nerves connect to. 24 © New Zealand Spinal Trust, 2014
Your Nervous System Your nervous system is made up of your brain, spinal cord and the nerves branching off it. Your brain controls every function that your body performs. The brain controls some of your functions automatically, i.e. your heartbeat and breathing, without you even being aware of it. Other functions are controlled more directly and require a conscious thought to begin, e.g. to pick up an object. Your nervous system helps to control all of your body’s functions and can be roughly divided into two parts. Your brain and spinal cord together form the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system links your central nervous system to the rest of your body. The nervous system can also be divided by its functional organisation into two categories, the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The Somatic Nervous System The somatic nervous system is your body’s primary means of communication between the brain and its moving parts. Its main function is to transmit sensations to the brain and, after this information has been processed and a response decided on, to control deliberate movements. Some of the things the somatic nervous system monitors or controls are: • Movement • Sensation • Reflexe The Autonomic Nervous System The autonomic nervous system controls the background or involuntary functions of your internal glands and organs. If you have damaged your spinal cord you probably have also damaged your autonomic system. Your level of injury dictates the extent of the damage. Some of the things the autonomic nervous system monitors or controls are: • Heart rate and blood pressure • Breathing • Body temperature • Sweating • Shivering • Digestion • Bowel & Bladder functions • Male sexual function “I was injured in the Cave Creek Tragedy of 1995. A viewing platform collapsed and tipped 18 people 35 metres into a chasm onto the jagged rocks below. I was one of only four survivors and was given only a 10% chance of surviving. I don’t remember anything of the accident thankfully or the first six weeks of the nine weeks that I spent in Intensive Care. On top of my incomplete C6/7 Tetraplegia I broke 16 bones including my jaw in three places, ruptured my bowel, had 80 stitches across the top of my head with minor head injuries (very minor!!). I then spent the next 12 months in the Burwood Spinal attempting to rehab…but rehab didn’t really start until I was back out in the real world! “ Stephen Hannen C6/7 25 © New Zealand Spinal Trust, 2014
Page 3 and 4: BACK on TRACK A basic introduction
Page 5 and 6: Your rehab will not stop when you l
Page 7 and 8: "What's all this Rehab about anyway
Page 9 and 10: Contents Intro Spinal 101 Authors N
Page 11 and 12: Contents Causes - Bladder 54 Causes
Page 13 and 14: Contents Moisture 82 Fungal Infecti
Page 15: Contents Accepting reality 113 What
Page 18 and 19: A word about medical terms… The s
Page 20 and 21: Immediate Effects of Injury • In
Page 22 and 23: Your Spinal Column 22 © New Zealan
Page 26 and 27: Your Spinal Cord Your Spinal Cord i
Page 28 and 29: What is Spinal Cord Impairment? Spi
Page 30 and 31: Spinal Shock, Reflexes & Spasm Spin
Page 32 and 33: Skin & Sensation The pairs of perip
Page 34 and 35: Descriptions No two spinal cord imp
Page 36 and 37: Common Terms The following table co
Page 38: Common Terms TERM FULL NAME EXPLANA

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