The Model System Knowledge and Translation Center (MSKTC) is a national center that helps facilitate the knowledge translation process to make research meaningful to those with Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Burn Injury. We like to include a topic of factsheets MSKTC produces in each newsletter.
This month, we wanted to feature a source on Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) after a spinal cord injury as this can often lead to life-changing circumstances. AD, sometimes referred to as Autonomic Hyperreflexia, is a potentially life-threatening medical condition that many people with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience when there is a pain or discomfort below their level of injury, even if the pain or discomfort cannot be felt.
The most common causes of AD are bowel and bladder issues, skin issues, broken bone, sexual activity, or menstruation (women). We highly recommend you check out this factsheet, as well as their library of factsheets, related to spinal cord injury care. You can check it out at https://msktc.org/sci/factsheets/autonomic_dysreflexia
