Injuries that affect an individual’s brain or neck can change the course of their live. This is why they are referred to as catastrophic injuries. They can leave a victim with limited mobility, long-term emotional effects, and medical and rehabilitation costs that are financially disabling. In many instances, these victims feel hopeless about their future. But they shouldn’t be.
There are many reasons to be hopeful, with one of them being constant medical advances. New technologies are constantly being developed to help brain and spinal cord injury sufferers live their daily lives, while new medications seek to reduce the affect of injuries. In some instances, like one recently found by researchers, existing drugs can be repurposed to treat brain and spinal cord injuries, thereby reducing the effects.
There, researchers found that a single dose of a federally approved schizophrenia drug can significantly limit the damage caused by a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. In simple terms, the medication prevents certain cells from allowing fluid to build up, which causes swelling. If not stopped, which is often hard to do following an accident, this swelling can put pressure on the brain, spine, and important nerves, causing significant nerve and tissue damage.
The medication, though, significantly limits that swelling. In fact, during the course of the study, researchers found that lab rats with brain and spinal cord injuries were able to recover full movement in just two weeks after a single dose of the drug. A control group of lab rats that went untreated took at least three times longer to recover.
Since the federal government already approves this drug, researchers hope that it will be made widely available in the near future. However, it is yet to be seen if it can help those who have already suffered a catastrophic injury. What is important to note is that groundbreaking advancements are constantly occurring and should give hope to those suffering from these serious injuries.
In the meantime, brain and spinal cord injury victims may want to consider how best to protect their future, which may include assessing whether a personal injury lawsuit is right for them.