Causes of Injury

A spinal cord injury can occur at any point along the spinal cord and is the result of damage to the cells within the spinal cord.

During a traumatic event the spinal cord can become crushed and deprived of its blood supply, resulting in loss of function (paralysis) and loss of sensation from below the injury point.

Damage to the spinal cord can also be caused through neurological conditions, such as tumours, infections or a haemorrhage or blood clot in the spinal cord. This is known as non-traumatic spinal cord injury.