The door to the life of someone with a spinal cord injury opens once more…

According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that there will be more than 19 million Vietnamese people in need of at least one rehabilitation device˳ However, in reality, there are still some barriers in providing medical examination and treatment services, rehabilitation as well as in accessing and using services of people and people with disabilities˳

Overcoming “obstacles”

With tuberculosis of the spine and spinal cord compression, Mr˳ Le Minh Hung (52 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) was hospitalized at the Hospital for Rehabilitation – Treatment of occupational diseases in a state of complete paralysis, stiff legs˳

“Only about 4-5 hours but the body was paralyzed, a week later there was an ulcer˳ The biggest difficulty was the mental damage, then the physical,” Mr˳ Hung recalled˳

After a year of persistent treatment, Mr˳ Hung was discharged from the hospital and was able to walk on his own with an ankle brace and two crutches˳ Although he still relies on a cane to walk, Mr˳ Hung still tries to carry out many charity programs for the community˳

Ms˳ Vu Thi Binh (53 years old, living in Long An province) broke her spine after a traffic accident˳ Hospitalized at the Hospital for Rehabilitation – Treatment of occupational diseases, Ms˳ Binh was completely paralyzed in both legs˳

With persistent efforts to practice, not yielding to fate, it took only four months for Ms˳ Binh to be discharged from the hospital˳ Now, Binh is able to walk on her own two feet and do normal housework˳

Looking back at the image of herself when she was hospitalized, sitting in a wheelchair crying because her legs were paralyzed and could not do anything, Ms˳ Binh confided: “I thought I was not cured˳ I did not accept my fate, so I often cried˳ Encouraged by the doctor, I also comforted myself to try to practice, then the disease improved gradually, my spirit was also better˳ Now I have returned to a normal life of nearly 80%˳”

Similarly, at the age of 23 with many dreams and ambitions, but because of the consequences of a traffic accident, Mr˳ Nguyen Chanh Tin (now 36 years old, living in Binh Dinh province) has lost his health˳ After the accident, Mr˳ Tin suffered from quadriplegia, cervical spine injury, spinal cord injury… “This incident was a shock˳ I completely collapsed”, Mr˳ Tin recalled˳

With the affection and dedicated care of the doctors of Cho Ray Hospital, the Hospital for Rehabilitation – Treatment of Occupational Diseases and his own energy, Mr˳ Tin has gradually overcome the “death door”˳ ˳

At the milestone of 10 years of living with spinal cord injury, Tin released a book with a single finger (typing on the iPad screen) to inspire and inspire people, especially children˳ for like-minded people˳

Do your best, the door will open

Doctor Nguyen Duong Hoang Khang (Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Rehabilitation – Treatment of Occupational Diseases) said spinal cord injury is severe damage to the nerves in the spinal canal˳

The majority of spinal cord injuries are caused by trauma to the spine that results in temporary or permanent changes in the normal motor, sensory, or autonomic function of the spinal cord˳

In Vietnam, there are no specific statistics on people with spinal cord injuries˳ Particularly at the Hospital for Rehabilitation – Treatment of Occupational Diseases, in the last 5 years, nearly 6,000 patients with spinal cord injuries have been treated, of which 24% are patients with spinal cord injuries due to pathologies, while those with spinal cord injuries accounted for 24%˳ accident accounted for 76% (male accounted for 77%)˳

Despite leaving many health consequences, but according to Dr˳ CKII Le Hoang Dung – head of the rehabilitation department – spinal cord injury – there are still many patients who do not have the conditions to access treatment in time˳ Improper first aid has inadvertently led to more severe injuries, leaving many complications for patients such as muscle atrophy, stiffness, ulcers, urinary infections…

Mr˳ Phan Minh Hoang, director of the Hospital for Rehabilitation – Treatment of Occupational Diseases, said that rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord injuries is very necessary because most patients are of working age and income˳ main for the family˳ However, the treatment is not easy and difficult to succeed in a short time˳

“We will support, provide the ‘key’ to the patient, but it is up to them to open the door˳ We always lend the patient a shoulder to learn to walk, but we cannot replace them˳ Injury to the spinal cord when you try your best, agree with the doctor, the “door” of life will certainly open,” Hoang shared˳

New treatment helps all 9 paralyzed people walk

A new study recruited nine people with severe or complete paralysis to test a treatment with electrical stimulation˳ The results are all recovery or improvement in the ability to walk˳