Spinal Cord Injury & Touch Sensation: Understanding Loss of Feeling

When someone touches your toe, the sensory neurons in your skin detect the stimulus and transmit the signal to the spinal cord. The spinal cord then sends the signal to the brain, which processes it and generates a sensation of touch.

If a person has a damaged spinal cord, the connection between the sensory neurons in the skin and the brain is interrupted. As a result, the person cannot feel someone touching their toe or any other part of the body below the level of the spinal cord injury.

The extent of paralysis and sensory loss depends on the level and severity of the spinal cord injury. A complete spinal cord injury at the level of the neck, known as quadriplegia, results in complete paralysis and sensory loss below the neck. An incomplete spinal cord injury may result in partial paralysis and sensory loss, depending on the specific pathways that are affected.

Spinal cord injuries are serious and can have a significant impact on a person's life. People with spinal cord injuries often require intensive medical care and rehabilitation, and may face long-term challenges related to mobility, independence, and employment.