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Saturday, July 20, 2019

How Equipment For Paraplegics Can Improve The Quality Of Life

By Edward Cole


Quadriplegia and paraplegia are both the result of serious injuries to the spinal cord. In the case of the former, both the lower and upper body is paralysed but in the case of the latter, patients still have the use of the arms and entire upper bodies. It is a tremendous shock to learn that one will not walk again. However, with innovative equipment for paraplegics they quickly find that they can still enjoy life to the full.

Any paraplegic will agree that the most important thing for him is to be able to move around. Thankfully, there is now a very wide range of devices designed to help such patients to be fully mobile. There are wheelchairs that are electrically driven, chairs for use during personal toilet and chairs for standing up in. To improve access to almost any place, an astonishing variety of ramps are available too.

There are also many companies that specialize in adapting existing motor vehicles so that they can be operated by people that are paralysed in the lower body. With these conversions special lifts that can load the wheelchair aboard or on the roof of the auto mobile is normally also supplied. Just about every paraplegic will agree that the ability to drive has given them back an enormous degree of freedom.

There is also an amazing range of devices that are specially designed to help a paraplegic to live an independent life. There are special devices that help the patient to get into and out of a bath. Hoists can help them move from one location, such as a bed, to another, such as a wheelchair. There are products that will allow a paraplegic to control lights, and other devices without having to move from his wheelchair.

Exercise is very important for all paralysed people. There is a great danger that unused muscles in the paralysed parts of the body will deteriorate until a serious health risk develops. Special devices are available to help these patients to exercise those muscles and to increase the flexibility of the bodies and their blood circulation in general.

Paraplegia patients do not have control over the functions of the lower body. This means that simple matters such as urinating can become a problem. Luckily there are many products such as catheters and other personal devices that can help to avoid embarrassment and to give the paraplegic some measure of control over his own toilet routine. Most medical insurance companies will cover the cost of these products.

Sadly, many of the devices and products designed to make life easier for paraplegia patients are expensive. Medical insurance will cover the cost of certain types of products but even them a limit is placed on the cost of a specific device such as a wheelchair. The alternative is to look for good quality second hand devices or to approach charity organizations specializing in helping disabled people to live independently.

Most paraplegia patients require a lot of time to come to grips with the fact that they will have to live within certain limits. There can be no doubt, however, that the many devices and products on the market today can go a long way in improving the quality of life of a paraplegic. One can just hope that they will become more affordable in the future.




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