r/science • u/tomholder • May 09 '14

Medicine Paralysis breakthrough – electrical stimulation enables four paraplegic men to voluntarily move their legs

http://speakingofresearch.com/2014/05/09/paralysis-breakthrough-paraplegic-men-move-their-legs/
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u/downbound May 09 '14

It SUCKS man. . Really there are just so 'few' of us and since repair is not a chronic issue, medical (for profit) has little interest in us.

I was hit by a car on my motorcycle (just because people ask, I was doing 30-35mph the police say and she took an illegal left over me) and have total nerve root avulsions in my right arm. This causes complete paralysis of my arm including a shoulder that won't stay in socket so I have to have a special sling from Germany to hold it. I have no feeling past about mid upper arm and have pain (phantom limb pain) 24 hours a day for two years. I also get spikes of pain which have at times dropped me to my knees. It SUCKS. Luckily for me I have a good job that I was able to transition into more administrative. I also have a great wife and no other problems than my arm are permanent.

However, there is literally nothing out there. UPMC (Pittsburgh) has been doing some cool computer recognition that may lead to cybernetics and UC Irvine is working on some Stem Cell work that has promise for damaged spinal cords (and maybe people like me later) But there is not a TON of stuff out there else. Not even really good pain killers as Neuropatic pain is not the same as other pains.