The key difference between neurogenic shock and spinal shock is that neurogenic shock is a type of shock mainly characterized by hypotension, bradycardia, and vasodilation, while spinal shock is a type of shock mainly characterized by immediate temporary loss of total power, reflexes, and sensation.
Shock is a life-threatening condition that begins when the body is not getting the required blood flow to the regions of the body. The main types of shock include cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock, anaphylactic shock, septic shock, neurogenic shock, and spinal shock. Both neurogenic shock and spinal shock are a result of spinal cord injury. However, neurogenic shock is usually a haemodynamic phenomenon, while spinal shock is primarily a neurological phenomenon.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Neurogenic Shock
3. What is Spinal Shock
4. Similarities – Neurogenic Shock and Spinal Shock
5. Neurogenic Shock vs. Spinal Shock in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Neurogenic Shock vs. Spinal Shock
What is Neurogenic Shock?
People experience neurogenic shock when their nervous system is damaged after a spinal cord injury. Normally, 9 % to 31 % of people with a spinal cord injury experience neurogenic shock. In addition to spinal cord injury, neurogenic shock can also be caused by autonomic nervous system toxins, Guillain-Barré syndrome, spinal anesthesia, and transverse myelitis. The symptoms of neurogenic shock may include low blood pressure, slow heart rhythm, flushed, warm skin that gets cold and clammy lately, blue color lips and fingernails, and lack of full consciousness. The complications resulting from neurogenic shock include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), stress ulcers, or aspiration pneumonia.
Neurogenic shock can be diagnosed through physical examination, vital signs, blood tests, neurological examination, and imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, neurogenic shock can be treated by managing low blood pressure with fluids receiving intravenous fluid and medications such as phenylephrine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, atropine, glycopyrrolate, isoproterenol, theophylline, and aminophylline.
What is Spinal Shock?
Spinal shock is a phenomenon characterized by the temporary loss of all reflexes, sensations, and motor control below the level of a spinal cord injury in one’s body. Spinal shock is usually caused by the swelling following damage to the spinal cord, which further restricts blood flow and the delivery of oxygen and other essential nutrients to tissues.
The signs and symptoms of spinal shock may include loss of reflexes, loss of motor control, low blood pressure if the spinal cord injury occurs at the T6 level or higher, decreased heart rate if the spinal cord injury occurs at the T6 level or higher, flaccid paralysis, urinary retention, fecal incontinence, spasms or increased muscle tone, and loss of sensation. The complications resulting from this condition include loss of muscle control and inability to balance, hyperreflexia, spasticity, depression, and urinary tract infections from irregularities in bowel and bladder function.
Spinal shock can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Furthermore, spinal shock can be treated through physical therapy, occupational therapy, exercise therapy to strengthen, medications such as painkillers, antibiotics, and antidepressants, psychotherapy, family education, assistive technologies, such as a wheelchair or an artificial respirator, supportive therapy (support groups), and surgeries for spinal cord injury.
What are the Similarities Between Neurogenic Shock and Spinal Shock?
- Both neurogenic shock and spinal shock can be results of spinal cord injury.
- Both types of shock may result in complications.
- Both types of shock can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging studies.
- They can be treated through therapies and specific medications.
What is the Difference Between Neurogenic Shock and Spinal Shock?
Neurogenic shock is a type of shock mainly characterized by hypotension, bradycardia, and vasodilation, while spinal shock is a type of shock mainly characterized by immediate temporary loss of total power, reflexes, and sensation. This is the key difference between neurogenic shock and spinal shock. The average duration of neurogenic shock is 1 to 6 weeks, while the average duration of spinal shock is 4 to 12 weeks.
The infographic below presents the differences between neurogenic shock and spinal shock in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Neurogenic Shock vs Spinal Shock
Neurogenic shock and spinal shock are two different types of shock resulting from spinal cord injury. Neurogenic shock is a component of the spinal shock syndrome or hemodynamic instability that is characterized by hypotension, bradycardia respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary dysfunction, and temperature dysregulation, while spinal shock is the altered physiological state immediately after a spinal cord injury that is characterized by flaccid paralysis, areflexia or hyporeflexia, a temporary rise in blood pressure that is proceeded by hypotension, urinary retention, and fecal urinary incontinence. So, this summarizes the difference between neurogenic shock and spinal shock.
Reference:
1. “Neurogenic Shock.” Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
2.“Spinal Shock.” Physiopedia.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Cervical Spine MRI (T2W)” By Андрей Королев 86 – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia