Quadriplegics have to deal with poor blood circulation most of the time. Sometimes, blood pressure drops to extremely low levels while at other times it shoots up unpredictably high. This is quadriplegia abnormal body reactions part 3 of our series.

Able bodied peoples’ blood circulation is regulated by blood vessels valves. This function is lost after quadriplegia. Normal people while trying to stand up from the sitting or lying position don’t feel dizzy. Their valves prevents blood flowing excessively into the lower body parts. Such a flow to lower body region is natural due to force of gravity.

Similarly, blood vessel valves prevents excessive blood flow towards the brain when normal people lay down from the standing or sitting position .

In case of quadriplegics, the lost ability of those valves mean quadriplegics face low blood pressure while sitting from laying position.

Though there are various techniques to solving the issue or getting around the short comings, our goal here is to discuss: how to use this weakness of quadriplegia for the benefit.


 High blood pressure scenario:

High blood pressure in able-bodied people usually occurs due to high cholesterol or sugar concentration in the body. On the other hand, the same phenomenon in quadriplegia/tetraplegia most often occurs when paralyzed parts of the body undergo sort of a severe pain.

This phenomenon also known as autonomic dysreflexia occurs due to infectious pain (uti) inside bladder, severe constipation in bowel, pain due to pressure sores or any sort of rash or irritation in unfelt parts of the body.

Thus, this high bp indication can be used as an alarm for uncomfortable happenings to the body. Removing itching, irritation or pain in the earliest way possible eradicates further damage to the body.

What if your sensory motor nerve is damaged. Use autonomic dysreflexia as your alarm clock!


 

Low blood pressure scenario:

As for able bodied persons, low blood pressure in quadriplegia indicates weakness due to insufficient nutrition. Such an indication necessitates taking healthy diet.

Furthermore, low blood pressure in quadriplegia, as generally experienced, indicates to infection build-up inside the pressure sores, if any. This is an alarm signal for the care givers that they are not doing enough for the hygiene of the wound.

This was quadriplegia abnormal body reactions part 3. Read what our part 2 has to say