Were you recently involved in an accident? From a slip and fall to a motor vehicle accident, it’s possible that you could suffer a spinal cord injury.

Since this is one of the most serious and impactful injuries you can suffer, it is important to receive an accurate diagnosis without delay. From there, you can learn more about treatment options and how to get your life back on track.

Many tests can be used to diagnose a spinal cord injury, including the following:

— CT scan. This is one of the most commonly used tests to pinpoint the exact damage and location of the injury.

— MRI. With this, your medical team can see any abnormalities.

— Myelogram. This is a type of x-ray that is conducted once dye is injected into the area.

— Spine x-ray. A commonly used test for spinal cord injury diagnosis, it allows medical professionals to see if there are any breaks or fractures of the spine.

If there is a reason to believe you have injured your spinal cord, you can rest assured that your medical team will order at least one of these tests. It may be necessary to take part in more than one test to ensure an accurate and complete diagnosis.

It is good that there are so many tests to diagnose a spinal cord injury. This goes a long way in ensuring that any issue will be pinpointed without delay.

If you have suffered this type of injury, make sure you get treatment and then learn more about your rights in regards to the accident.

Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), “How is SCI diagnosed?,” accessed July 20, 2016