What is the relationship between alcohol use and spinal cord injuries? - Allen Heinemann, PhD

Somewhere around half of the folks who sustain spinal injuries have some sort of involvement with alcohol prior to, or at the time of their injury.  That’s certainly not to say someone who is intoxicated at the time of the injury has a drinking problem per se, or would be diagnosed as alcoholic.  That’s certainly not the case, and I’d hate to mislead people that way.  But it is a, people can make unfortunate decisions, or not pay attention to negative consequences and get injured in just a moment; when they dive into a pool without checking the depth, or get behind the wheel of a car and fail to buckle their seat belt, and then misfortune happens.