UK teen paralysed after mistaking a rare spinal stroke for a backache

She thought it was just a backache. When the pain intensified beyond control, she was taken to the hospital, only to discover it was a rare condition. Not just a worsening backache, but an extremely serious, rare medical emergency – a spinal stroke.Lucy Dunford, a 19-year-old from the United Kingdom, is on the road to recovery after dismissing a spinal stroke as a backache. “What started as what she thought was a simple backache rapidly escalated into a nightmare. Within a matter of hours, Lucy suffered a spinal stroke, leaving her paralysed from the neck down,” her sister, Abbie Dunford, said in a GoFundMe established to help Lucy.The initial back pain later escalated into ‘stabbing pain’ in her shoulder blades. It became unbearable before she developed pins and needles in her hands and feet and became too weak to walk, the Yorkshire Post reported on Wednesday, 22 April.According to her sister, the family couldn’t understand what was happening. “You never think something this devastating will happen to someone so young and full of life,” Abbie said.She added, “Lucy endured absolute torture in the hospital, including painful lumbar punctures and weeks of uncertainty. It wasn't until her third week in hospital, with no signs of improvement, that the reality truly set in.”When Lucy turned 20, the diagnosis finally came, approximately three weeks after she was admitted to the hospital. Doctors found that Lucy had suffered a spinal stroke.A spinal stroke is a type of stroke in which blood flow in the spinal cord stops. It is also called a spinal cord stroke, spinal infarction, or spinal infarct. Spinal strokes are extremely rare, accounting for less than 1% of all strokes. However, they can still be fatal or cause permanent disabilities.In the beginning, Lucy was unable to perform everyday tasks such as using the bathroom. She also required a permanent catheter. The pain became intense. She suffered from violent leg spasms, which even prevented her from sitting up on her own.“For a long time, she couldn't even sit up without passing out,” Abbie said. Now 21, Lucy is paralysed from the neck down. However, she has some mobility in her arms. Talking to the Post, she said, “Words can't describe how life has changed after a spinal cord injury. Everything is difficult; there is no such thing as a simple task anymore.”“As soon as I wake up, obstacles such as spasms make it very difficult, so it takes me a long time just to sit on the end of the bed before having to use all my strength to get into my chair. My body spasms are so hard to live with; not only can I not control my legs and core, but they move involuntarily, which makes being in my chair unsafe as they throw me around,” Lucy added.“Everything I used to love about my life has been snatched away from me. I can't have a day off or be able to have a chill day in bed because I'm at risk of pressure sores,” she told the outlet.The family has now set up a fundraiser to help Lucy with specialised treatments such as intensive follow-up physiotherapy.