The Veterans Administration (VA) Independent Study Course on the medical care of those with spinal cord injuries (SCI) is designed to familiarize the reader with the unique aspects of SCI medicine. Its purpose is to help you gain knowledge so that any clinical encounter is more comfortable and informational for both you and the veteran served. This is not an attempt to make you a specialist, but to provide information so you can manage the patient until a subspecialist is available. Upon completion of this self-study program, participants should be able to: delineate the most common conditions affecting persons with SCI; identify the changes in physiology, compensatory mechanisms, common disorders, physical functioning, and general health care needs of individuals with spinal cord injury; specify the unique aspects of SCI medicine so that clinical encounters are more informative and comfortable for clinicians and the veterans served; and describe the various treatments for persons with SCI. The spinal cord is the primary pathway for transmission of information between the brain and the peripheral nervous system. Injury to the spinal cord causes disruption of movement, sensation, and autonomic nervous system function. Knowledge of the relevant neuroanatomy and the types of information carried by spinal cord tracts allows a more complete understanding of the consequences of SCI. Gray matter is centrally located in the cord and is the site of all nerve cell bodies, including those of the lower motor neurons that innervate muscle fibers. White matter contains groupings of axons called tracts. * This edition includes our exclusive Guide to Leading Medical Websites. Since navigating the Internet to find additional non-governmental medical information can be confusing, we've provided this unique and helpful guide with updated links to 81 of the best sites for medical information! Built-in weblinks let you quickly check for the latest clinical updates directly from the government and the best commercial portals, news sites, reference/textbook/non-commercial portals, and health organizations. * This is a privately authored news service and educational publication of Progressive Management. Our publications synthesize official government information with original material - they are not produced by the federal government.