Patients with injuries to the sacral nerve roots may experience: Men’s fertility may be affected with lumbar and/or sacral nerve injuries while a woman’s fertility is typically not affected. Sexual function is a concern, especially in men who experience sacral spinal nerve injuries. The sacral region is home to the control center for pelvic organs such as the bladder, bowel, and sex organs. An injury to the sacral spinal cord may leave the patient with little or no bladder or bowel control, however, the patient will be completely autonomous and have the ability to perform their own self-care. The patient will most likely be able to walk, and drive a car. Injuries to the sacral spine may leave the patient with some degree of function loss in the hips and/or legs. Patients with sacral nerve injuries may have symptoms on one or both sides of the body. Damage done to the nerve roots in the lower lumbar spine and into the sacrum may have similar symptoms as spinal cord damage. ![]() While there is no spinal cord in the sacral spine region, the sacral nerves actually originate in the lumbar spine. Some incomplete spinal injuries to this level are referred toĪs sacral sparing, as the motor function pathways are spared in the injury. After that point, nerve roots exit each of the remaining vertebral levels beyond the spinal cord.ĭamage to the spine at the sacrum levels affects the nerve roots as follows:ĭamage to the sacral spine is less common than other forms of spinal cord injuries. The sacral spine is also the least likely area for spinal nerves to become compressed. L2 is the lowest vertebral segment that contains spinal cord. It is important to understand that the spinal cord does not extend beyond the lumbar spine. The sacral spine consists of five segments, S1 - S5, that together affect nerve communication to the lower portion of the body. ![]() The sacrum is the triangle-shaped bone at the end of the spine between the lumbar spine and the tailbone.
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