Spinal shock lasts which of the following time frames?

• A. Several months
• B. Several days
• C. Days to weeks
• D. Hours

Answer: (C)

Spinal shock represents a temporary suppression of reflexes and autonomic activity below the level of injury that occurs right after a spinal cord injury. The typical duration is days to weeks, as the spinal circuitry gradually regains function and reflex arcs reawaken. Early on you see flaccid paralysis and absent reflexes; over the ensuing days to weeks, reflexes return in a predictable sequence, and autonomic instability improves as control re-establishes. This is why the commonly accepted window is days to weeks. An hour or so would be far too short for the loss and return of reflexes. Lasting several months would be unusually prolonged and falls outside the usual pattern, though some variability exists; the days-to-weeks timeframe best captures the typical course.