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Paralysis (complete muscle function loss) occurs when a muscle or group of muscles stops working, sometimes permanently.  Paralysis is often caused by spinal cord injury or another nervous system disorder (nerve or brain damage), but can also result from myopathy (a disease of the muscle itself). Some varieties of paralyzing muscle disease include muscular dystrophy, dermatomyositis and polymyositis; in addition, myopathy may be caused by alcohol abuse, genetic disorders, or exposure to certain drugs like statins or steroids.

The major types of paralysis are paraplegia, quadriplegia and hemiplegia. Paraplegia affects the lower half of the body, including both legs; quadriplegia paralyzes both arms and both legs. Hemiplegia splits the body in half vertically, paralyzing the left or right half (including the arm and leg on the same side). If the paralysis affects the core of the body, including the vital organs, the condition quickly becomes life-threatening.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the paralysis, extensive therapy, medication and assistive living devices may be required.  Long-term immobility may require feeding tubes, assistance with excretion, occupational therapy or speech therapy. (1)

It’s difficult to predict the onset of paralysis, but if you have a family history of alcohol abuse, nerve or spinal disorders or myopathy, you could be at risk. A critical illness insurance policy can help protect you from the financial difficulties of paraplegia, quadriplegia or hemiplegia. Contact CancerPlans.com to see a wide variety of critical illness insurance policies that provide various amounts of paralysis coverage.

(1) Muscle Function Loss. June 2012. MedLine Plus Encyclopedia. July 17 2012.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003190.htm