First aid for spinal injury

Spinal Injuries: Species, Symptoms, First Aid

The spine is the very foundation that helps a person to exercise all movements, move from one place to another, sit. And when there are injuries, ordinary body movements cause acute pain.

In recent decades, cases of vertebral injury have become more frequent, and they all have different causes.

Causes of injuries

Injuries to the spine can occur due to the occurrence of certain situations:

• excessive disproportionate loads on the skeleton, significantly exceeding the permissible standards;
• accidents and catastrophes, mainly associated with transport;
• Extreme sports: diving, parachute jumping and others;
• birth trauma, as a result of which cartilage vertebrae are damaged;
• age-related traumatism, characterized by wear of the intervertebral discs and sifting of cartilaginous tissue.

It should be noted that for various traumatic situations, there is a statistics of damage to one or another part of the spine.

So, in car accidents, the cervical section is most often damaged, when the falls fall from the height, the sacrum injures, for the birth injuries, spinal injury due to its extension is characteristic.

Types of vertebral injuries

Classify the injuries of the spine according to the place of their origin and the process to which he was exposed in the first place. So, the following types of damage are distinguished, such as fracture, dislocation, rupture, bruise, prolonged squeezing. Let us consider in more detail the features of these damages.

1. Fracture - the most characteristic for the cervical region, occurs as a result of violation of the integrity of bones, fragments of which can damage the spinal cord. Most often occurs in car accidents, when there is a sharp movement of the body forward, the head is directed downwards. Vertebral discs can completely fall out into the vertebral canal, which makes it impossible for the head to rise independently. Symptoms of a fracture are a complete lack of movement and feelings.
2. Dislocation - is observed in the case when the sharp movement of the predominantly thoracic spine is committed, as a result of which there is a rupture of ligaments. Depending on the degree of severity, treatment involves the imposition of a compressive bandage until the ligaments are take their original form, or surgery, in which the ligaments are sewn together purposefully.
3. Contusion - characterized by a sharp impact on the back, causing muscle hemorrhages, which serve as a barrier to the normal functioning of the vertebrae. Eliminates by applying antihematomic ointments that contribute to complete recovery. The first help is to apply cold to the damaged area.
4. Paraplegia - a severe bruise of the upper thoracic part of the spine, in which there is numbness of the upper limbs and the inability to control them.

Symptoms of vertebral injury

An experienced specialist can diagnose problems in the work of the musculoskeletal system. means of conducting magnetic resonance imaging determines the condition of the spine and severity injury.

This concerns uncomplicated injuries, when nothing threatens the patient's life.

In a situation where a person needs first aid and is unconscious, it is not possible to identify the symptoms "by eye" and compare them to a possible trauma to a simple passer-by.

At least medical education and practical knowledge will be required. In this case, the only way to help the victim is to provide him with a fixed position before the arrival of the medical staff.

The most dangerous symptoms are cervical injuries: difficulty breathing, failure of the heart rate, the onset of paralysis. For the thoracic region, the symptoms are characterized by pain "in the sternum which gives to the iliac cavity.

Localization of vertebral injury

Depending on which part of the spine is prone to negative effects, different types of damage are identified.

Neck department: injuries and their features

World statistics indicate that injuries to the cervical spine with a fracture, in 35% of cases, leads to a fatal outcome.

This is due to the fact that the broken bone provokes the exit of the spinal cord from the cavity of the canal to the outside, its nutrition, which provokes the death of nerve cells and endings, whose work can not be restored under any conditions.

Trauma to the neck has the following symptoms:

• limited movement;
• acute pain;
• labored breathing;
• loss of consciousness.

Correct help to the victim can be rendered exclusively by physicians, it is impossible to try to help yourself in any case, as it is possible to do more harm and to deprive a person of life.

Thoracic and possible injuries

In the presence of minor bruises in the thoracic region, a person feels pain of varying degrees, which in the course of any movement increases sharply.

When the integrity of the spine of the thoracic part is disturbed, there is numbness of the limbs, inability to control urination and separation of stools, provoking their spontaneous discharge.

The following types of injuries are typical for this department:

• Sprain of the vertebral joint - occurs as a result of deliberate spinal distension (for example, hanging on a horizontal bar);
• muscular rupture - typical for athletes, when as a result of a sharp turn the unprepared muscle can not stretch and tear in the thinnest place where the fibers are least, help in this case should be provided by a qualified specialist;
• fracture - completely fetters the movement, causes incredible pain at the slightest stirring, can cause painful shock;
• curvature of the spine - is observed with deformation of the vertebrae due to the incorrect posture position, causes the development of such chronic diseases as scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis.

Lumbar (sacral department)

Quite often, people who spend a lot of time in a sitting position experience pain in the lower back.

This is explained by the fact that the lumbar vertebrae can not withstand constant tension and require periodic rest, otherwise painful sensations arise.

Help in this situation will alternate sitting and standing, as well as elementary charging, including slopes and several sit-ups, performed 1 time per hour. In this situation, the muscle tension will go away, and with it pain.

First aid in case of spine injuries

Injuries to the spine are very dangerous to human life and timely provided first aid can save lives. So, let's consider the scheme of carrying out activities aimed at saving lives:

• immediately call an ambulance;
• provide the victim with immobility, even if the injury is not significant and he is conscious;
• do artificial respiration if there is none.

First aid sometimes plays a fatal significance: here you can either save a person's life or vice versa, deprive him of the most valuable.

Symptoms that give a person can not always correspond to one or other reason.

Therefore, when assessing the seriousness of the situation, do not overestimate your strength and try to do the impossible.

Vertebral tract as an effective method of treatment of the spine

Traction is the process by which the spine is forcedly stretched, thus aligning the shape of the spine. This procedure is effective in correcting scoliosis, especially the cervical department.

The process of traction is based on stretching the vertebrae, which jammed the nerve endings, allowing the bearing to become level, and the person to forget about the pain and discomfort in the back.

A source: http://etospina.ru/bolit/travmy-pozvonochnika-okazanie-pervoj-pomoshhi.html

What are the injuries of the spine?

Injuries to the spine are one of the most serious types of injuries.

Recently, the prevalence and severity of vertebral column injuries is increasing, which is associated with an increase in the number transport, speed of traffic, the spread of high-rise construction and other factors of the modern way and rhythm life.

Patients with spinal cord injury account for 18% of all traumatological hospitals. Basically, these are young people (the average age is 17-35 years).

Therefore, the treatment of spinal injuries is responsible not only for the medical and social, but also for the economic problem, because the risk of developing a permanent disability after spinal injury is very high.

The risk of disability after a spinal injury is very high

Causes of spine injuries

Among the causes of damage to the spine and spinal cord, which is inside, it should be called:

• Road traffic accidents. In such cases, a person may be injured both as a pedestrian and inside the vehicle. Of particular importance is the whiplash injury that occurs when the neck is bent sharply and then with the same force of its extension, with the head tilted back. Such circumstances arise when two vehicles collide, with sudden braking at high speed. It is for the prevention of this type of damage to the cervical region in the car there are headrests.
• Falling from height. Such incidents are almost always accompanied by fractures of the spine and damage to the spinal cord. Especially dangerous is the case when the victim lands on his feet - the most part of the spinal column is injured.
• Injury of the "diver". Develops when a person dives from a height into the water head down. In this case, the victim strikes his head on obstructions in the pond and there is a strong flexion or extension in the cervical region with his subsequent traumatization.
• Also, the cause of damage to the spine and spinal cord can be knife, gunshot, explosive lesions, when the traumatic factor falls into the spine.

The most frequent mechanisms of spinal injury

Classification of spine injuries

Trauma of the spine and spinal cord has a clear classification, on which the therapeutic tactics and prognosis directly depends.

All injuries can be divided into open (with violation of the integrity of the skin) and closed (without those).

Depending on the nature of the damage to the anatomical structures of the spine, there are:

1. Injuries of the ligamentous apparatus of the vertebral column (ruptures and sprains of ligamentous structures). Refers to an easy degree.
2. Fractures of vertebral bodies. This includes compression trauma, when the body of the vertebra is compressed and its compression fracture occurs (people with osteoporosis are especially prone to this mechanism). Also fractures of vertebral bodies can be comminuted, marginal, vertical, horizontal and explosive.
3. Damage to the intervertebral discs (rupture of the fibrous ring with prolapse of the inner part of the disc, sharp Schmorl's hernia).
4. Fractures of processes (spinous, transverse, articular) and arches of vertebrae.
5. Dislocations and subluxations of vertebrae, fracture.
6. Traumatic spondylolisthesis.

All fractures are divided into 2 groups:

• with displacement, when the normal axis of the spine is broken and there is a high risk of spinal cord compression;
• without bias.

Spinal injuries are also important to distribute to stable and unstable.

Stable fractures occur if only the anterior spine is damaged (vertebral bodies).

At the same time, if at the time of the impact the spinal cord injury did not occur due to displacement of the vertebra, then in the future such a risk is minimal.

Compression fracture of the spine

At the same time, if there was no compression of the spinal cord at the time of injury, then the high risk of this complication remains in the future, since any movement can lead to such consequences.

Types of spinal cord injuries:

• concussion (this is a reversible functional disorder);
• bruise or concussion (organic damage to nerve tissue);
• compression, which can be caused by fragments of vertebrae, damaged disc, hematoma, edema, etc .;
• partial and complete rupture is the heaviest damage, the consequences of which depend on the level of violation.

Symptoms of spine injuries

The clinical symptoms of a spinal injury, in the first place, depend on whether the spinal cord is damaged, and also on the location of the injury, its type and mechanism.

Signs of Stable Injuries

Stable injuries of the spine include:

• bruises of soft tissues;
• damage to ligaments;
• stable fractures of vertebrae (bodies, spinous, transverse processes without displacement).

Typical clinical symptoms:

• Distressed tenderness in the place of injury;
• swelling, bruising, bruising in the area of ​​damage;
• movements may be limited to slightly or severely, depending on the degree of pain syndrome;
• with a fracture of the spinous processes there is local pain, sometimes one can feel their pathological mobility;
• in some cases, signs of sciatica are attached;
• with fractures of the transverse processes there is soreness in the paravertebral zones;
• Neurological symptoms are absent, except for cases of secondary radiculitis.

Injury of the cervical spine

Damage to the upper segments of the cervical spinal cord is life-threatening. The function of the cardiovascular and respiratory center suffers, and this can lead to immediate death.

With trauma at the level of 3-4 segments of the spinal cord, the patient experiences tetraplegia (paralysis of the hands and feet), all kinds of sensitivity are lost below the site of injury.

The respiratory muscles and diaphragm also suffer, which is dangerous by stopping breathing.

MRI shows a fracture in the cervical spine and compression of the spinal cord

When the 4-5 segment of the spinal cord is compressed, tetraplegia sets in, but without respiratory disturbances. If the 5-8 segments of the spinal cord are damaged, paralysis of various muscles of the hand develops and lower paraparesis is observed, and there may be impairments in the function of the pelvic organs.

Damage to the thoracic and lumbar spine

Damage of the thoracic spinal cord in spinal injuries is accompanied by weakness in the legs, a violation of the sexual and pelvic organs. Paralysis of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall may occur. There may be respiratory disorders due to paralysis of the intercostal muscles.

You can also read:Compression fracture of the thoracic spine

Damage at the level of the lumbar region leads to paralysis of various groups of muscles of the lower extremities (feet, legs or thighs). Also, the sensitivity is less than the localization of the injury, the function of the pelvic organs and the reproductive system is impaired.

Diagnosis of injuries of the spine and spinal cord consists of a patient's questioning, clarification of complaints, the mechanism of injury, the data of a person's examination, finding out the presence of neurological symptoms of spinal cord injury, as well as on these additional methods of examination (radiography, MRI, CT, myelography, etc.).

Natal trauma

Birth trauma is a whole group of mechanical damages to the fetal tissues that occur during labor.

One of the most serious kinds of birth trauma is spinal cord injury.

Recently, the number of such injuries significantly decreased, as the number of delivery by caesarean section increased.

Factors that can lead to birth trauma of the spine:

• obstetric care in childbirth;
• the imposition of obstetric forceps;
• breech and other types of pathological presentation of the fetus;
• transferability;
• a large fruit;
• rapid or protracted delivery;
• deep prematurity;
• abnormalities of fetal development.

Most often, the cervical spine and the adjacent brachial plexus are affected. Symptoms depend on the level of damage.

As a rule, such a trauma is accompanied by pain (the child is restless, constantly changing its position, checking the physiological reflexes is painful). There may be a torticollis, a shortened or elongated neck.

If the upper cervical segments of the spinal cord are damaged, one can observe a picture of spinal shock, various respiratory disorders, a "frog" posture, a delay or incontinence of urination.

Obstetrical help in childbirth can cause trauma to the spine

If the brachial plexus is damaged, the child may develop Cofferat syndrome (paresis of the diaphragmatic nerve), Duchenne-Erba paralysis, Dejerine-Clumpke, Kerer. All these syndromes have their own distinctive features and consequences.

Damage in the thoracic region is manifested by respiratory disorders that result from the paresis intercostal muscles, as well as the lower paraparesis of the legs of a spastic character, the syndrome of " stomach ".

Injury of the lumbar and sacral parts in infants is accompanied by flaccid paraparesis of the legs, impaired pelvic organs.

First aid for trauma to the spine

It is necessary to note 2 main points of help in trauma to the spine:

• reliable and correct fixation of the injured area;
• if possible, carry out anesthesia.

Transportation of the victim with a trauma of the spine

It is necessary to lay the victim on a hard surface with his back, while not allowed to sit down, get up.

Regardless of the damaged area, you need to securely fix the cervical spine. For this, there are special collars.

To transfer the injured are several people to keep the body on the same level and minimize movement in the spine. Such transportation will help to avoid secondary traumatization of the spinal cord.

It is necessary to control the pulse and breath of a person. In case of violations, it is necessary to provide resuscitation assistance in accordance with general rules.

Do not leave the injured person alone and do not shift it from place to place unless absolutely necessary.

It is mandatory to call an ambulance.

Principles of treatment and rehabilitation after trauma to the spine

The consequences of spinal injuries directly depend on the timeliness and correctness of the first aid, on the type and mechanism of the injury, on the concomitant damage to the spinal cord.

Treatment can be conservative and surgical. At an easy degree of a trauma therapy only conservative. Assign symptomatic medications (analgesics, hemostatic, general restorative, anti-inflammatory), strict bed rest, massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy.

In more severe cases, conservative treatment may be supplemented by closed repositioning (single-step repositioning of dislocations, fractures, traction) followed by immobilization of damaged segments of the spine (neck collars, corsets for the thoracic or lumbar).

LFK - the main method of rehabilitation after spinal injuries

Surgical treatment is used in case of spinal cord injury or its high risk due to instability of the spine. Also, surgery can be prescribed if conservative therapy is ineffective. After operations, strict immobilization or stretching is used.

Recovery from a spinal injury is a lengthy and time-consuming process. With lesions without compression of the spinal cord, the exercise therapy is shown from the first days of rehabilitation.

Begin with respiratory gymnastics, gradually perform exercises for the limbs and spine. Behind the lessons, a physician-rehabilitation specialist must follow.

Also, massage and physiotherapy are prescribed.

In spinal cord injuries, recovery is supplemented by drug treatment, which is aimed at the regeneration of the nervous tissue, electropulse therapy, acupuncture.

A source: http://MoyaSpina.ru/bolezni/kakie-byvayut-travmy-pozvonochnika

How to properly help with spinal cord injury + video

Damage to the spine is considered one of the most common types of injuries of the human body. The physiological and anatomical features of the spine greatly influence the nature of trauma.

So in young people injuries of this nature are much less common than in older people and constitute between 3 and 10% of all injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Any injury to the spine is a serious injury.

In addition, such injuries are combined with damage to other anatomical structures, such as the spinal cord, vascular plexus.

Such injuries often lead to disability and pose a serious threat to human life.

Damage to the spine can be various ways: falling from a high altitude, car accident, lifting weights.

Such traumas can lead to spinal cord lengthening, displacement of intervertebral discs, or vertebral column fracture.

The last type of injury is considered the most serious, as it leads to damage to the spinal cord and irreversible consequences.

In any case, if the spine is damaged, the first first aid should be provided. If the nature of the injury is questionable, it is better to be safe and treat the injured as if you had a fracture of the spine.

Damage to the spine is not uniform and can have different localization, severity and clinical manifestations.

The injuries of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx are more common, skin lesions may or may not be present.

It should be noted that the higher the injury, the more difficult the violations.

Signs and symptoms of spinal injury

If the spine is injured, the following symptoms are noted, which depend on the degree of injury, localization of the injury:

1. pain in the neck and injury;
2. partial or complete loss of functions of the musculoskeletal system;
3. weak pulse, low blood pressure;
4. nausea;
5. dizziness;
6. decreased sensitivity.

In more severe cases, a spinal shock is noted in the spinal fracture, which is characterized by violation of the reflex centers of the spinal cord, paralysis of the limbs, bladder disorders, intestines.

Of course, not always at the time of injury close to a qualified doctor or health worker, and provide first aid to a person without medical education. Therefore, it is very important to know several rules for the provision of first aid, on which the life of the victim depends and the result of further treatment.

How to provide first aid for spinal injuries

In most cases, trauma to the spine is accompanied by acute pain, complete or partial immobility. For competent first aid - need a group of people, at least 3 people. It is necessary to immediately call an ambulance, after which the following activities:

1. if possible, give an anesthetic drug;
2. as little as possible to move the victim;
3. gently shift it onto a stretcher;
4. follow the breath, in cases of shock, stop the heart to conduct an indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration;
5. with injuries of the cervical spine, you need to fix a collar made from improvised means in the neck area;
6. with a trauma of the thoracic or lumbar spine - it is necessary to put the victim on a hard surface, and put the roller under the place of the injury;
7. if a person is conscious, you must cover him with a blanket, give him a warm drink;

It is very important to correctly transport the patient, the further state of his health depends on this. To transport the patient need at least 3 - 5 people.

Stretchers can be made from improvised tools, they must have a flat surface. Under the damaged spine is not allowed to put any pillows or rollers, the victim must lie exactly on his back.

After the arrival of an ambulance, it is necessary to report all the actions that took place before their arrival.

Correctly rendered first aid for spinal injuries, can save the motor activity of the victim and significantly reduce the rehabilitation period.

Traffic of the victim with spinal injury

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A source: http://zdravstvuy.info/?p=3904

First aid in case of spine injury

Injury to the spine, despite the location of the localization, and many other features, is one of the most serious injuries that can cause serious consequences.

A person needs emergency care no matter what kind of injury he got. Therefore, it is very important for all those around to provide timely "correct" assistance.

It is quite difficult to distinguish the trauma of the spine to a person who has nothing to do with medicine.

However, a person who saw how injured the victim, can assume that this is a fracture of the spine, depending on the impact, for example, when a person fell.

But another problem is that it is impossible to visually determine the given fracture.

Injury of the spine is the most difficult

The main actions in trauma to the spine

A little about the symptoms of a vertebral fracture:

• Paralysis of limbs is possible;
• Muscles of the back will be in strong tension;
• Acute pain, which can lead to loss of consciousness of the victim;
• It is possible to excrete the victim (feces, urine);
• Usually the neck is in a very strange position on the side.

There are several main conditions that must be fulfilled from the very beginning: to ensure that the victim does not make any movements, and his body is lying desirably on a flat surface.

It is important to note that you can not accept a different position, as this can aggravate the situation and sharpen the spinal cord injury. The next step is to call an ambulance.

Only under those circumstances, when there is no such possibility, it is necessary to carry out independently everything that we will teach you.

Signs of spinal injury

First aid for trauma to the spine should consist of the following:

1. It is necessary to assess the condition of the victim. In the mind of the victim, as he could experience a painful shock, the presence of his pulse, breathing. If a person is conscious, then ask him how much pain he feels.
2. To begin with, unfortunately, all you can do is to ensure its immobility. In the event that you assume that the injured person has injured the cervical spine, be sure to place crumpled clothing under his shoulders and neck and, if possible, fix it. It should be noted that it is always desirable to fix the neck, since other parts of the spine are activated during movement of the head.
3. It is necessary to watch the victim all the time, that he would be immobilized. Contact the relatives of the victim or other people who will help to transport the victim, since it is impossible to do this alone without harming the health of the victim.
4. In case you have painkillers, you can clarify the victim's presence of allergies, and give him to at least a little dull his sharp pain. This will help him to hold out and not to lose consciousness.
5. In extreme cases, if the victim has no pulse and breath, you need to carry out cardiac resuscitation, but it is important to remember that with a massage of the heart, it is possible to harm the victim, aggravate his trauma the spine.

How to transport a person with a spinal injury?

Exacerbations of damage to the spinal cord structures of the spine are possible when the injured vertebrae, this will greatly aggravate the trauma, so it is important to transport very carefully without any sharp movements.

Body position during transportation

For transportation, you can use any improvised means, in the form of a board, the old door removed - in this case the person lies on his back. If you only have a stretcher, they are usually made of soft material - on the stomach face down.

Also, if possible, you need to make a corset for the neck from (cardboard, bandages) and rewind the legs for complete fixation. Otherwise, during transportation it is necessary to hold a person by the head so that he does not make unnecessary movements.

It remains only to deliver the victim to the medical institution.

A source: https://HelpSpina.ru/bolezni/pervaya-pomoshh-pri-povrezhdenii-pozvonochnika.html

First aid for fracture of the spine: determine the injury and assess the situation

Fracture of the spine refers to severe injuries to the musculoskeletal system.

This condition threatens the development of neurological complications and even the death of the victim.

This is due to damage to the spinal cord directly at the time of fracture or with the subsequent displacement of the vertebrae and their fragments.

Competent rendering of the first pre-hospital care often allows to avoid formidable complications and create conditions for the further restoration of the damaged spine and surrounding tissues.

Types of fractures

Fracture of the spine can be traumatic and pathological. In the first case, the destruction of the vertebra occurs with one-stage excessive loads, while there are no changes in the vertebra that lead to increased brittleness of bone tissue.

If such previous disorders are present, then the fracture is considered pathological, it often occurs with daily loads. This happens in the presence of metastases or primary tumors in the body of the vertebra, with myeloma, osteoporosis.

With a fracture of the spine, the body, spines or arches of the vertebrae can be damaged.

According to the type of destructionallocate:

• wedge-shaped compression fracture with a decrease in the height of the vertebral body;
• splintered by an explosive fracture of the vertebral body with the formation of a number of eccentrically located fragments;
• a comminuted fracture of the type of a drooping drop with a displacement of the detached front-lower edge of the vertebra;
• detachment of the process with its displacement under the action of the muscles attached to it;
• Isolated fracture of the process, not accompanied by an obvious deformation or displacement;
• broken, when the rotation (rotation) of the vertebra occurs together with the fracture.

Vertebral fractures are isolated and multiple, stable and unstable. In addition, they are classified by area of ​​damage.

Therefore, there are fractures in the cervical, ore, lumbar spine and fracture of the coccyx.

Each department of the spine has its own features of structure and functioning.

Features of injuries of different parts of the spine

The cervical spine is the most mobile, the distance between the vertebrae is the largest.

And here various damage mechanisms are possible: whiplash injury, direct local impact, compression when striking the head along the body axis, excessive rotation.

Fractures are often accompanied by damage to the ligamentous apparatus and intervertebral discs, which leads to instability of damage and fractures. In cases of cervical injury, the risk of rupture or compression (compression) of the spinal cord is very high.

Lesions of the thoracolumbar region most often occur with sports injuries, road incidents, falling from a height (the so-called catatrauma), penetrating wounds (especially when gunshot injuries).

Often there are also pathological compression fractures. The high frequency of their detection in this area is related to the peculiarities of the blood supply. It is here that metastases are usually found, and in the case of osteoporosis, these departments are affected first.

Compression fractures in this case are found closer to the waist.

The fractures of the coccyx are always traumatic, they occur with a strong direct effect and are often accompanied by dislocations of the vertebrae.

What to do if you suspect a fracture of the spine?

To assume a possible fracture of the spine is not difficult, especially if the appearance of a complex of symptoms is in close temporal connection with the action of the damaging factor.

But to diagnose a pathological fracture is often difficult even for a doctor without additional methods of examination.

Fortunately, pathological compression fractures are usually stable and rarely bear an immediate threat to the life of the victim.

With a fracture of the spine, pain occurs in the area of ​​damage. It can be so strong that sometimes leads to the development of spinal shock.

This is the name for a complex of pronounced changes in the work of the heart, vessels and brain, which lead to a sharp inhibition of vital activity and can cause a lethal outcome.

And anesthesia is included in the list of recommended measures, which must be taken before the arrival of the doctor. To do this, any means are suitable, it is better to choose as strong as possible.

But it is important to remember that if a person has already lost consciousness or does not understand what is happening, taking a pill can be fatal for him.

This is one of the first aid measures for a fracture of the spine.

The compression or damage of the spinal cord is accompanied by a violation of sensitivity and paralysis of the body below the area of ​​the injury, a violation of the regulation of urination and defecation.

With partial damage to the spinal cord, so-called alternating syndromes can occur, when changes in sensitivity and paralysis occur on different halves of the body. This is due to the intersection of the nerve pathways throughout the spinal cord.

Fracture of the spine below the IV lumbar vertebra does not threaten the compression of the brain, at this level, only the roots of nerves that are going down are already in the spinal cord channel.

Sometimes signs of damage to nerve formations appear immediately after the injury, but they can occur later if the vertebrae or the vertebra itself move and deform the spinal canal.

This can also occur with improperly provided first aid. Therefore, the primary task in the event of the slightest suspicion of a possible vertebral fracture is the immobilization of the victim.

It is important to give his spine the maximum possible immobility in the natural position. This is called immobilization.

This measure is the most important in the stage of rendering first aid and when transporting a person with a fracture of the spine.

Immobilization rules

Immobilization and transportation of the victim is carried out according to certain rules. This is necessary to prevent a secondary displacement of fragments and compression of the spinal cord. In addition, the restriction of movements somewhat reduces the severity of the pain syndrome.

Basic recommendations for immobilization of a person with suspected fracture of the spine:

• you can not turn the victim violently, lift his head, try to sit him down;
• rises and coups of the victim are carried out by several people, preferably from 3 people;
• if it is necessary to overturn or transfer the victim, all actions must be synchronized, the bending or twisting of the damaged spine should not be allowed;
• it is best to put the victim on his back on a firm, level surface, placing a low roller of a rolled-up garment or veil under his waist;
• when the victim is intoxicated, having seizures or psychomotor agitation, he is transported lying on his stomach, Under the chest and head, pads or cushions of soft materials are put in order to achieve a slight deflection in the lower back;
• when transporting it is important to fix the victim with a bandage, blanket or other means to prevent his displacement during movement;
• You can not try to fix the existing deformations of the back and neck by yourself;
• you need to additionally fix the head with a homemade high collar, rollers, pouches with sand on the sides of the head, this is especially important when you suspect a fracture of the cervical region;
• if the doctor can not be called in, it is necessary to transport the victim as soon as possible to the hospital, transportation is carried out in the supine position on the shield.

For the transfer of a person with a fracture of the spine, a shield, a door removed from the hinges, wide long boards will do. If the amount of improvised means is not enough, you need to link them in such a construction that the victim is placed on it at full height with the hands lying along the body.

It is necessary to watch, that such improvised stretcher were equal. If this is not possible, soft stretchers or a substitute are used for carrying them, while the person is put on the stomach. But this method is undesirable, since it significantly increases the risk of infringement of the spinal cord.

A source: https://proartrit.ru/pervaya-pomoshh-pri-perelome-pozvonochnika/