Doctors say: “A healthy back means a healthy person.” This is fair, because the slightest malfunction in the functioning of the spine instantly affects the entire body. Virtually all tissues, organs and systems suffer. Therefore, when there is damage (or suspected damage) to the spine, the main thing is to act accurately and carefully. Special caution is needed here. First aid can both protect a person from a critical condition and help him restore mobility, and, conversely, aggravate the situation.
Unfortunately, no one is insured against household injuries, falls, road traffic collisions and other accidents. The typical reaction of others in an emergency situation is panic. Let you be the person who maintains presence of mind and remembers the rules of first aid for injuries to the back or neck. There are only a few of these rules, and they are not difficult to remember. Below we will list them.
How can you tell if a victim's spine is broken?
First of all, let us recall the signs of a spinal fracture:
- the back muscles are tense;
- a person complains of pain in the back, lower back, neck; painful sensations intensify when pressing or trying to make a movement;
- he experiences paralysis of his arms or legs;
- the neck bends unnaturally (in some cases the cervical region swells, breathing becomes difficult);
- numbness occurs in the injured area - control over the damaged part of the body is lost.
Treatment of birth cervical injury
Injury to the cervical spine almost always provokes serious health complications for the child. That is why its treatment should begin from the first days of a newborn’s life. The most suitable treatment methods are considered osteopathic, which allow you to gently and delicately eliminate the problem. During the examination of the baby, the doctor identifies tension in different layers of tissue, then creates tension and a fulcrum, thereby allowing the tissues to straighten.
Particular attention is paid to the tissues of the head, since it is in them that blood vessels pass and part of the cerebrospinal fluid flows out. It is worth noting that even during a safe and normal birth, the baby’s head (especially the occipital bone) experiences severe stress as it makes its way through the birth canal. The neck rests on the base of the skull, and the base of the head consists of a large number of cartilages. During childbirth, these cartilages may shift, which leads to pinching of cranial vessels and nerves.
Osteopathic techniques for treating a newborn are selected individually. Their use allows you to relax muscles and eliminate pain, activate blood circulation, which will promote rapid healing. The main preventive method of birth trauma is considered to be regular monitoring of the pregnant woman by the attending physician and timely elimination of health problems.
How to help the victim?
So, the first thing is not to panic, but to reasonably assess the situation and do everything possible before the doctors arrive. The main consideration to be followed is “do no harm.” Here are the rules of first aid to the victim:
- If possible, ensure his body is in a stable position, do not move the patient anywhere until the ambulance arrives;
- Make sure the victim's breathing is not difficult. Unbutton your collar, free your neck from the scarf or tie;
- If a person is wearing a helmet or other protective equipment, it is not advisable to remove it. This should be done only as a last resort - for example, the victim does not regain consciousness and you suspect that he has stopped breathing;
- if the patient’s breathing or pulse has stopped, perform artificial respiration with pressure on the sternum;
- if you still need to move an injured person, carefully place him on a stretcher, carry him and lay him on a hard, flat horizontal surface. If there is no stretcher, call a few more people for help and move the patient together as carefully as possible, keeping his back straight. Pay special attention to the cervical region - the neck should under no circumstances be thrown back or, conversely, bent towards the chest;
- if you don’t have such special equipment as a neck brace on hand, wrap a jacket, sweater or towel around your neck so as to support the patient’s head;
- If a person is nauseous and there is a need to turn him on his side, do not do it alone. Ask others for help. Agree among yourself at what point to move the patient - for example, on the count of “three” - and act at the same time. Your task is to ensure that when turning, the head, neck and back of the injured person are on the same line;
- if possible, give the victim painkillers, cover him with a blanket and remain nearby until doctors arrive.
Spinal injuries. Symptoms of spinal injuries. First aid for spinal injuries
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Spinal injuries are a fairly heterogeneous group of diseases that develop as a result of injury to individual vertebrae or an entire group of them and are dangerous for the development of complications, in particular, compression of the spinal cord and the development of paralysis.
Spinal injuries represent a major medical and social problem, since they are quite common, and lead to a high incidence of disability and very high mortality if assistance is not provided on time, not in full, and if serious mistakes are made even before the patient gets to a medical facility .
Causes of spinal injuries
The causes of spinal injuries are, first of all, domestic, road transport and industrial injuries, and the spine is often injured when a damaging agent is exposed to the head, neck, back and lower back.
Do not forget that injuries often occur when falling from a height, even if a person lands on his feet during the fall. Spinal lesions in the perinatal period - during the passage of the fetus through the birth canal - should be included in a separate group.
Thus, a spinal injury can occur at virtually any age and under any circumstances, but in any case it is a very serious condition that requires not only fast, but also correct medical care.
Thus, all patients with a suspected spinal fracture, which can only be confirmed by an inpatient after an appropriate study, should undergo immobilization as early as possible and in full. In this case, it will be possible to prevent possible displacement of bone fragments, which can occur with unstable spinal injuries, and damage to the spinal cord.
To be confident in providing correct and timely medical care, quickly transporting the victim to the hospital and carrying out all measures, from pain relief to transport immobilization, you should use the services of our private ambulance !
Symptoms of spinal injuries
Everyone needs to know the symptoms of a spinal injury so that, at the slightest suspicion of an injury, they can ensure proper assistance before the ambulance arrives.
The leading sign of spinal injury is pain at the site of injury, which can spread along the spinal column. The presence of pain and actual injuries in the head, neck or back indicates that the likelihood of a spinal injury is very likely.
If you have symptoms such as:
- loss of sensation in the limbs or only in the legs
- unpleasant sensations in the limbs and body, for example, burning or crawling sensations
- the presence of movement disorders, in particular, the inability to perform active movements in the legs or arms and legs, then most likely there is damage to the spinal cord.
In addition, patients after injury may be in a state of shock, which is accompanied by an increase in heart rate, a decrease in blood pressure, an increase in breathing rate, general agitation, increased motor activity, and so on.
It should be said that spinal injuries themselves can be varied, they include:
- spinal concussion
- spinal bruise
- ligament tears
- fractures of the spinous processes, transverse processes of the vertebrae, arches and vertebral bodies
- dislocations and subluxations of the vertebrae
- traumatic spondylolisthesis (vertebral displacement after injury).
Symptoms of spinal injury are very nonspecific, but in any case, only if there is a suspicion of damage to the spine, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance team and not try to change the position of the victim, do not drag or carry him.
An emergency medical team that arrives on time will be able to provide pain relief and immobilization, which will prevent possible displacement of damaged bones, and will also prevent the development of pain shock - one of the formidable complications of any injury.
Diagnosis of spinal injury
Spinal injuries are diagnosed only after an X-ray examination is performed. Moreover, recently preference has been given to more progressive research methods, which make it possible to quickly obtain comprehensive information about the condition of the spinal column and spinal cord. In particular, we are talking about computed tomography.
The study allows not only to clarify the diagnosis, but also to determine the presence of spinal cord injuries, as well as the presence of indications and the possibility of performing surgical intervention. Proper treatment at the earliest stages can minimize the manifestations of spinal injuries in the future and prevent paralysis and disability, which are one of the main social problems of such injuries.
Calling an ambulance will ensure not only the quick arrival of specialists to the victim and provision of the necessary assistance, but also rapid delivery to a specialized hospital, where all diagnostic and therapeutic measures can be carried out in full. Thus, the probability of saving the life and preserving the victim’s ability to work will be maximum!
First aid for spinal injuries
If you have even the slightest suspicion that the injured person has a spinal injury, then you must:
- call an ambulance as quickly as possible
- leave the person in the place where he lies, if he is not in danger (spreading fire, explosion, etc.)
- ensure maximum immobility (cover with pillows, blankets, etc.)
- do not throw back or turn your head, if necessary
– ensure airway patency
– free the oral cavity from foreign bodies, vomit, and so on.
The most careful attitude towards the victim at the earliest stages minimizes the likelihood of damage to the spinal cord or its aggravation, if it already exists.
A timely call for an ambulance and its arrival in the shortest possible time is life-saving for the patient, so do not hesitate to call an ambulance and give preference to proven services, in particular, our private ambulance service! And the money spent will be worth it, because health is most important!
What diagnostics does the patient need?
The surest way to assess back injuries as quickly and accurately as possible is to get an MRI of the spine. In Moscow, this procedure is widely available; The situation is worse in the periphery, where only one or two tomographs operate for the entire populated area. Therefore, residents of the metropolis should take advantage and take the victim to the nearest clinic equipped with an MRI machine (fortunately, there are such clinics in every district of the capital). True, the price of an MRI of the spine can be considerable. Depending on the location of the medical center, its rating and the qualifications of the doctors, the cost of an MRI of the spine ranges from 6 to 18-19 thousand rubles. But a critical situation is not the time to save money. If you go through options and hesitate, the person’s condition may worsen in the meantime.
Why is MRI of the spine recommended among all diagnostics? There are several reasons for this:
- This is the most accurate method (its reliability is 98-99%), after which there are no controversial diagnoses and clarifying tests. The radiologist receives a model of the problem area in three-dimensional format, detailed down to the smallest detail;
- Pictures are processed very quickly. This means precious time is saved;
- This examination is allowed to be carried out many times in a row - for example, an MRI of the spine, then the head, then the limbs.
Based on the screening results, therapy is prescribed aimed at maintaining the ability to move and speedy rehabilitation.