!Spine and Neck Injuries

How the spine gets injured
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Inside the bones of the spine is the spinal cord, an extension of the 
brain. An injury to the spinal cord can cause life-long disability or 
death. If there is any chance the person hurt his spine, you can 
protect him from further injury by *keeping his neck and back still!*

Assume that the spine may be injured after any car, motorcycle, or 
bicycle crash, any big fall, or blow to the back or head. Keep the neck 
and back still so they cannot turn side to side or up and down, which 
could further damage the spine. Tape a roll of clothes, fabric, foam, 
or something else around the neck to keep it from moving.

Do not give pain medicine until you are sure there is no injury to the 
spine. Pain reminds the person to keep still.

Signs of spine injury
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 * Pain or tenderness along the neck or spine
 * Weakness or loss of movement in the arms or legs
 * Numbness in the arms or legs

Other signs of spine injury include loss of control of urine or stool, 
difficulty breathing, or shock. If there is any doubt, it is safest to 
treat the person as if he has a spine injury.

To check for spine injury, ask the person to stay flat on his back and 
to raise his knees. Then ask him to raise his arms. Can he move them? 
Does he feel pain? Touch the fingers and toes. Can he feel your touch? 
Can he feel your pinch?

If there is a place on the body below which the person cannot move or 
feel, the bones in the spine are broken. But with help from others, you 
can prevent his problems from getting worse.

If he still has feeling and movement, feel the spine itself. Carefully 
log roll him to his side to check his whole back.

    Log roll
    --------
    Keep the head, neck, and back in one straight line as you roll. 

Then keep the body still, and gently feel each bump along the back bone, 
from the back of the head to between the buttocks. Feel for bones out 
of place, breaks, or pain.

Use the same group effort to carefully roll him back.

(If the person is vomiting, place something under his head so he can 
stay on his side.)

If there is pain or tenderness, the person needs x-rays to see if there 
are smaller breaks in the bones. He will need to rest in one position, 
being turned every few hours but keeping the neck and back still, until 
pain subsides in a week or so.

    Back board
    ----------
    To move the person, log roll him onto his side and put a long 
    flat board, like a wooden door, under him. Then roll him back 
    onto the board. Use a few long strips of strong tape or cloth to 
    secure his head, chest, and thighs to the board. If you must keep 
    the person on this board for a long time, you should roll him to 
    his side every couple of hours.

A person who has had an injury to the spine needs long‑term physical 
therapy. Seek help from those with experience, or use a book like 
*Disabled Village Children* or *A Health Handbook for Women with 
Disabilities,* both available from Hesperian.

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from NEW WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR ©
Hesperian Health Guides 1919 Addison St Ste 304 Berkeley CA 94704
1.510.845.1447 hesperian@hesperian.org
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