Spinal injuries can lead to permanent disability and paralysis. Knowing how to properly treat someone who has had a spinal injury can reduce the risk of damage to the spinal cord, resulting in irreversible damage or death.
Steps
Step 1. Know when a person is at risk for a spinal cord injury
Here are some signs. If you are treating someone with these symptoms, follow these steps:
- The victim experiences severe pain in the neck or back.
- He can't or can't move his neck.
- She fell, or suffered a trauma, to her back, neck or head.
- Head trauma with effects on consciousness.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control.
- Paralysis, weakness or numbness in the limbs.
- The neck or back takes an unnatural angle.
Step 2. Call the emergency services
Medical professionals are able to assess and manage potential spinal injuries, and have special tools and equipment for handling people with these injuries.
Step 3. Do not move the victim unless they are in immediate danger of further injury, or if you need to open their airways for them to breathe
Step 4. Stabilize the victim to prevent any movement of the head, neck or body
You must keep it completely still until help arrives, if possible.
Step 5. Give first aid measures without moving her head or neck
If the person is not breathing or has no heartbeat, CPR begins but do not lift the chin to open an airway. Instead, you should gently pull your jaw forward.
Step 6. Wait for help to arrive
Stay with the victim until medical personnel intervene.
Method 1 of 1: If the Victim Needs to Be Moved
If possible, it is best to avoid moving the victim. However, if it is necessary to avoid further damage, follow these steps.
Step 1. Grab it by the clothes
Grab her shirt collar and use your forearms to support her head as you pull her body in a straight line. This is the best method, as the victim's head is supported during movement.
Step 2. Pull the victim by the feet or shoulders
Use both feet, shoulders, or pull her by the arms after lifting them above her shoulders.
Step 3. Keep his neck and torso as straight as possible, and pull the victim in a straight line, not sideways
Step 4. Be at least two people if you have to roll the victim
If you have to turn it over to prevent it from choking on blood or vomit, or other damage from occurring, you have to move it in two. Roll the victim so that the neck, back and trunk move as one unit. Avoid twisting her body.
Advice
- When you call medical assistance, let the operator know that it is a spinal injury. At the switchboard they will be able to give you further suggestions to help the victim.
- If the person is conscious, try to keep him calm. Tell him what you are doing to help him and ask him to stand still.
Warnings
- Any handling of a victim with a spinal injury can cause paralysis or death.
- Do not try to move the victim unless he is in immediate danger!
- The damage to the spinal cord is permanent.
- If the victim is unconscious or has a head injury, you must automatically assume they have a spinal injury.
