Spinal Injury - First Aid Treatment
The spine must be flexible to allow for movement. This is why it is not composed of one solid bone, but 33 separate vertebrae, which are set one on top of the other and connected by a system of muscles and ligaments.
In order to maintain a stable centre of gravity, back muscles should be strong so they may act as a counterweight and able to contract in order to compensate for body movements.
Good posture should be maintained on a daily basis to prevent back pain.
The thirty three vertebrae form the human spine are:
- 7 cervical
- 12 thoracic
- 5 lumbar vertebrae
These are separated by 23 intervertebral discs. The 5 sacrum vertebrae (Tail end) are fused just like the 4 coccyx pieces, forming the sacrum and coccyx bones.
What to do
Suspect Spinal Injuries with - Motor vehicle accidents Pedestrian-vehicle collisions Falls Blunt trauma Diving accidents Any trauma leaving the patient unresponsive.
One of the fears of providing first aid is maybe doing more harm to the patient. With Spinal Injuries this can occur if you don't follow some basic rules. The spine itself contains spinal cord which is where all of the messages from your brain are sent to control your entire body.
The Spinal Cord when damaged cannot be repaired and depending on where it is damaged will affect the level of paralysis that occurs. Damaging the spinal cord in the lower lumber region of your back can result in the loss of the use of your legs and damage in the higher part of your spine can result in the loss of control to vital systems such as respiration.
If you suspect a spinal injury, but you need to place the patient in the recovery position because you cannot maintain an open airway try to keep the spine straight.
- If alone use the recovery position taught earlier
- With 1 helper one of you steady the head while the other turns the patient
- With 2 helpers you steady the head, one helper turns the patient, while the other keeps the back straight
- If there are four of you, use the log roll
It may be that the person has not done any serious damage to their back, but it is better to be safe than to do them further harm. There is only one place that can determine actual spinal damage and that is a hospital so when they arrive the EMS will use extreme caution also leaving them in the same position where possible to transport them to hospital.
Treatment
- Activate EMS
- Do not move patient (unless life threatening danger arises.)
- Maintain spinal stabilisation
- Check ABCs
What Not to do
Do not move them unless you have to
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FIRST AID - CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ONLINE COURSES IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND A CLASSROOM COURSE CLICK HERE TO SEARCH FOR AN INSTRUCTOR IN YOUR AREA
| 
