Spinal injury

Definition

Your spinal cord contains the nerves that carry messages between your brain and body. The cord passes through your neck and back. A spinal cord injury is very serious because it can cause paralysis below the site of the injury.

Alternative Names

Neck injury

Considerations

When someone has a spinal injury, additional movement may cause further damage to the nerves in the cord and can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

If you think someone could possibly have a spinal injury, DO NOT move the injured person even a little bit, unless it is absolutely necessary (like getting someone out of a burning car).

If you are in doubt about whether a person has a spinal injury, assume that he or she DOES have one.

Causes

• Bullet or stab wound
• Direct trauma to the face, neck, head, or back (e.g., car accidents)
• Diving accident
• Electric shock
• Extreme twisting of the trunk
• Sports injury (landing on head)
• Major blow to the head or chest, car accident, fall from a great height

References

Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2002.

Townsend, Jr., CM, ed. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 17th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier; 2004:498-502,1952.

DeLee JC, Drez, Jr., D, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2003:798,837.