Spinal Cord Injury - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide
Overview
- Spinal cord injury is otherwise called 'myelopathy' 
- It results in an injury to the nerve fibers in the cord 
- Can cause loss of physical sensation and mobility 
- Spinal cord remains intact in most of the injuries 
- The complete injury causes no movement/sensation below the injury 
- Incomplete injury-retains some movement/sensation below the injury 
- Physical therapy, ventilators, wheelchairs often required 
Causes
- Automobile accidents 
- Diving accidents
- Falls 
- Shot by a gun 
- Conditions like 
 a. Polio
 b. Tumor
 c. Spina Bifida
 d. Friedreich's Ataxia
Symptoms
- Loss of sensation 
- Loss of motor functions 
- Loss of bowel/bladder functions 
- Sexual function can get affected 
- Loss of involuntary functions, like breathing 
- Inability to control the rate of heartbeat 
- Inability to sweat 
- Chronic pain 
Treatment
Seek medical help or call for an ambulance as soon as possible. Meanwhile- 
- Move the person, if the surrounding is not safe 
- Immobilize the head, neck, and body on both sides
- Movements may dislocate vertebra and cause further injury 
- If there is no sign of breathing, perform CPR 
- Do not tilt head backward during CPR 
Prevention
- Always wear a seatbelt while driving 
- Use special seat belts for children and babies
- Do not drink and drive 
- Do not dive into a shallow pool area
- Spinal cord injury is otherwise called 'myelopathy'
- It results in an injury to the nerve fibers in the cord
- Can cause loss of physical sensation and mobility
- Spinal cord remains intact in most of the injuries
- The complete injury causes no movement/sensation below the injury
- Incomplete injury-retains some movement/sensation below the injury
- Physical therapy, ventilators, wheelchairs often required
- Automobile accidents
- Diving accidents
- Falls
- Shot by a gun
- Conditions like 
 a. Polio
 b. Tumor
 c. Spina Bifida
 d. Friedreich's Ataxia
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of motor functions
- Loss of bowel/bladder functions
- Sexual function can get affected
- Loss of involuntary functions, like breathing
- Inability to control the rate of heartbeat
- Inability to sweat
- Chronic pain
Seek medical help or call for an ambulance as soon as possible. Meanwhile-
- Move the person, if the surrounding is not safe
- Immobilize the head, neck, and body on both sides
- Movements may dislocate vertebra and cause further injury
- If there is no sign of breathing, perform CPR
- Do not tilt head backward during CPR
- Always wear a seatbelt while driving
- Use special seat belts for children and babies
- Do not drink and drive
- Do not dive into a shallow pool area
 
 
 
 
 
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